Yesterday, 22 May 2011 was believed by some to be the beginning of the apocalypse. It was predicted that 1800 local time would usher in the devastation in rolling schedule. Obviously, the world did not end and human life and endeavors continue. There was no trumpet of doom sounded from on high.
The “Rapture,” eagerly anticipated by fundamentalist Christians, is given definition by the following words: “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord”.1 Thess 4.
There have been numerous television scripts that use the image and concept of corporeal transport of the “saved” into the sky. Inflatable dolls, usually helium-filled, are the common trigger for the script. Yesterday there were reports of helium-filled dolls being released. I have yet to read any follow up on those events.
Yesterday evening we waited out a line of severe thunderstorms as they tracked over us. The new weather radio provided an initial warning of a “watch” that was issued and then fell silent. We think the radio feed was knocked off the air. At least we know that the programming for one county is correct. It later displayed notice that a warning alert had been received. I’ll check the county codes again today.
Elsewhere, for at least 90 people, the world did end.
I awoke today to discover that Joplin MO had sustained what appears to be at least an EF-4 tornadic hit. I lived in Joplin for a time and don’t recognize the commercial strip that is being shown on TV today.
I find it interesting that in an area that is the buckle on the Bible belt, no one wants to ride to heaven on a tornado like Dorothy Gale rode to Oz. Certainly, the deludedly faithful had at least 20 minutes of warning. Anyone who wanted to ride the storm winds had only to stand outside and wait. They would have been assured of a rapid ascension but there would have been no guaranteed trajectory.
Joplin MO has a rather lurid past. It was the red light district for three surrounding “dry “states." I’m waiting for some fundamentalist preacher to link this storm and its loss of lives and property to that past. It will happen. We may not see it in the national news feeds but someone will make use of it next Sunday to scare the local believers.
I’ve listened to cell phone recordings of people asking for “Jesus” to spare them, as if they only needed to pray with enough emotion to have an EF-4 tornado diverted. I haven’t heard anyone praying to be lifted up by the tornado. Apparently, no one associated the storm with the predicted “rapture.’
I recall very well hunkering down, scared, in a bathroom with Gloria and Loki on 27 April. Along with many others, we were spared harm by the fluid mechanics of that particular storm cell. A minute change in wind velocity and/or direction would have placed the vortex over us rather than following the path it did. So I don’t mean to ridicule those who tried to pray the storm away. We all take what shelter and comfort we can at such times. But I don’t believe in miracles where tornados and hurricanes are concerned. There was no divine intervention yesterday just as there was no “rapture” yesterday.
Surely, someone must have made the connection between an 1800 onset of the “rapture” and a 1741 warning of an EF-4 ticket to ride. After all, tornadoes are considered by some to be “acts of God.” The Joplin storm would have certainly blown them into the clouds. Do they really expect a bright, sunny departure? Be ready next time. No need to pack a bag, just step outside.
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