Yesterday, I discussed “preppers” and the stockpiling of supplies in the face of the end of the world.
Cathy Gutierrez, an expert on end of the world beliefs at Virginia’s Sweet Briar College, says that during times of economic concern and recession or worries over the national debt, it is not unusual for some people to feel a sense of "suffering and being afraid."
Gutierrez holds a doctorate from Syracuse University and has studied end time philosophies and beliefs extensively.
She recently told Reuters:
"With our current dependence on things from the electric grid to the Internet, things that people have absolutely no control over, there is a feeling that a collapse scenario can easily emerge, with a belief that the end is coming, and it is all out of the individual's control."
Historically, according to Gutierrez, our contemporary preppers are an echo of the Millerites that followed William Miller who, during the Industrial Revolution of the 1830s and 40s, believed that Jesus Christ was coming back between March 21, 1843, and March 21, 1844 and would engulf the world in fire. Miller used newsletters, charts and posters to convey his message and ultimately reach about 100,000 people who sold all they owned and gathered in the mountains to await the Second Coming.
When there was no Second Coming – Surprise! Surprise! – Miller changed the date (this seems to be a recurring tactic of the failed prophets of doom) to October 22.
Well, we all know how that turned out.
Rather than incurring the justified wrath of the Millerites, William went on to create the Seventh-day Adventist movement.
Of course, Gutierrez also points out that contemporary preppers don’t have a specific date for the end, unlike the Millerites or Harold Camping’s followers or the True Believers (idiots/morons) who follow the Mayan calendar theory that is, of course utter bunk and nonsense.
Well, all I can say is: Que Sera, Sera!
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