Did Rev. Camping's Prediction Ring True? Take Another Look!

When I first heard of Harold Camping's end of the world prediction of May 21, I was completely appalled! The anger that I felt toward organized religion increased with a vengeance. For years I have always considered myself a non-Christian -- not necessarily a non-believer. To be safe, I am what you would call, an "I don't know-er." With billboards popping up in the south, I felt the distaste rising inside. This distaste rose so much that I googled Rev. Camping's Family Radio website. I knew that they would ask for money, and, of course, they did not disappoint.

I made jokes, criticized, and condemned this group. My curiosity grew to a hypnotic obsession. I began to learn more about earth changes -- increasing intensity of storms, flooding, and earthquakes. I read Revelations, the Edgar Cayce predictions, and studied future maps. Amazingly, these things not only had a lot in common with each other, but with the news being reported every day.. There are different theories about the death of fish on various beaches in the world, dead birds falling out of the sky, and increasing storms and earthquakes, but Revelations never said that there would not be a scientific explanation . Revelations said only that these things would happen.

This made me think even more -- can science and faith exist in the same realm? Why not!

So, I dug more. Did you know that the Greek meaning of sin is "to miss the mark?" If the definition of "sin" got lost in translation from the Greek Bible to the King James version, then the idea of original sin seems to make a lot more sense. How can it be that an innocent child is born with "wrong doing?" When you look at from the perspective of "missing the mark" or "not quite getting it," the lessons of growing up seem to make much more sense.

I began to let the events as of late sink in. If the earthquake in Japan wasn't a wake-up call for the world to change, then take a look at the tornadoes across Alabama, the flooding along the Mississippi, the non-stop action in the ring of fire, and the increasing intensity of the earthquakes in the mid-Atlantic ridge.
All day on May 21, I read the various posts from critics of Rev. Camping. Then it hit me, everyone has fears, and maybe, even a little faith. No one would have even bothered to post if there was not one small seed of fear that this may be the big one. If not fear, maybe a momentary pause to contemplate the potential validity of such a claim.

Yesterday, I called my loved ones, and told them how much I loved them. I walked through Peachtree Battle park, took in the overwhelming awe of the massive trees, the peacefulness of the water flowing over the huge marble formations in the creek, and let my heart breathe in the kaleidoscope that the sun creates as it peeks through the leaves of the trees. Last night, I made an extra special dinner for my husband. I looked at him, and realized what a lucky person I am to have him in my life, and to have a great marriage. I didn't feel afraid. I felt only happiness, maybe even excitement.

Some old part of me died yesterday, and something was reborn. Something fresh and alive!

So now I am asking myself, what is ascension? Is the ascension to be taken literally? Will Jesus hang suspended in the clouds as we disappear into the heavens? Or is to ascend to become more like Jesus? Do we rise above all of the petty rights and wrongs, the he-said, she-saids, the judgments outward and the judgments within to become more Christ-like? Maybe to appreciate all that is, and realize what a gift this life on earth is to us?

I still cannot declare myself a Christian or align myself with any religious group, but something within me has changed. The changes have been gradual but consistent. I must thank Rev. Camping for the jolt that his prediction gave me. The possibility of an apocalypse stirred an awakening that gave me the opportunity to take a look inside, and realize, perhaps, maybe I have more faith than I knew.