Have you seen the billboards? The world is ending on May 21st, 2011. Seems the Mayans and Ashton Kutcher got it wrong. We have even less time than we thought to clean our closets, do our taxes, lose ten pounds ( I mean you want to look good for the Rapture)…oh yeah, and get that whole salvation thing happening. The billboards do offer this advice: Cry mightily unto God for His mercy, and while you’re at it…tune into FamilyRadio.com.
Seriously?
That is the most overused trick in the book these days…manipulate people through fear to boost ratings. WWJD? Your ass better HOPE he’s not really coming in May cause ooooowweeee, he’s gonna be pissed at you, Family Radio. If you think he got mad flipping over the tables in that marketplace, just wait till he gets wind of your scam.
Over 1,000 of these offensive billboards have gone up worldwide. Can you imagine the financial backing for this madness? 120 of them are in L.A., you know, where the heathens hang out.
Turns out the character behind “family” radio is eighty-nine-year old Harold Camping, who, apparently, has a direct line to the big Guy. He previously wrote a book stating that the world would end Sept 6, 1994. Hmmm... I'm imagining the celestial phone call. Uh, yeah Harold? Listen, somethings come up. I'm gonna have to reschedule. I mean, really. How many times do you expect people to fall for this, Chicken Little? This end of the world stuff has been going on since the beginning of time, and I’m not buyin’ it. (See my previous blog: http://hollyedexter.blogspot.com/2010/12/end-is-nearagain.html )
Look, I’m all for free speech, but there have got to be limits.
It’s illegal to shout “fire” in a theatre, to crack bomb jokes in an airport, and to make death threats, so why is it legal to pump people full of false fear, to say on a billboard: You’re all gonna die in two months? And while we’re at it, why is it legal for politicians and journalists to knowingly lie to the public (Death panels, anyone) ? And why is it legal to spread nutball government conspiracy theories on television and call it journalism? Limits. I’m telling you.
Children are reading these billboards. My five year old reads, okay? If television limits what children are exposed to, then why not the same for billboards, and the Westboro Baptist Church holding signs on the street that say “God Hates Fags”? Don’t get me started on those guys. First of all, I take offense to them calling themselves “Baptist”. My father is a Baptist preacher, and my two gay brothers are welcomed with open arms in his church. I know Baptists, WBC, and you sirs, are no Baptists.
When confronted with the notion that this might be a cheap publicity stunt, Family Radio spokesman Tom Evans replied, "What good would that do? If May 22nd comes (and Christ has not returned), we're just going to look like a bunch of idiots."
Well, thank you Mr. Evans for taking the words right out of my mouth.
( More info on this story in the L.A. Daily News: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_17485179)
For the love of free speech we have to tolerate a lot. In Paris they are pressing charges on Jon Galliano for his anti-semitic comments. Seems in France since WWII you can't make a hate comment about Jewish people-who knew. He will be tried meanwhile he awaits with his apology in rehab. The answer always seems to be rehab. Why? Because when one is drunk or addicted they say things they supposedly would only say in the privacy of their own home. But clearly not all believe that should be the case. And because we are the USA we stick to our principles and protect all. Sometimes sad but always true. Great blog today Hollye.
ReplyDeletelol! Thanks for the laugh (even if it is tempered with a good deal of eye-rolling!!). I'm sure God wouldn't let those guys at Family Radio look like idiots. Would He???
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