A prediction that the world as we know it will end on Saturday has naysayers getting ready to party and most Christians rolling their eyes.
It's a story that's making its way around the internet, and even being covered by the mainstream media.
The prediction comes from a religious broadcaster named Harold Camping and his loosely organized Christian movement. Camping is an 89-year-old retired civil engineer from Oakland, California. He founded Family Radio Worldwide, an independent ministry.
He picked May 21st based on numerological calculations based on his reading of the Bible. Their theory is that Jesus Christ will return to earth tomorrow to gather the faithful into heaven.
Many people, including mainstream Christians, are dismissing his claims as bologna. Atheists are even sponsoring "Rapture parties" to mock his prediction.
There's even a Facebook group sarcastically promoting post-Rapture looting. It has more than 175,000 fans. Some atheists have even joked that they'll still be here to take care of believers' pets who are left behind.
According to The Rev. Tim LaHaye, co-author of the best-selling "Left Behind" novels, Jesus said no one knows when he'll gather Christians to be with him. He says Camping is trivializing an important doctrine.
This isn't the first time Camping has come out with an apocalyptic prediction. His made one back in 1994 as well.
This time, the message is spreading like wildfire, using radio, satellite TV, daily website updates, billboards, subway ads, RV caravans, and even social media. Many fans of CNY Central on Facebook were commented on this story this morning. Here's what some of you are saying:
Michele Leary: "The end of the world is laughable. So I guess the Inca's were wrong about it being 2012? LOL!"
Gerry Orlando: "If the world is ending tomorrow, I'm glad that I know about it now....I was going to fill up my car with gas today!"
Rebecca Sue Riley: "...although I am not sure I believe it will be tomorrow, I do believe it may be in our near future."
Jessica Drake: "...the guy is a quack and has already predicted the end of the world and been wrong."
Wendy Webster: "...the world will end when GOD says so...if we worry everyday when thats coming, then we miss the true beauty of everyday life....these people are nuts..."
Gary Laws: "I think folks come up with these predictions to call attention to the truth that one day it will! In any event, it does give us something to think about, does it not?"
We spoke with several local religious leaders to get their thoughts on the prediction. Associated Pastor Bill Marshall from the North Syracuse Baptist Church told us, "Through the years, many people have predicted the end of the world. Christ is clear, he says nobody knows the day or the hour that the end will come...obviously anybody who puts any weight in what the scriptures say should take some comfort in that. As far as the end of the person's life, that could happen at any point."
Rabbi Daniel Fellman of Temple Concord said, ""The simple fact is that a lot of people have always been concerned about life and death and how the world came to be and how it will end...I don't think it's going away anytime soon...you should worry about how we can make the world better than how it should end."
What do you think about the prediction? Do you think it's ridiculous or do you give it any credence? If you had one more day to live, what would you do? Leave your thoughts below.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this article.
