May 21 is Not Doomsday or End of the World, by Allison Daily
With all the talk that tomorrow, May 21, is the end of the world as we know it, we reached out to expert Allison Daily, a bereavement counselor and author of Out of the Canyon, A True Story of Loss and Love, to get her thoughts. Here’s what she said:
This world is not coming to end, or even starting it’s ending, on May 21st. There is no part of my heart, my soul or my pocketbook that believes what Harold Camping is claiming. Try as I may to not be judgmental, especially when it comes to people’s personal beliefs, the facts in this case cause me to believe this is all a publicity stunt of some kind.
My husband asked me, “Why would anyone make claims like this?” I rolled my eyes and spoke the first thoughts that came to mind, “Well, he either truly believes that it is going to end and he wants to save the sinners, or he wants to further capitalize his Family Radio business, which last year took in close to 19 million in donations.”
We have become such a media dependent society that people like Camping can use the media as its whore. I don’t know about you, but I am just as guilty of checking out all of the headlines and being secretly curious about all of the public scandals and affairs. Yet this story holds nothing for me except true disbelief. I hope that others will stop giving their savings and their time to a man that doesn’t appear to be completely sane.
“I do believe that our world is changing. I just have a more positive outlook on where it’s going,” I told my husband as we walked into town from our electricity-free hotel in Sayulita, Mexico in order for me to write down my thoughts today. “I believe we are becoming more open and compassionate people. We each have to decide if we want to get involved or not.”
“Change can be uncomfortable. Most of the time it hurts until we let go and settle into the discomfort,” Amanda, our yoga instructor and friend said in class yesterday. We looked out onto the jungles of Mexico, the water in the far distance. Right on, I thought.
I don’t believe that God is causing the natural disasters, nor do I believe He has anything to do with many of the things we love to blame Him for. If we want to attach some relevance to all of the earthquakes, tornados, tsunamis and the devastating effects they have had around our world, maybe it’s about something else that is taking place, something that we don’t yet understand. What I do know is that we can’t run from it, but we can decide to be a part of the solution and the healing.
Salvation doesn’t have to be as expensive or as dramatic as Camping has made it out to be. Individually we have a bigger responsibility in this world than we’ve had before. It’s still about kindness and intention. Let’s get on with it.
For more from Allison Daily:
Deadly Earthquake Rattles Southern New Zealand
Liam Neeson Opens Up About Tragic Loss of Wife, Natasha Richardson
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These are one expert’s views on the news. Share with us your thoughts in the comments box below.
Category: Film, Music and Entertainment, Lifestyle, Views on the News
