DOOMSDAY AND DENVER INTERNATIONAL PART 3

Ready for more DIA hysteria? I thought you would be.

Nothing stirs the paranoid soul of a conspiracy theorist more than enigmatic art. Inside DIA there are…wait for it…Gargoyles! That’s right two ghoulish gargoyles grace the great hall of DIA. And, of course, that’s gotta be bad! Right?

Now I have read a few things about this type of statuary over the years (I mean, I am a horror writer and I do ready about the obscure and the gothic).

Many medieval churches used gargoyles as decorative water spouts. The rains came and water spewed from their mouths. Some believe they were placed on churches to represent evil and remind the mostly illiterate populace to go to church before the arrival of the  End Times – essentially a scare tactic. Others believe gargoyles are placed on building to ward off evil spirits.

I should mention, the gargoyles in DIA sit inside of open suitcases. You can read into that whatever you want, because the conspiracy theorists don’t really offer any cogent theory about the purpose of the gargoyles, just that the fact they are in DIA so it is a bad sign.

Sprinkled around DIA are a number of bright, colorful murals commissioned for the airport before it opened. “These bizarre paintings seem relatively bright and cheerful at first glance,” says Extraordinary Intelligence. “But upon closer inspection, are quite odd.”

On closer inspection, so am I.

The Website continues: “One of the murals is called ‘Children of the World Dream of Peace.’ Awww, isn’t that nice? Well, it would be, if it weren’t for the fact that the mural depicts genocide, famine, military oppression, and death. Hovering over the “children of the world” is a grotesque alien-like, Nazi-esque, gas mask wearing uniformed figure, who is in the act of spearing the Dove of Peace with a giant sword. He is surrounded by women holding dead babies. There are dead children lying in coffins, and kids with swords wrapped in their nation’s flags. The mural is covered with images of war and death.

“Another mural features children surrounding what appears to be a ‘new messiah,’ offering it plants with some sort of magical or mystical quality.  The whole thing strikes me as weird and morbid.”

Sure. That’s fair. That’s also the nature of art. It’s suppose to provoke feelings, good and bad. That doesn’t mean it’s so sort of conspiracy.

Tomorrow: Aliens at DIA!

No, really!

DOOMSDAY AND DENVER INTERNATIONAL PART 2

True Believers (idiots/morons) are absolutely convinced that Denver International Airport is part of an evil, evil plan. And, like some James Bond villain, the perpetrators of this evil, evil plan are so brazen they have laid it all out for us to discover if we “just understand how to interpret the clues and signs.”

According to Discovery News:

“Conspiracy folks point to murals in the airport depicting World War II-era genocide and environmental degradation, along with a message of global unity, peace, and hope. Reading meaning into art is a time-honored tradition, but the conspiracy-minded find messages about Nazis, Mayan 2012 doomsday predictions, global destruction, the collapse of the American government, and even extraterrestrial contact. Conspiracy theorists love to uncover (or fabricate, depending on your point of view) clues to innumerable hidden agendas.”

There is an inherent idiocy in all of this; that is, if an evil plot is afoot, why would the evil plotters leave clues for us to discern and why are only the conspiracy-minded capable of discerning the evil plot?

"These conspiracies and beliefs would be comical if they weren't, as a search of YouTube or the Internet will reveal, so astoundingly widespread," said Brian Dunning, host of a podcast called Skeptoid.

A grossly misnamed Website, Extraordinary Intelligence, makes extraordinary claims about DIA. It begins with the rearing blue mustang statue outside DIA. During its construction, it toppled over in artist Luis Jimenez’s studio, killing him. That is strike one against DIA. The statue is now referred to as “Blue Devil Horse,” “Satan’s Steed” and my favorite, “Bluecifer.”  

According to Extraordinary Intelligence: “Those who study the Conspiratorial aspects of our Government, have noted that the Mustang bears a striking resemblance to a horse associated with The Montauk Project, a secret government program linked to mind control and other fantastic claims.”

Inside DIA’s great hall is a capstone laid March 19, 1994 by the Masons. It’s a time capsule to be opened March 19, 2094. But wait! On the dedication is the phrase “New World Airport Commission.” 

“Several groups have investigated this organization,” explains Extraordinary Intelligence, “and found that it is unique to the DIA. No other airport has been connected with such a group. Of course, this has raised the blood pressure of more than a few conspiracy theorists, who see the connection to the phrase ‘New World Order.’”

