Oh, noes! According to these guys, the world will end in March 21st, 2008!

[Pato2747]

I made this post mainly about to talk about this group (Or, well, cult) called the "Lord's Witnesses". After taking a look at it, I thought "Well, these people may rather believe on this, everybody is free to believe what they want", but after having a little chat with The Bad Astronomer (www.badastronomy.com) on one of his vidcasts, he and I had the thought that they might (Might) go a little crazy and end up like Heaven's Gate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_suicide#Heaven.27s_Gate).
So, why don't we chat a little about these guys and laugh on while we're at it?

So, my little brother found this website about a Christian Church located on UK, but with other churches located in Germany, Nederlands, and US, that claims that they "have symbolically decoded the bible and truthfully find prophecies of the end-times".

He got really worried about it, because their prediction of Armaggedon is on March 21st, and asked me (And also asked the BAUT community with my account :mad:) if it was really going to happen (Ah, little brothers... What can we do about 'em?), so I checked the site of these people.

They call themselves the "Lord's Witnesses". After looking on the bible they are based on, and their "Watchtower-type" beliefs, I thought they were a tangent (Or more like a ripoff) coming from, yes, you guessed right, the Jehovah's Witnesses.

I ended up getting some interest on this group (And a few laughs, too), so I took a look at their documentation. It's about 300-400 pages long (The size of an A4 paper). It was fun actually, but I couldn't get a lot of facts. I got lost with the "nouns" thing. They basically use "nouns", they find the "symbolical meaning", without a lot of explanation, which made me thought if the symbolical understanding comes from the Bible or the mind of these guys. Also they use "multipliers". Something I didn't get really well. I'm quoting an example that they use to "prove" that the real number of the beast is not 666, but 616 (Funny how they say "It is perfectly possible that early Christians changed 616 to 666 to make it more frightening". Why do you say that? I couldn't see the evidence for that v:)v)


16 And the 10 horns that you saw and the beast, these will: (11x)
hate the harlot, (1x)
and will make her devastated and naked, (2x)
and will eat up her fleshy parts (2x)
and will completely burn her in fire (2x)

17 For God put [it] into their [the 10 horn's] hearts (2x.)
to carry out his thought [hate, devastate, eat the Harlot, 2007Sivan onwards] (1x)
and to carry out one thought [the one thought they had in verse 13, to unite against muslim terror] (1x)
and to give their kingdom to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled (2x) (Revelation 17)


Don't ask me where did they got the numbers on parenthesis. I don't know, I didn't find it on their website. So, according to them: You get the 1 and the three 2s, and add them. Then grab the last three numbers (1, 2 and 2) and add them. Multiply the numbers, and also multiply the one you didn't add with anybody. You get something like this: 11x7x2x4. Do the math, you get 616. Creepy, huh?

No, not really creepy, I don't see a lot of basis on this one.

But let's get to their main claim, shall we?

Their main claim is that their prophet and founder, Gordon Ritchie, has been Personally appointed by Jesus to reveal the date of Armaggedon on March 21st, 2008.

Well, apparently, we "won't notice it at first", but then around May/June, Jesus will descend and fight the United Nations, who are, according to them, the beast of Revelation. The UN was supposed to take over the world and control the economy on mid-2001, according to the beliefs of Ritchie. Didn't happen.

I took a look at the other predictions. Possibly the most interesting prophecy that this guy Ritchie has made, is that a bomb with nuclear capabilities or a dirty bomb was supposed to go off in the UN complex at New York City, on June 9th/10th, 2006.

As far as I know, New York didn't go "boom" on that date. What did they do? They not only widen the window for the attack, but MOVED it, to June 28-July 4th 2006. If they hadn't done that some cynical skeptics might have thought that they were wrong in their first prediction!

And they kept on "refining" the date until present day. As of now, they failed on their prediction of a nuclear or dirty bomb "somewhere along the east coast" (See how they widened the target zone) on March 14/15th. If my calendar is correct, seems that New York has squeezed past another attempt of annihilation.

As to end the "predictions" part, I'll simply tell you that they have been wrong 1025 times

(1026 if we count the last nuclear bomb prediction), all counted, and 84 of them being related to the date of the nuclear bomb attack on NY.


The man behind this, Gordon Ritchie, was an ex-Jehovah's Witness (Disfellowshipped?) who was arrested a bunch of times on the 90's due to Mortgage fraud and Tax Evasion. "Don't judge a book by it's cover", they say.

So, I decided to stop looking about what they say, and started to look at what do they believe.

Some various stuff I found was that:

-They believe that they have decoded the Bible and have been personally appointed by Jesus to be the last true Christian religion before Armageddon. The world will come to an end on 21 March 2008. -- Is this another group that say that only they can understand the bible? Note that there were dozens, if not hundreds of End of the world predictions, and none of them happened.

-God has a name, and his name is Jehovah. -- This pretty much comes from their old roots, the Jehovah's Witnesses.

