Apocalypticism

And so the world still turns. No rapture, no living hell, no Armageddon. We are where we were before the weekend with no signs of Christ’s return, facing the same ol’ same ol’: Arnold’s love child, Newt’s flame-out, life without Oprah. Perhaps this might be a nice teachable moment to reflect on all this—not nonsense at all, but rather an illuminating cultural moment that reveals an awful lot about the role of religion in our crazy world. What are the key takeaways from the “mediapocalypse”? Here are five for your consideration:

End Times radio station rakes in millions with false promises of Judgment Day.

Blue pill can be hard to swallow.

Plans a “Restoring Courage” rally harkening not to Lincoln or King, but to Moses.

Libations for the party, and a request for playlist suggestions for Judgment Day.

Twilight wars in the Middle East, Japan’s nuclear catastrophe, Deepwater Horizon, worldwide crop failures, massive die-offs of long-established species: it’s all so very scary.

Perhaps the second time’s a charm for Harold Camping.

How does it fit the Christian apocalyptic narrative of Gog and Magog?

When the repeal of DADT was on the table many like John McCain predicted disaster.

Gov. Rick Scott broke with tradition to announce his budget in front of tea partiers in a central Florida church.