For those of us raised in the San Luis Valley, we are more than a little familiar with Mt. Blanca in the Sangre de Cristo Range. Again, I quote from Extraordinary Intelligence:

“There are mysterious writings on the floor throughout the DIA. One phrase carved into the floor is ‘DZIT DIT GAII’. This is Navajo for ‘The Mountain that is White.’ There are several other areas on the floor that simply say ‘Mt. Blanca.’ What could this be referencing? Well, one theory is that if the Masons were in charge of the planning of this building (which they clearly were involved given the inscription and symbol on the capstone), then it could be referring to Mt Blanc or White Mountain in France, which is where the Knights Templar signed their charter. Freemasons trace their lineage back to the Knights Templar, so the connection seems to fit. At Mt. Blanc, one Templar wrote, ‘They gathered to form a New Order.’” 

Holy crap! END OF DAYS! END OF DAYS!

Part III tomorrow.

DOOMSDAY AND DENVER INTERNATIONAL PART 1

I live about 10 miles from Denver International Airport and have flown in and out of there numerous times since it officially opened in 1995. One of my former bosses was the PR guy who oversaw DIA’s opening. He has wonderful stories about the four delayed openings due to various problems, chiefly the failed luggage handling conveyer that never really worked. Another friend and former colleague is a PR person for DIA.

Since DIA opened, conspiracy nuts and True Believers (idiots/morons) have maintained that it is a lynchpin in the collapse of Western civilization.

Here are a few of the asinine assertions:

* There is an underground bunker beneath DIA in which the “world’s elite” will huddle in the event of a nuclear war or “the impending Mayan 2012 apocalypse” (which we all know is bullshit).

* Some stupid mooks have claimed that DIA is an extension of Nazi power because the runways “form a perfect swastika.” Perhaps in fantasy land, but in this reality, they do not.

* The numerous tunnels beneath DIA were not built for luggage handling and transportation but for far more “sinister purposes.”

* Jesse Ventura, former Navy Seal, professional wrestler, actor and governor turned TV talk show host, (Conspiracy Theory) made a case. "There's a lot of strange things about this airport. It's twenty-five miles from Denver; that's nineteen miles further away from old Stapleton Airport, which seemed to be just fine..."

Just as a point of accuracy, DIA was built further from the city because land was cheap, Denver’s wealthy saw a ripe opportunity to buy cheap farmland and resell it to the city for a handsome profit. Additionally, old Stapleton Airport was hemmed in by the old Rocky Mountain Arsenal and considerable development. DIA was built with plenty of room for expansion and for the construction of the longest runway not on the East or West coasts to accommodate planes that go into the stratosphere. I was at a briefing on the runway 20 years ago and was told that eventually a high-flying plane will be able to travel from Denver to Tokyo in four hours.

Anyway, the conspiracy theories revolving around DIA are numerous. Hence, this is only Part 1.

Brian Dunning, a conspiracy debunker, told Discovery News: "It's nearly impossible to summarize the vast number of ordinary events and objects at Denver International Airport that have been misinterpreted, twisted, and sensationalized into 'evidence' for a Zionist New World Order Illuminati conspiracy to control and kill American citizens. There are facets of its planning, its design, its construction, its operational history, and even its artwork that conspiracy theorists point at as proof that we're all doomed."

Tomorrow, Part II.

MORE HISTORICAL APOCALYPSES

It’s been a month or so since we last visited the doom and gloom from yesteryears. I believe we were up to the beginning of the 19^th Century.

1801
As previously mentioned Astrologer Pierre Turrel picked several years for Doomsday. Among them was 1801, his third date. Alas, it, too, was a failure.

1814
This was Turrel’s final pick for End of Days. As 1814 came and went, author Charles Mackay wrote that “the world wagged as merrily as before.”

October 14, 1820
The Southcottian movement in Bradford, England specialized in Doomsday prophecies. Rather odd, I suppose, but every sect has to find a niche. John Turner, leader of the Southcottian sect and a prophet (of course) had taken over from the group’s founder Joanna Southcott. You may recall she predicted the end of the world and when it was a wash, her followers turned on her. October 14, 1820 was Turner's pick for Doomsday. He was, of course, wrong and the followers turned on him, too. He was followed by John Wroe, described by one historian as a “foul-mouthed, ugly, dirty lecher.”

1843
There was an End of the World prediction proclaimed for April 3, 1843 about which I wrote awhile back. I won’t retell it here, suffice to say April 3, 1843 came and went without the world ending. Which is, I believe, is good to know.

1874
Charles Taze Russell  of the Jehovah’s Witnesses called 1874 the End of Days. He was wrong.

And finally, the last big one for the 19^th Century was in 1881.

