Hop on board!

Back when I originally encountered the May 21 as Judgment Day idea I assumed it to be fringe. So many people have given different dates for when the world is going to end, and with such a potpourri of ways in which this is going to happen, I just assumed May 21st to be another one. Turns out I was wrong. I certainly had no idea May 21st was bus-worthy!

Yesterday I saw four, that’s right, FOUR Judgment Day buses roll down Cortelyou Rd. in Brooklyn. Little, humble, Cortelyou Rd. Cute! I tried to get a look at who was driving, but couldn’t really see. I did notice that one of the drivers was on his cellphone. What could he possibly have been talking about while driving a bus telling us we’re all going to die?

Whenever I get wind of shit hitting the fan on a specific date, I get a bit nervous. Not because I’m nervous the planet is going to explode, but nervous for when it doesn’t and all those self-assured pastors have to backpedal through a sea of unfounded claims. [Note: The previous link is to an atheist-centric site. Ugh. I can’t stand self-professed atheism. So boring. But nonetheless, the link is apt].

Now, anyone participating in so-called Western esoterica knows that “judgment” is a slippery concept. Judgment doesn’t necessarily mean “apocalypse” as many see it. For many gnostically-inclined people, judgment is occurring at every moment, the world (that is, the “self”) constantly ending and beginning in a flurry of perpetual manifestation. Now I don’t think FamilyRadio.com is rocking the gnostic angle, but they do give themselves an out. Toward the front of the bus it reads:

It begins on May 21, 2011

Clever! So Judgment Day only begins on May 21st. Well that’s not so bad. I mean, a year to God is like a trillion to us, so Judgment Day might last, like, forever!

That’s a far cry from the Rapture occurring on May 21st, as one flier I recently got claims. I mean, does the Bible guarantee, as the bus clearly states, that Judgment Day sorta, kinda, more or less begins and continues indefinitely on May 21st? Or does the Bible guarantee that those chosen (white) Christians who aligned their beliefs into one single projected reality will get drawn up on May 21stst? I mean, how am I going to know if I’m simply beginning on the path of Judgment or being Judged completely?

Now, I know, I’m being snarky. And I’m poking fun a little. Truth be told, I’m not against ideas about paradigm shifts. I’m not a player-hater toward end-of-world predictions. I get a little uncomfortable with these date things, as if dates themselves are somehow inherent and not totally human constructs. But, the truth is, I just have a real different idea of what is meant by “world” and “judgment.” Not better. Just different.

Well, of course, I think it’s better.

I mean, that’s what ideas are, right? Better than the other person’s.