-They believe that The Trinity is false. -- This comes, too, from the Jehovah's Witnesses, no actual change on this.

-God may have self created himself in some way -- I still don't understand what this means, nor I'm not seeing a lot of backing up from this group.

-Blood transfusions are only permissible with one's own blood, the transfusion of another's blood is deemed by the Lord's Witnesses as fornication. -- Possibly this comes from Ritchie's participation on the JW.

-Engaging intercourse with someone who is not your wife, is not adultery if you are using a condom and it doesn't break during the intercourse. -- Yeah, try to explain that one to the divorce judge!

One of my favorite things is the following phrase:


The bible is not a novel, it is a collection of short stories. Pitifully, as of this time, mankind has no useful understanding of the majority of these short stories, even in the literal meaning.


It makes me wonder, why are they using the New World Translation of the Bible, that has been deemed by many scholars as a "Mis-translation"? The New-World Translation has been proved that several verses were removed and some of them were added by the translators (The Watchtower Society?). I bet it makes everyone wonder, too.

Also, he says that he uses Isaac Newton's work on decoding the bible. That's
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argumentum_ad_verecundiam (Argumentum ad verecundiam) at it's best. Newton discovered gravity and was very known from that, but he had little or no knowledge on the Bible. He just didn't believe on the Trinity.

So, what do you think? Just another group that will just fail miserably at predicting the Second Coming and the Judgement Day, or they might be right? Yes, I also think they are wrong.

Their website is here. (www.truebiblecode.com)

Their predictions of the nuclear/dirty bomb is here ("www.truebiblecode.com/nyc.html). At the bottom you will notice all the previous dates of their prediction.

If you go now to the NYC page, you will see that "They calculates that the bomb will go off [...] At Saturday/Sunday 14th/15th March, 2008 (2007Adar7)".

Then check back tomorrow to see the new date and check what are their excuses now!

[qayak]

Religious Darwinism! I love it. And, being a small cult, there is a good chance they will be extinct after march 21st. We can only hope.

[Complexity]

Your little brother fell for that garbage?

[Pato2747]

Your little brother fell for that garbage?

What can I say. If I'd show you the BAUT post that he made I would ashame my family. And he posted it with my screen name! And now I can't delete it :mad:.

[Kopji]

Fixed the link for the dirty bomb prediction:
http://www.truebiblecode.com/nyc.html
They say it will happen by March 21, not on March 21.

My best advice would be to not underestimate the ability of insane, motivated people to eventually achieve what they want. They seem to exert an unhealthy pull on you and your brother. Run away.

[Damien Evans]

Why does the world have to end on my birthday?

[Darat]

Sorry we're just skinflints and will do anything to get out of buying you a present.

[MG1962]

Why does the world have to end on my birthday?

To prove your importance ;)

[Nogbad]

There was a study into this a long time ago

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Prophecy_Fails

The upshot is that generally a failed prophecy does not necessarily mean the end of a cult/religion. One of the most popular rationalisations is the "end" was averted by the Group's prayers and that they are now tasked to spread the word of their particular flavour of religion.

[Pato2747]

So, the NYC prophecy changed again. The bomb should go off before March 21st. So, if NY is still alive and kickin' on saturday, then we've squeezed past another armaggedon prophecy. They pretty much need that bomb to start the Kingdom of God.

Or they'll find something else to justify it (That they were wrong on the location or something like that). This stuff never ends.


Why does the world have to end on my birthday?

Meh, if you go with these guys, you could pretty much celebrate it. Then be careful on May 12nd when "The Sign of the Son of Man" appears!

[Bikewer]

Well, here's a perfectly good reason to call in sick....

[sophia8]

So, the NYC prophecy changed again. The bomb should go off before March 21st. So, if NY is still alive and kickin' on saturday, then we've squeezed past another armaggedon prophecy. They pretty much need that bomb to start the Kingdom of God.

Or they'll find something else to justify it (That they were wrong on the location or something like that). This stuff never ends.
Being programmers, they'll simply decide there's a glitch in the code, and start trying to debug. It should keep them busy - too busy to notice that the code is meaningless and doesn't actually do anything.

[bokonon]

Their website is here. (www.truebiblecode.com)
Honestly, this looks like a parody site to me. "Wrong until we're right in spite of ourselves"? If this is not an Onion-esque demonstration of the ability to "see signs" in every month of every year, I don't know what would be.

[Pato2747]

Honestly, this looks like a parody site to me. "Wrong until we're right in spite of ourselves"? If this is not an Onion-esque demonstration of the ability to "see signs" in every month of every year, I don't know what would be.

It looks WAY too well made to be a parody site. Also there are people who know Gordon Ritchie. If they are a parody site, man, they are quite screwed up.

[CriticalThanking]

There was a study into this a long time ago

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Prophecy_Fails

The upshot is that generally a failed prophecy does not necessarily mean the end of a cult/religion. One of the most popular rationalisations is the "end" was averted by the Group's prayers and that they are now tasked to spread the word of their particular flavour of religion.Iirc, one of the other swas "you didn't pray hard enough, so you don't deserve the second coming yet."

