(UN)FAIR WARNING: RANTING AHEAD!!! Judgment Day has apparently come and gone, just like every other day. Then again, I guess it could be said that I wasn't "worthy" enough to be saved and that I now only have five months to live. Now that he's returned, Jesus is a tyrant and will unleash suffering, torment and other bad things on those of us left behind, whether we are believers or not. Somehow... I doubt that's the case. While I do believe in God (or rather, a higher presence that we can call God, among other things) and also believe that there is something more to life and death, the idea of the Rapture is one that I do not agree with, nor do I think that whatever is next is an eternal life. But let's look at that for a moment anyway. If there really is eternal life after death, what's the harm in living out all of your years here on Earth? So, it takes you a few more years/decades to get there. Big frakking deal. You're still supposed to get eternal life in the end, right? That's the reward that's been promised to us. The time on Earth is nothing compared to eternity, so why the hurry? Is life here on Earth really so crappy that you want the world to end so you can move on to the afterlife? That seems kind of counter-productive to me - and selfish too. Over the past couple weeks, I've tried to avoid reading too much about this doomsday crap during my limited time online at work, but sometimes it's hard to look away or not click on that link on whatever page I end up on when I fire up the browser or log out of my e-mail. What gets me - and has always bothered me - is that people actually look forward to their death, so that they can go to Heaven to be with God. But more than that, some of the faithful are certain that they themselves are going to Heaven, but that others they know aren't going to get in. I read something the other day about a couple that had moved to New York and were spreading the word about yesterday's second coming of Jesus, having brought their kids along. Yet this couple was so bold as to tell their own kids that they weren't getting into Heaven. But they still had to go around with a Bible and help spread the word. Does that seem right? "You're not getting into Heaven, but why don't you come help us get others there?" Not an exact quote, mind you, but that's the general feeling I got from the article. And isn't there something in the Bible that says you're not supposed to do stuff like that, lest it be done to you? Yes, I do believe there is. Oops. I find it kind of disturbing that some people actually want the Rapture to happen - or at least something to allow them entry into Heaven without the mess of dying or being killed, since using suicide as a shortcut or way to cut in line locks the Pearly Gates instead. And if the Rapture comes and people are saved, that means people are going to be left behind, which is just fine by some folks. More room for them in Heaven! And yes, I do believe that our time on Earth is only part of our whole existence, but I don't think the end result is to be part of God's collection in Heaven (or Satan's "down" in Hell) for eternity. I think there's something better, something we don't know about yet and that religion hasn't been able to dangle in front of us as a reward or punishment. Personally, I think the Zombie apocalypse would be more interesting and rewarding, although there are lots of people that I'd rather not see shuffling around the cities in search of brains and/or flesh. I think it'd be more likely to happen than the Rapture. Unless the two were the same thing, then it just might get confusing. I don't really know. It's probably a good thing I slept through most of yesterday. Sometimes I need a day off from the stupid.