We all heard last week that Saturday, May 21 would be the last day of the world. How did we know this? A Christian radio group called Family Radio Network whose founder Harold Camping predicted what he called the “rapture” was going to start at 6 p.m. on May 21. What is the “rapture?” From what I have read this rapture is a Evangelical Christian belief which says that when Jesus Christ returns to the earth, those “saved” individuals will rise up in the air and join Him in the sky.

Every media source jumped on the band wagon and by Friday this story became a running joke at office break rooms and coffee shops, although those who really believed it were not laughing. One news source reported a woman who was sure she would be taken up, decided to euthanize her four cats so they would not be left alone.

This is not the first time the world was warned it would end. Back in 1806 it was discovered that eggs from a domesticated fowl in England bore the message “Christ Is Coming” leading local clergy to believe the end of the world was upon them. Many people visited the spot, examined the eggs and were convinced that the Day of Judgment was at hand until one man who heard of the eggs went to visit these hens and found that the eggs had been inscribed with some kind of ink and cruelly forced up into the bird’s body. Suffice it to say, the world did not end in 1806.

Another time back in 1982 the religious broadcaster Pat Robertson told his followers that he guaranteed by the end of the year a judgment would be called on the world, pending disasters would occur and the world would end. This also did not occur and we all forged ahead.

In Korea a group which followed the “Hyoo Go” (Rapture) movement firmly believed that Jesus was coming in 1992. There were prophesied events which would lead up to the end but it never happened. The downside of this event is that some followers were so upset about the falsehood they tried to attack their preachers with knives.

Of course in 1999, many of Nostradamus followers believed what he said would be the end of the world in the seventh month of that year. This never occurred, as well.

As I heard and discussed with others about the end of the world, we all came to the conclusion that no one really knows when the “end of the world” will really take place, if at all. I’m more the positive type who thinks there will be no end per say but a changing of governments world wide to live a better life. There is no need to euthanize pets or stop paying your bills. Preparing for the future is always smart so stashing extra pantry items is always encouraged but panic and doom is not. Life goes on for everyone as we know it and thank the heavens we can live another day.

Loxley resident Valerie J. Steimle is now the author of four books. Her latest, “Dogs, Blogs and Hobbits: Writings from a Widow’s Perspective” is available on Amazon.com. Contact her at valeriesteimle@yahoo.com, visit her website at www.stregthenyourhome.com or check out her blog at www.valeriesteimle.blogspot.com.