I met her in July of 2008. She was the sweet, apple-cheeked lady who wanted to talk to me about God, and about the May 21st Rapture.
I wanted to meet with her on the 22nd, the day after the rapture - the day I was, according to her, supposed to be in Hell.
But the drive-in burger place where we had met has been closed down, condemned, and is surrounded by a tall chain-link fence.
And I was busy on the 22nd, giving a talk to the American Atheists convention in Oakland - so I couldn't meet - even if she had agreed to meet me.
Since then, so many things have happened. I've moved (and am moving again!). My wife died. And Harold Camping, the man who predicted the May 21st Rapture, has had a mild stroke.
I wonder about this apple-faced Grandma. No, actually, I worry about her. Camping has millions of dollars, and a huge radio network worth millions more. Much of that money came from donations from those who could ill afford it.
How much did this woman give? How much of her retirement is gone? Maybe a better question is this; is any of her retirement money left?
Is this woman in good mental health? Does she have family to watch over her? There is a reason to worry.
A young girl in Russia killed herself over this prophesy, and another man in Taiwan. Lyn Benedetto tried (and failed) to kill herself and her children by cutting their throats with a box cutter.
And Camping has gone even further by saying that the May 21st date was merely a "spiritual rapture" and that it actually happened. The "End of the World" is still on target for October 21st, according to Camping.
Well, according to Camping before his stroke. I wonder if he will say something different now? But that's beside the point I want to make here.
Although the failure of the May 21st rapture (or it's success as a 'spiritual rapture') may have been a "wake up call" for many of Camping's believers, there are many more willfully deluded who will now be planning for their financial insolvency for the October 21st deadline.
Will the "spritual rapture" of May 21st goad other true believers into committing suicide (financial or physical) before October 21st? And after that date passes, how many more apple-faced grannies will need to go onto some sort of public assistance?
Maybe I can't talk to her - how can I find her?
But if you were a believer in Harold Camping, and you need someone to talk to - let me know. Email, phone call, text message - you can find it all in my "About Me" section on the sidebar.
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