Did something happen after all?

For me to be writing this public statement can be considered highly improbable.

For one, I hold the English speaking world culturally in low esteem, that is to say that I don't expect any meaningful contribution to culture from it. And then my own religious beliefs aren't centered on afterlife.

I mocked the notion of faith as opposed to belief in the past, but although I do not think that two different notions in this field are for the good, I'm now far from criticising someone solely for describing himself as having faith. To repeat my argument, faith implies pride in having overcome a difficulty whereas belief does not, i.e. faith is what the good soldier has in a difficult battle.

Faith, it can be argued, arises from believing in something, of which one at least fears that it is not true. But then, does one believe at all?

I read Harold Camping's annunciation of the rapture in a Google advertisement. I memorised the announced date (May 21, 2011), but didn't feel like lending my ear to yet another madman. The Independent's piece on him didn't turn my favour either. But in the back of my head I thought that such a warning might be a good thing to release in this day. After focussing on this thought, I then felt in a peculiar way that I should not ignore this annunciation, that God is actually working in it and that it is my duty to join the general or not so general preparation for Judgment Day.

On the same day I paid twice some Euros and 21 cents at the cash register. Later still that day I noticed that the lowest price for a liter of gasoline in my area was 1.21 Euros. Today I was asking myself half in jest, where the 5s got lost, only to read 55.55 Euros on the display of the gas station, after I had filled the tank.

But even under this impression, I told myself not to believe in anything contrary to what I actually believe in. Judgment Day for me is not about going to heaven or going to hell, but about becoming aware of God's existence. I don't know how many of you have read 21s or 5s on a display during the last week after having asked yourself about these numbers, but those of you who have or witnessed other signs should know that you are not alone.

Many other things happened last week, San Francisco even got its earthquake with a precission of 5 minutes, if you ignore daylight-saving time. Of course, daylight-saving time is just as arbitrary as the international date line and thinking that Biblical prophecies would consider them is a bit on the egocentric side. It is noteworthy that the beliefs of the less egocentric seem to have carried more weight than those of the more egocentric, even though the more egocentric, who considered daylight-saving time as authoritative, seem to have been in the majority.

But you have to ask yourself now what to do next.

Of course, the media is portraying the last days as a non-event, talking about all the harm that befell those who believed Judgment Day would come. I was lazy lately and repented by working. What bad has come to you? But far more important is that there were ripples, that you can cause ripples. And if you are not using the grace that has been bestowed upon you and let things continue on their present course, if you are not choosing your own course and let other people see it, a course of which only a fool would say that it is not from God, then indeed the earth can also be destroyed by such a ripple. Better to use prayers to bless than to curse. But both can be done. Prove yourself worthy. And shun the forces of dissolution disguised as warrantors of stability.