CT

[jimmygun]

Sorry but the world cannot come to an end before November 12,2008. I just retired at the end of December and bought myself a brand new motor for my boat, rented a cottage on Lake Nipissing for the first two weeks of July and plan to go fishing and canoeing until bass season is done in November. Once I have had my fill of fishing then the world may come to an end, not before.

Thank you for your patience.

[Pato2747]

If this is not an Onion-esque demonstration of the ability to "see signs" in every month of every year, I don't know what would be.

I pretty much came to the conclusion that these guys actually believe this stuff. They hold meetings on London and NY and everything. If this is a parody site, they wouldn't have made something like a 700-page-long book. I just hope they don't find a code in the bible that says "HEY EVERYBODY! JESUS SAYS 'GO INGEST SOME BARBITURICS!'".

[qayak]

Only four more days until Armageddon!!!

All t-shirts and prayer mats 50% off!

[Zep]

Oh, noes! According to these guys, the world will end in March 21st, 2008!And I haven't even had time to pack a suitcase yet...

[Zep]

Only four more days until Armageddon!!!

All t-shirts and prayer mats 50% off!Have you got one with a koala on it? I've always wanted one of those.

In pink.

But I'm not paying top dollar, OK!

[David Swidler]

Have you got one with a koala on it? I've always wanted one of those.

In pink.

But I'm not paying top dollar, OK!

But you're in Australia, which is so far out of the way Armageddon will probably miss you.

[Pato2747]

I bet you're all having fun with this...

But my brother is becoming quite an annoyance on this business. Argh! :mad:

[Nogbad]

I bet you're all having fun with this...

But my brother is becoming quite an annoyance on this business. Argh! :mad:

Tell him if he doesn't stop he will be in the advance guard.

[Pato2747]

Tell him if he doesn't stop he will be in the advance guard.

Sorry, but I don't get it :(

[qayak]

I bet you're all having fun with this...

But my brother is becoming quite an annoyance on this business. Argh! :mad:

I have an older brother and when we were younger and I did something stupid, he simply slapped the ever loving ***** out of me! I suggest that the day before this all goes down, you beat your brother unconscious and then when he recovers several days later, he will realize the folly of his ways.

In the meantime, you might as well get him to give you all his cool stuff. I mean he can't take it with him. Go for the big ticket items, his car, motorbike, girlfriend . . . that sort of thing. Depending on how annoying he is, you can decide how long after the world doesn't end you will keep and use his stuff.

It is one thing to have a wacky brother, it is another to not make a profit on it!

Good luck.

[Tricky]

I bet you're all having fun with this...

But my brother is becoming quite an annoyance on this business. Argh! :mad:
I'd like to tell you that in four days he'll be a lot easier to deal with. Unfortunately, that's probably not true. Woo's don't blink an eye when their woo is proved wrong. They make a lame excuse and find some new woo.

[Pato2747]

I'd like to tell you that in four days he'll be a lot easier to deal with. Unfortunately, that's probably not true. Woo's don't blink an eye when their woo is proved wrong. They make a lame excuse and find some new woo.

Obviously not. They'll say that "The kingdom of God is nigh", but we won't see actual evidence until Jesus comes down to Earth around May of this year.

Or the "Extinction-level volcanic event, probably caused by the nuclear bombs that went off in the war or the recent global warming", which is supposed to happen around 2009.

Or the world-level flood which is supposed to happen around mid-2008.

Oh, did I mention the nuclear bomb supposed to fall in midtown Manhattan a few days after the beginning of the Kingdom of God (March 24th)? Which would apparently cause the UN to take "control" of the world? (Besides the obvious fact that if a nuclear bomb DOES fall in Manhattan, the UN WOULD take control of the situation).

In my personal opinion, I'm gonna get quiet and calm about this until a nuclear bomb falls rather on the US or in Holy land, Israel. THAT'S where I'm going to go crazy. Which, on normal terms, would be "slightly ticked off".

[Pato2747]

One day until Satan's 6000 year lease finishes, and the "Head of the Snake is crushed".

How many of you can correctly interpretate to "Crush the head of the snake"?

And yet, no nuclear bombs around.

[Kopji]

Even if someone did successfully predict that a nuclear weapon exploded tomorrow, that's not high enough odds to convince anyone of God.
Predictions are made all the time. Maybe we should license them.

<sexy female Australian voice>
If you want to make a prediction of doom for today, please insert $100 into the slot and we will create a time stamped prediction permit for you.

Press 1 for an individual prediction of doom, or 2 for a religious cult prediction.

Hold down button 3 in addition to your selection, for Koolaid.

Thank you for your business.
G'day

Then we'd know who was really serious and not just a prediction poser.

[korenyx]

Oh no! All those middle-aged ladies will be mad because they missed their monthly trashy romances. :D If the world ends I don't have to put them out. Yay!!

[Damien Evans]

Well, looks like it didn't end...