1881

The Great Pyramid of Giza has captured the imagination of generations for thousands or years. In the upside down year of 1881 (turn it upside down and it’s still 1881. I remember 1961. There won’t be another one until 6009. Just sayin’…) some folks calculated that measurements from the Great Pyramid and a healthy mixture of imagination combined to see…wait for it…End of Days. Didn’t happen. Sadly, people are still using the Great Pyramid to predict Doomsday. They said it would occur in 1936 and 1953. Both years came and went and people remained here. Oh, well, so it goes.

PEDALING FEAR AND DOOMSDAY

Be afraid! Be very Afraid!

Rick Santorum professes to be a Christian. Couldn’t prove it by me. Of course, I walked away from Christianity more than 30 years ago when I realized that to be a Christian, one must live a Christ-like life or be a hypocrite. (Okay, okay, there were other compelling issues, too, but if I spell them out some people will be insulted and that is not my intent here.)

Any way, back to Santorum. First of all, he is not going to get the nod to run for president. Ain’t gonna happen. No way, no how. You read it here (not first, of course, but here, nonetheless).

Thus, we get his new ad, a dark scary video proclaiming that President Obama is out to destroy America. The video uses images of dark, deserted streets, empty playgrounds, shuttered businesses, sad children and so forth. The filmmaker employed the clichés and images popular in zombie/End of the World flicks.

“The wait to see a doctor is ever increasing,” the somber narrator says. “Gas prices through the roof. The freedom of religion is under attack. And every day the residents of this town must come to grips with the harsh reality that a rogue nation and sworn American enemy has become a nuclear threat (images of Iranians and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad). Welcome to a place where one president’s failed policies really hit home. (Images of terrorists and Middle Eastern folks, you know, the not so subtle racism.) Welcome to Obamaville.”

Politics aside, is it really Christian to pedal fear and Doomsday? I realize that many Christians are wetting their pants waiting for the Second Coming and that a lot of pulpit pounders rake in vast amounts of money berating True Believers with images of hellfire and brimstone and all that nonsense. But, really, is Doomsday appropriate campaign material…

Ah, what the hell am I saying? Of course it is. Doomsday/Armageddon/End of Days/the End Times and all the rest of that claptrap is part and partial of Christianity…

Oops, I said I wouldn’t mention other compelling reasons I walked away and here I’ve gone and done it.

“Well, Dougie,” the little angel on my shoulder just said, “you’re going to Hell!”

 
Okay donkeys. 

MY DOOMSDAY MEA CULPA

OH MY GOD!

I have been so wrong!

How could I have been so wrong?

WE ARE DOOMED!

I just saw a video on television showing the giant asteroid headed straight for Earth. It was shot by astronauts aboard the Space Station. The damned thing is so big. Scientists have no idea how it can be deflected. The news readers were sobbing! Sobbing like spanked children.

DOOMED!

We’re all doomed. Once that sucker hits, it will create tidal waves and Tsunamis as high as skyscrapers. The sky will darken with debris for years and years. There will be earthquakes, the polar caps will vanish, the sea will boil, dogs and cats will live together…

MASS HYSTERIA!

TOTAL ANARCHY!

IT’S THE END OF EVERYTHING!

OR NOT!

I’ll go with not!

April Fools. Have a nice day.

(And by the way, apparently the pronouncement that the hacker community known as Anonymous was shutting down the Internet yesterday, March 31, was a hoax. At least, my Internet was just fine.)

FOCUS ON THE FAMILY DOOMSDAY

Here’s a first for a non-religious person like me (by non-religious, I do not mean atheist, just non-religious). I visited Focus on the Family’s website. I have a friend who has research Focus on the Family extensively. Allegedly, she discovered financial links between the organization and militia radio as well as private militia.

Anyway, for me, Focus on the Family is scary.

However, I was attracted to their Website by an online discussion entitled “Raising Kids in the End Times.” Here was one post:

“We love our 2 sons (14 and 16 yrs old) and enjoy frank conversations with them...on many topics. We listen to teachings on and study eschatology (I looked this up, it is a theological ‘science’ concerning ‘the four last things: death, judgment, heaven and hell’) and regularly; our pastor frequently mentions his belief that we are living in the end times. While we agree and are impatient for The Lord's return, I sometimes wonder how all this talk may be affecting our teens. They talk with optimism about growing up and raising their own family and living many exciting, thrilling experiences.”

Wow, pretty creepy in my view.

It seems to me some people spend too much time worrying about the end of time and not enough, you know, smelling the roses. If the world is going to end – KA-POW! – what are you going to do about it? For my money, it’s better to be happy and let what comes come rather than be miserable worrying about what may or may not come that you can do absolutely nothing about.

Besides, kids should be filled with hope and optimism and excited about their future and the opportunities. What kind of parent instill fear and insecurity in their children?  

So, call me crazy, call me doomed, but do not call me late for supper when I’m smelling the roses.