(May 31, 2011 at 2:32 pm)Doubting Thomas Wrote: The thing is, though, if they weren't jumping out windows or cutting their own throats with box cutters at what Camping said, then they'd just find a reason in what some other nutjob says. Camping is just giving them the excuse.
I think it's an impulse, rather than an excuse. I've heard from the TV that once there were people that sold their houses when an end of the world 'approached'. Those money most surely ended up in the preachers' pocket. Now I agree that those that sell their houses (perhaps being suggested to do this or something) are idiots and feeble minded, but still, they are human beings, and if there is a way to prevent such things from happening, I think it would be a good thing to prevent them. Also, if somebody preaches an end of the world to fill his pocket with money - which is manipulating and deceiving the feeble minded, doing harm to them for his own advantage - then I believe that that preacher does not deserve being left free to enjoy the results of what he did.