[Pato2747]

Well, looks like it didn't end...

Don't count your chickens just yet. Remember, even though the apocalypse has begun, it's not visible until the sign of the son of man appears on May 5th, and Jesus descending around mid-May.

That's what they say. Still, there's no reason for Jesus to come down to Earth if there's no nuclear bombs going off in NYC.

[JWideman]

JWs have always held that the UN was the beast. Which was amusing since the WTS established a relationship with the UN in 1992. This may be a splinter group formed when the relationship was discovered 10 years after the fact.

[Tanstaafl]

Am I too late again? Did I miss the end of the world?

I'm not sure exactly when during the day this is supposed to occur, or which time zone.

The last 47 times the world ended I totally missed it, for once I want to see it first-hand.

[pgwenthold]

Dang, doesn't look like it is going to happen. I was holding out hope - my annual report is due in 2.5 hours.

If the world isn't ending, I better get it done.

[Pato2747]

JWs have always held that the UN was the beast. Which was amusing since the WTS established a relationship with the UN in 1992. This may be a splinter group formed when the relationship was discovered 10 years after the fact.

That's one of the dates that the Lord's Witnesses say that armageddon is nigh.


[...] They joined the UN as an NGO on January 28/29th 1992 and left on October 9th 2001 (Tishri17), after having been exposed as hypocrites and in fact as idolaters by the UK Guardian Newspaper on October 8th 2001.


It's also funny how they say ON THE VERY SAME PAGE that the founder first was a JW, and then, a few years later he says that the JWs brainwash their members, amongst other stuff that should be actually pinned to, say, Scientology rather than the Jehovah's Witnesses. (But they are still the 3rd "True Christian Church"). Pretty much like the Pentecostals, who are also brainwashed according to them.

[qayak]

Just in time for the end times and only $1,000,000.00/ea.

Endtime Industries has just taken delivery of 14,000 specially designed suits, able to withstand fire, brimstone and thermo-nuclear blasts. Up until today, no one knew who the specially favoured children of god would be but with one of our suits you can assure your place in the Kingdom of heaven. No more melted skin, burned hair or unsightly soot. You can arrive in heaven unmarked and pristine just like the good book says! Quantities are limited. Order today and we guarantee delivery by May 5th!

Catalogue # 012-345-666 (please quote when ordering)

Note: These special order items are non-returnable and non-refundable. All forms of payment accepted. Product not shipped until payment clears your bank.

[Darth Rotor]

As of this post, there are five hours and fifty minutes, Texas International time, left before it's all over.

Thanks, folks, you've been great cyber company.

See you when I see you. :)

DR

[Pato2747]

As of this post, there are five hours and fifty minutes, Texas International time, left before it's all over.

Thanks, folks, you've been great cyber company.

See you when I see you. :)

DR

As I'm typing this, it's already March 22nd on Holy Land, Israel, and in every country that is between Greenwich and Australia.

Also, happy birthday, Damien Evans. Enjoy your last moments on Earth ;).

Nah, just kidding. But I still can't believe that my OWN BLOOD, MY BROTHER, fell for this and got scared.

[qayak]

But I still can't believe that my OWN BLOOD, MY BROTHER, fell for this and got scared.

It is all your fault. As his brother, it was your job to toughen him up by administering a few near-fatal beatings. If you had, he wouldn't be so wimpy as to allow the insane rantings of delusional idiots to scare him.

The good news is: It's Never Too Late For a Good Beating! :D

[Kopji]

I can recommend a pretty good book for your brother, which is Carl Sagan's 'Demon Haunted World'. His idea of developing a 'Baloney Kit' might be helpful for your brother. Even strong people have trouble pounding nails with their bare hands, and likewise, having an 'idea toolkit' to apply to things like the website in question might be helpful for him, at least he might not be so afraid.

It is still March 21 2008 for a few more hours in Arizona. :)

[Kopji]

I ran across something I thought was very sad, but interesting from their site. Apparently something of a self described timeline of important events in the author's life. I offer it up as a sobering reminder of how ideas are powerful things and can change our lives - for better or worse.

N.B. Many of the understandings in these historical letters and books are wrong and many (but not all) have now been corrected. Below is a list of most of the correspondence between us, it was rather one way! I have lost one or two letters I think.

