Source: Empiria magazine

Press reviews, commentaries, analyses

From 1997 2001

The San Francisco Chronicle published an article from Stephany Sprague feather in connection with the millenium proliferating, regarding forecasts prophesying a world's end. Originally for the essay struck the thought that he comes, indeed the celestial realm approaches continual from the illusion of which since then can be deterred the believers' army. The early Christians' unborn hopes followed John the Baptist, Jesus and the apostles' frustrated apocalyptic expectations before with two thousand years. In 411 the Romany aeterna his fall presupposed the whole world's fall and an immediate divine intervention. When did not ensue, Hippolitus, Roman theologian and practising priest long time ago onto 500 prophesied Christ's return.

In spite of the fact that he is the Catholic Church in 431 finally onto that official point of view occupied a position, the date of the messiah's recurrence vague, the one based on astrological forecasts on the time of the first millenium Europe into a fever preparing for a doomsday again avoided. Practically on the time of all centenaries and all bigger catastrophes world end panic mood took possession of the Christian countries. This already because of that extraordinary wrong behaviour James Tabor, University of according to North Caroline professor, since he is any kind for a value judgement submitting "it apocaliptizm thought system producing 100 percentile failures".

Charles Mackay Exceptional Popular Fallacies and the Masses' Madness title in his work counting as a classic fixed several actual cases in 1841. The modern age produces his own fallacies and his madnesses. Only not once, in the 80 years the tv-evangelist Billy Graham and his eager believers, between many people Ronald Reagan, the "Death Angel's" appearance was reckoned in months. In 1980 Bob Dobbs, Church of the Genius name the high priest of a charismatic religious cult 1998. july on 5 in the morning onto 7 clocks the doomsday prophesied him beginning, on the row of which he is it, from space arriving, the land is possessed by military forces equipped with beam weapons and everybody is destroyed - taking out of naturally Dobbs believers.

In 1990 the New Age name sect's guru, giving up the position of Elizabeth Clare Prophet and more thousand of his followers, giving up his home, the community withdrew onto a Montana nuclear-proof's refuge which was positive built upon Armageddon time liquidating all of his properties. Who knows it, till when idled there? Charles Taylor, reformed priest and radio evangelist the listeners for one hundred thousand in its hearing the Gulf-war Armageddon antecedent the initial event of 7 year nuclear wars and world chaos judged it. (On a typical manner he, neither Prophet the century did not receive celestial one with a handle his outstanding event, regarding the disintegration of Soviet Union.)

Despite the serial failures the second millennium turning direct enquiring again was booming for the interpretation of the coming mystic previously. In Chicago on DuPaul University more weekly lecture series, a film premiere and exhibitions presented it in his framework, how can be referred the interpretation of the apocalypse onto the events of the present.

"Are, who see the sign of the antichrist's approaching reign in the globalization of the economic life." - made a statement to Paul Boyer history professor, one of the lecturers of the course. Approaching 2000 according to Boyer opinion the international firms' world-dominating endeavours (concerning the tragic consequences of their selfish economic policy, H. K.) the sign of the doomsday interpreters' number multiplies continual. We the explanation onto the apocalyptic visions? Anna Clark Bartlett according to a university lecturer: "You are definitive in a heavy situation finding his way in front of inexplicable facts since the people are afraid of the insecurity a solution is being looked for. This so far may degenerate in, that the coming of the world's end wants to be hurried." According to Kathleen Norris (Amazing Grace: Vocabulary of Faith, 1998) "The hope makes it possible one finally, that we do it throughout despite the difficulties the mindennapokat. The apocalyptic visions ordering punctual it, that offering a hope for it encourage, on his end the good triumphs over the bad one." "The irrationalism surviving the millennia a shocking phenomenon is left despite the explanation. Naturally not the scholar, you are the researcher for the academician." Robert Bigelow (The Dawn Warriors, 1969) says it about the social evolutionary processes eliminates in his exceptional interesting book.

"The people inherit knocking up the irrational thoughts the same way the birds inherit the nest building. Much easier, than the acquisition of the mathematics... All men to accept the irrational faith world of the one to which he belongs as the group without inclined doubts. In that manner seems, natal conditions to believe what our own kind extinguishes with predilection into us. In the same manner natal conditions the tendency that somebody else is social communities' faith world for stupid one, considers it ridiculous one and irrational one."

Hanna Kuliffay

* When the prophecy did not ensue, Dobbs 1999 Julies onto 5, then, and this last date made a notoriety public, 2000. July it transferred Armageddon day onto 5. In as much the reader can read this article, that prophecy of his was a blunder naturally then