1976 September - 1977 June Natural Sciences at Cambridge University
1977 September - 1980 June Mathematics at Cambridge University
1980 September - 1980 December Started but did not finish PhD in Group Theory, Pure Maths at Oxford University
1981 September - 1984 June Finished but did not submit PhD in Computational Aerodynamics at Imperial College London
1982 Met Massoud Vakili at Imperial College
1983 - 1985 Invented new type of switched mode power supply
1983 - 1987 Invented Magnetic Levitation Device, for display purposes
1987 Licenced the Levitator to Living Images Ltd
1987 - 1990 Worked for Living Images Ltd as consultant
1988 - 1990 Built up a large property Co., lied on loan forms

1989 Jehovah’s Witnesses knocked on my door, started bible study

1990 January/February Met Tony Moore
1990 August Busted by the Fraud Squad for mortgage fraud
1991 Tishri approx Given talk about three rights of the firstborn in Kingdom Hall
1992 January20-22 [A] Wrote to Elders deducing the Gentile Times from Leviticus26
1992 January24-26 Realised could be a 7 times Exedenic parallel to Gentile Times
1992 February1 (1991Shebat21) Worked out Exedenic Times and 2008Nisan from Genesis4
1992 March14 (Saturday) Unsealed Daniel12 with Tony Moore at Dundee Court
1992 March17 (Tuesday) Tony and I worked out the Midst Prophecy
1992 September10 [AA] Date of Covering letter with: ‘Letter to the Society’ by hand
1992 Elul11 [B] Massoud hand delivered 12 copies of Letter to the Society & Divine Plan of the Ages & covering letter to 12 governing body members through Todd Ellison at Brooklyn Bethel, HQ of JWs
1992 Tishri15 Second New Covenant (2NC) made with Gordon
1992 Heshvan16/17 [C] (November 16) Genesis booklet sent to Brooklyn (12 copies)
1992 Heshvan19 (November18) Genesis booklet arrived in Brooklyn
1992 Heshvan20 (November 20) 4 months suspended prison sentence for mortgage fraud
1992 Heshvan30 Gordon Sanctified as Elijah4 (wrote 'large stone letter')
1992 Chislev1 [AB] Instruction Letter to Todd Ellison
1992 Chislev1 [AC] Help letter to Governing Body - Large Stone
1992 Chislev Massoud and I realised that we were priests of some sort
1993 Tammuz19 Saturday, July 10th, Baptised into the Jehovah’s Witnesses at Crystal Palace. I knew that I would be thrown out, & I was already baptised
1993 Adar17 [D] Letter about New New Covenant
1994 Nisan3 [E] Letter about Memorial
1994 Sivan24 [F] ‘Letter to the Elders’ given to the local elders
1994 Tammuz9 [G] Letter about Milton Henschel & Covering letter to Todd Ellison
1994 Heshvan Realised that I had to baptise the great crowd (Caroline called & said she had a message from God for me just when I was thinking about this: Have I myself conceived all this people? Is it I who have given them birth? (Numbers 11:12)
1994 Heshvan20 [H] Letter saying: The Doors to the House of Jehovah are open
1994 Heshvan20 [AG] Covering letter to Todd Ellison: Unilateral communicator
1994 Heshvan30 [I] Letter about the greater temple of Solomon, not built by David
1994 Heshvan30 [AF] Covering letter to Todd Ellison: Talks about talks.
1994 November 1st trip to New York to try to see the Governing Body
1994 November16 [F] Letter to the Elders hand delivered to the writing committee
1994 November18 [AH] Letter from Watchtower acknowledging receipt
1994 Chislev12 [L] Letter to governing body asking for a meeting
1994 Chislev Dan Sydlik rang me at the Dorset Hotel
1994 December7 [M] Letter to Dan thanking him for calling
1994 December20 [N] Letter to Dan informing him of the dates of my 2nd trip to NYC
1994 December26 2nd trip to New York to try to see Governing Body
1994 Nov to 1995Jan [P] Diary of events and conversations for this period
1995 January17 [Q] Last Letter to J. Barr of writing committee about the memorial
1995 Nisan10 [R] Letter to Governing Body: Memorial will fail
1995 Nisan25 [S] Letter to Governing Body: How to celebrate memorial
1995 July7 [T] Letter informing Society of change of Address
1995 Heshvan6 November 3rd: 9 early versions of [W] fedexed to Governing Body
1995 November8 3rd trip to New York to try to see the Governing Body
1995 November9 [U] Letter to the Governing Body asking: Who really is the FDS?
1995 Heshvan20 [V] November17: Obey Master or Slave, 13 copies to Bethel
1995 November22 [W] Personally gave 13 copies of ‘The Faithful & Discreet Slave is cut in two’ to Travis at Brooklyn Bethel
1995 November26 [AD] Invited all the writing department to Speculators Banquet at the New York Hilton, nobody came, the invites were all hand delivered to the Bethel & residences and were intercepted
1996 January12 [W] ‘FDS is cut in two’ & ‘Letter to the elders’ sent to 100 congregations in New York
1996 February15 [AE] Covering Letter with ‘FDS is cut in two’ to local elder
1995 Adar4 1996February28: Told I would de thrown out in 7 days time
1995 Adar11 1996March6: Disfellowshipped, 1260 days after 1992Elul11
1995 Adar [X] Record of my disfellowshipping
1996 April14 [Y] Letter to Dan explaining my 1260 day ministry Revelation 11. Called ‘The Cock always crows twice’ Website is 2nd crow!!
1996 May20 [Z] Letter of disgust to the 100 congregations in New York.
1999 Elul25 Gordon Realised that the 7 years of eyes of Revelation 5 had ended and the 7 years of horns had started. Seeing ends, power starts. He was antetypical Joseph the 1st horseman of the apocalypse. Time to go conquering. Time to go subduing in the midst of his enemies. Gran Canaria Thurs night 9th September 1999.
1999 September14 Sentence for Mortgage fraud became spent under English law, 7 years after my conviction (14 September 1992). This feature of UK law descends directly from the law of Moses. Being the release in the sabbath year, every 7th year, of all debtors (Deuteronomy 15:1,2). Justice and mercy. The purpose of the law is to teach through temporary condemnation. Not to judge in permanent condemnation. I wonder, if a man who committed a crime under the law of Moses for which the punishment was death, actually owned up to it and was stoned, if this belated respect for the law was sufficient for God to resurrect him. For he has obeyed the most difficult part of the law!
2000 January25 This website is advertised by Fax in the UK.
2000 March21 First public meeting of the LWs in the Cumberland Hotel, London, around 200 attended, responding to a faxed invitation. 3 ways of deducing the date of Armageddon were presented.
2000 April/May/June Weekly talks at the Cumberland, very large leaps in our understandings were made.
2000 Tishri16 The 2NC celebrated 30 days late due to new understandings of how to celebrate it. The first LWs 'water' baptised by Gordon (through the laying on of hands).
2000 November Gordon Ritchie, Gary McCaferry and later Justin Pugsley and Richard Williamson invent HyperOs, software that runs Microsoft Windows entirely from system RAM, and runs several copies of Windows without multibooting. Gordon wished to show an incredulous World that he is good at computer coding, in order to establish credibility with bible decoding (this was his excuse in any event). Writing software that competes with Microsoft is light relief from bible decoding intellectually. But it is not as satisfying spiritually obviously.
2003 August/September Gordon begins to realise that HyperOs was not what God wanted him to be doing and this possibly is why he is beaten with few strokes (Luke 12) - see [34]. The period from 2000 to 2003 should have been used to further bible understanding, not to attempt to compete with Microsoft. A wasted opportunity. But Gordon's false step means an opportunity for the rest of the world. So come on you men and women with faith, be modern day prophets and prophetesses, come and feed on the divine truth, there is nothing on earth like it!!

http://www.truebiblecode.com/history.html

[dahduh]

Oh my God! Oh my God! What's the time now? 14h02 on March 22nd?? No wait, I'm UTC+2, so that... thats... Oh my God!... IT'S JUST GONE PAST MARCH 21ST ON THE INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE!!! OH MY GOD!!!!

Oh. No wait, no prob. Still here, sorry folks.

[Pato2747]

I ran across something I thought was very sad, but interesting from their site. Apparently something of a self described timeline of important events in the author's life. I offer it up as a sobering reminder of how ideas are powerful things and can change our lives - for better or worse.

Woah. After that, he truly got brainwashed.

[Ichneumonwasp]

Dang.


I guess I actually have to get my car washed now.

[Nogbad]

Crap!

Does this mean I shouldn't have blown the mortgage money on dancing girls and fine wine?

Can I sue these people? :)

[Kopji]

Woah. After that, he truly got brainwashed.
I'm not sure I really believe in 'brainwashing'. My own experience was that it is more like when you get a song stuck in your head and that's all you think about.

Something to add to a critical thinking 'baloney kit' is the discipline to let things like this go - or shatter them. There are some kinds of ideas that when you think about them, are like trying to calculate the final value of pi.

[a_unique_person]

Oh my God! Oh my God! What's the time now? 14h02 on March 22nd?? No wait, I'm UTC+2, so that... thats... Oh my God!... IT'S JUST GONE PAST MARCH 21ST ON THE INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE!!! OH MY GOD!!!!

Oh. No wait, no prob. Still here, sorry folks.

OK, so it didn't happen. However, I was just wondering, what timezone does the god of armageddon work on? Why assume it's the international date line?

[Nogbad]

OK, so it didn't happen. However, I was just wondering, what timezone does the god of armageddon work on? Why assume it's the international date line?

A fair point - and which calendar does he use?

Woo end of the world predictions are utter pish always have been :D

[a_unique_person]

A fair point - and which calendar does he use?

Woo end of the world predictions are utter pish always have been :D

You mean I don't have to worry about if it's daylight saving time or not? That's a weight off my mind.

[Nogbad]

You mean I don't have to worry about if it's daylight saving time or not? That's a weight off my mind.

Nope - nor leap years neither.

It is easy to mock....

...and always remarkably good fun.

[Pato2747]

Like I told to my brother: "Fool me once with a nuclear bomb prediction, shame on them. Fool me 87 times with the same nuclear predictions, shame on me. Fool me 1025 times with failed predictions, I'll shut up and join them."

Remember guys: The armageddon "has just begun". We won't see the effects until "May 5th, when the Sign of the Son of Man appears, and on May 12/13th where Jesus will come down and fight the UN."

I wonder if there is any astronomical event expected on May 5th...

[Pato2747]

I'm not sure I really believe in 'brainwashing'. My own experience was that it is more like when you get a song stuck in your head and that's all you think about.

Something to add to a critical thinking 'baloney kit' is the discipline to let things like this go - or shatter them. There are some kinds of ideas that when you think about them, are like trying to calculate the final value of pi.

I don't believe in what anyone can call "Brainwashing", on the sense on simply, and quickly, "Washing your brain" But sometimes, religions inflate you with so many Bulls*** that you end up believing on what they say, no matter how silly it is (COUGHChurchofscientologyCOUGH). Is what you can call, in an informal way, Brainwashing.

[qayak]

Like I told to my brother: "Fool me once with a nuclear bomb prediction, shame on them. Fool me 87 times with the same nuclear predictions, shame on me. Fool me 1025 times with failed predictions, I'll shut up and join them."

Remember guys: The armageddon "has just begun". We won't see the effects until "May 5th, when the Sign of the Son of Man appears, and on May 12/13th where Jesus will come down and fight the UN."

I wonder if there is any astronomical event expected on May 5th...

Read their website. They have given themselves a lot of room to be wrong. In fact, being wrong is a virtue they are proud of. Apparently the ability to be wrong and then correct their calculations and wait for the next disaster is one of the ways they know they are the one true religion, favoured by god.

Good luck to your brother. I suspect that the only way you will get him out of the idiocy is to administer that near fatal beating I suggested.

[bokonon]

If they'll include a copy of HyperOS, I'll let them send me a pamphlet.

[Pato2747]

If they'll include a copy of HyperOS, I'll let them send me a pamphlet.

Funny about that. Simple googling of "HyperOs Gordon Ritchie", says that he is still (As of late '07) the CEO of HyperOs. A contradiction of this:


2003 August/September Gordon begins to realise that HyperOs was not what God wanted him to be doing and this possibly is why he is beaten with few strokes (Luke 12) - see [34]. The period from 2000 to 2003 should have been used to further bible understanding, not to attempt to compete with Microsoft. A wasted opportunity. But Gordon's false step means an opportunity for the rest of the world. So come on you men and women with faith, be modern day prophets and prophetesses, come and feed on the divine truth, there is nothing on earth like it!!


If he says that it's "A wasted opportunity", why is he still the CEO? Hmm...

[WildCat]

I just saw this thread today, am I one of those people who is dead but doesn't know it yet?

[Complexity]

I forgot to pay attention.

I take it the world hasn't ended.

Idiots.

[dahduh]

[QUOTE=Complexity;3555200]I forgot to pay attention.

I take it the world hasn't ended.
[QUOTE]

No really, it did. You just didn't get the memo.

[Pato2747]

Good luck to your brother. I suspect that the only way you will get him out of the idiocy is to administer that near fatal beating I suggested.

I think I'll keep the beating until he thinks that creationism is real. If that ever gets to be the case, oh man, the hospital will have a field day.

[Pato2747]

This is pretty much bumping a relatively old topic, if this is wrong, please inform me about it; but those who have been following this "saga", so to speak, the date has passed, the Kingdom of God has begun, and this is what they say:

·Latest Date of NYC nuclear bomb prediction failed, changed to April 7th, 2008.

·"The Kingdom of God has started. Jesus has married his bride, the 1NC saints in heaven." So, in short, Jesus has married, the end of the world is nigh.

·The Jehovah's Witnesses are hanging on a thread, if they don't join the LW.

And so on, and so forth.

Oh, they'll throw a party on their churches at London and US, on April 20th, to celebrate the marriage.

[Ateius]

Are we dead yet?

[Whack01]

well... I came to this forum for Braaaaaiinnnns

[Jon.]

Are we dead yet?

I feel happy!

[Nim Chimpsky]

Originally Posted by Ateius http://forums.randi.org/helloworld2/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?p=3568749#post3568749)
Are we dead yet?


I feel happy!

But I don't want to go on the cart.

[Pato2747]

Are we dead yet?

Nah, but we will.

Why don't we all happily celebrate Passover on April 20th while waiting for Jesus to return and fight a peace-keeping organization?

[Pato2747]

Edit: Those who have been expecting for more of this interesting (read: funny) group, this is their lastest prediction for the dirty/nuclear bomb, that changed a little bit in matter of 2-3 days:


We now predict two terrorist Dirty Bombs or Nuclear Bombs will hit the US and the UK before Sundown Monday 2008April7, in fact between 8:30 am and 9:30 am on April4th 2008 (the 3rd hour of the day on 2008Nisan27, the 11th day of the festival of weeks). This is a twin terrorist attack and is the fulfilment of the stone hitting both feet of the man of Daniel2.


So, they widened the target a little bit, from NYC Midtown to the East Coast, and finally the entire US. But what changes it a little is the "twin terrorist attack" understanding.

Also, look at the dates. When are the bombs exploding? On April 7th or in April 4th? That is slightly misleading :boggled:

Double edit: Oh, snap! I tried to edit the post, not make a new reply!

[godless dave]

Well we know it wasn't April 4.

[jimbob]

Woah. After that, he truly got brainwashed.
I'm not sure I really believe in 'brainwashing'. My own experience was that it is more like when you get a song stuck in your head and that's all you think about.

Something to add to a critical thinking 'baloney kit' is the discipline to let things like this go - or shatter them. There are some kinds of ideas that when you think about them, are like trying to calculate the final value of pi.

/slight derail from the uniportant imminent demise of the world/universe?

From this, I take it that you have some experience of being in a cult, or know someone who was?

Anyway, that could agree with some of my observations about a certain type of "academic mind". I know some people who seem to have a "theological approach" to engineering. They are highly intellignet and able to develop highly intricate programs or systms, and get so involved that they don't seem to stop and ask why, or whether there is any relevance to the real world.

One doesn't like the mention of the word "evolution" as it is "heretical". Another thinks there is "something in homeopathy" and that there "might be something in the 911 conspiricy theories".

I will reemphasise that these are both highly intelligent individuals, and in many respects, more academically able than me (especially with an almost fanatical attention to detail) but they seem overly prone to focus intently on something, and have a pretty compartmentalised* set of views.

*Homeopathy when you spend a significant proportion of your career optimising doping levels in 5-nines pure silicon????

[Pato2747]

/slight derail from the uniportant imminent demise of the world/universe?

From this, I take it that you have some experience of being in a cult, or know someone who was?

Anyway, that could agree with some of my observations about a certain type of "academic mind". I know some people who seem to have a "theological approach" to engineering. They are highly intellignet and able to develop highly intricate programs or systms, and get so involved that they don't seem to stop and ask why, or whether there is any relevance to the real world.

One doesn't like the mention of the word "evolution" as it is "heretical". Another thinks there is "something in homeopathy" and that there "might be something in the 911 conspiricy theories".

I will reemphasise that these are both highly intelligent individuals, and in many respects, more academically able than me (especially with an almost fanatical attention to detail) but they seem overly prone to focus intently on something, and have a pretty compartmentalised* set of views.

*Homeopathy when you spend a significant proportion of your career optimising doping levels in 5-nines pure silicon????

HOW DARE YOU IGNORE THE WORD OF JEHOVAH! REPENT NOW OR YOU WILL SURELY GO TO HELL!

Nah, just kidding. But you got a point.

</offtopic>
<ontopic>
The April 4th thingie was removed from their site. I wonder why they had two dates.

[MattusMaximus]

We're still here... oops! :o

[MattusMaximus]

HOW DARE YOU IGNORE THE WORD OF JEHOVAH! REPENT NOW OR YOU WILL SURELY GO TO HELL!



Not me... I've got one of these...


http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_774747f961415bb8c.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=11629)

[jimmygun]

Crap! I forgot all about the world ending on March 21/08! What happened?

[Robin]

Crap! I forgot all about the world ending on March 21/08! What happened?

It went a little like this:
Peter : Five - four - three - two - one - Zero!
Omnes : (Chanting) Now is the end - Perish The World!
A pause

Peter : It was GMT, wasn't it?
Jon : Yes.
Peter : Well, it's not quite the conflagration I'd been banking on. Never mind, lads, same time tomorrow... we must get a winner one day.
http://www.epicure.demon.co.uk/endworld.html

[Pato2747]

We're still here... oops! :o

Yes, but according to them, the end IS here, RIGHT NOW, but we won't see it after they celebrate the Pentecost on April 20th.

Then, in May 5th, the Sign of the Son of Man will appear. And in May 12th, Jesus will descend and fight the UN.

They ask all the Jehovah's Witnesses that accomplish a certain number of conditions to join the LW until it's too late. I wonder what's their deal with the JW. Or why do they say that Pentecostals are brainwashed.

[Pato2747]

Edit: Gueeeeeeeeeess what, people? They have pushed back their dates again! It's now April 14th!

ARGH! Why do I double post instead of editing?

[MattusMaximus]

Edit: Gueeeeeeeeeess what, people? They have pushed back their dates again! It's now April 14th!



Wow, Nostrodumbass would be proud that modern-day idiots continue to carry on his legacy.

Well, on the bright side, if these lunatics are correct at least I won't have to pay any taxes :)

[PrincessIneffabelle]

Edit: Gueeeeeeeeeess what, people? They have pushed back their dates again! It's now April 14th!

I visited the website, but I got mired in the religious verbiage pretty quickly. I should have known to stop when they started off by saying that Jesus was now married and they're gonna eat a lamb, or something.

:confused:

Do they offer any explanation of why they changed it, or did they just change the date and aren't gonna talk about it?

[slingblade]

IIRC, the "man from Daniel" is a representation of Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom, and explained the weakness in the king's rule. It's not a modern prophecy and, as these things go, was "fulfilled" centuries ago. It's rather like saying "We predict that one day Abe Lincoln will be president of the U.S., but that he will die in office!"

Er, um, yeah. Good job. Have a cookie.