On a Scale of 1 to 10, what do you think? Heres my opinion.

Lets begin by defining our scale values. Instead of creating new categories, lets use Dennis Elenburgs benchmarks from the Statements of the Experts web site as follows:

1 = annoying minor problems with little or no impact.
3 = 1970s level recession, minor utility problems.
6 = 1930s level depression, significant utility problems.
10 = Gary North (serious global power outages, TEOTWAWKI).

Using the above scale, I believe Y2K will have an impact of either an 8 or a 20.

Eight:

Let me begin by explaining my rationale for the eight. As a Christian, I have complete confidence in God. I believe He allows us to follow whatever path we select even if it is a poor one. In my opinion, I think that is why we are in this current mess. However, I also believe God loves us and will not abandon us (as a nation, not as individuals - - as individuals we each make our own decision on our eternal destiny).

I believe that without Gods intervention we could easily and quickly slide into a 10 scenario. But I believe most folks will become desperate and pray for divine help by the time it gets to an 8. And I believe that as a result of an overwhelming multitude of genuine, sincere, individual prayers, God will come to the rescue in a manner that we cant now predict. For whats it worth, that is the reason I think an eight is the most likely outcome.

Twenty:

Now let me explain why I think a 20 is also possible. The above scale stops at ten and The End of the World as We Know It (TEOTWAWKI). Not the end of the world. A ten on the above scale implies that our world economy would revert to something similar to the early 1900s or even prehaps the late 1800s. Many might die, but life would go on and everyones standard of living would be drastically reduced.

A ten on the above scale does not include a global war (nuclear, biological, and/or chemical). If you suspect a global war is a real possibility, then you would be off the end of the scale. How far off I dont know since the scale stops at ten.

I picked a 20 as my estimate because I think that a combined nuclear, biological, chemical war is possible anytime between today and early in the year 2000. Let me explain my reasoning in a little more detail.

As a Christian, I have read the Bible. Several times in fact, from cover to cover. The only reason I mention this is to lay the foundation for my following comments. I believe there is nothing standing between us and the unfolding of the events in the Book of Revelation.

In the past, the press has always given much publicity to learned individuals who have finally proven the Bible was incorrect in some way or another. Later, when that individual was shown to be wrong beyond any shadow of a doubt, the press conveniently neglected to print a retraction along with the new evidence. The reason I mention this is because many folks believe the Bible is in error due to something they have read in a magazine or newspaper sometime during their life. Since they never heard the other side of the issue, they still believe the Bible is in error. It aint. It never was. It never will be.

For example, for centuries one of the major logical arguments against the Book of Revelation was that it was physically impossible for everyone in the world to see an event at the time it was taking place. Remember the Gulf War in the early 90s? That argument hasnt been used lately. But over the centuries many people have gone to their graves believing in the impossibility of that part of the Book of Revelation (and therefore, the Bible in general).

There is nothing in the book of Revelation that isnt possible using todays technology. Therefore, Bible critics now look for other reasons to make you believe the Bible is in error. They usually only succeed in making you doubt the complete accuracy of the Bible. Where there is doubt, there is indecision. And where there is indecision, there is the absence of action. Thats it in a nutshell. If they can make you doubt then you postpone any decision until the doubt is removed. Suppress the new evidence and the doubt is never removed.

The same thing is happening today with folks who are on the fence about Y2K. They hear that it may be terrible. They also hear the entire thing is just a hoax to get their money. The result is doubt. Therefore they decide to wait until they can know for certain one way or the other. Instead of carefully weighing the evidence and coming to an informed decision, they decide to wait and see. Unfortunately, if they wait until all doubt is removed, it will be too late. Just like the person who is going to read the Bible one of these days, but Death claims them before that day ever arrives.

If the events in the Book of Revelation begin to unfold then the following sequence of events will occur:

1. Threat of a Global War barely avoided by someone who offers an alternative option. This limits damage to a few specific areas.

2. The alternative option eventually fails and the Worst War mankind has ever seen sweeps the entire globe.

3. Food becomes scarce and starvation begins to take its toll. A person works all day to pay for the tiny amount of food they eat that day.

4. Incurable diseases spread rapidly and 1/4 of the remaining worlds population die.

5. Christians are blamed for all the worlds problems. A bounty is put on the head of Christians. Many Christians are slain and the damned rejoice.

6. The sun turns dark and the moon turns red. Then the Rapture. Those Christians who are still alive are instantly taken to heaven. They taste not death.

7. Silence for one-half hour and then the Wrath of God descends on an unbelieving world.

Want to know more? If you arent a Christian then simply read the very last book of the Bible to find out. If you are a Christian, then you will be watching the remaining events from Heaven.

The above sequence of events was believed by our early church forefathers from the first century until about 1830. That was when the doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture was introduced. That doctrine is based on emotional logic and a few carefully selected verses from the Bible. It wasnt widely accepted until Scofield published his reference Bible in 1909 and in his page footnotes he adopted this theory. As a result, people began to universally embrace this new theory. It was printed in the Bible so it had to be true (even though it was only someones interpretation of the Bible as a footnote reference). It is what people wanted to believe. I myself believed that theory until about four years ago when I had the good fortune to be directed to one of the following two books:

The Rapture Question Answered Plain and Simple, by Robert Van Kampen
The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church, by Marvin Rosenthal

I aint easily swayed on Bible doctrine by argumentative logic. For me to believe something, there has to be several Bible references for it and NO contradicting references anywhere in the Bible. That is why I currently believe the Book of Revelation will unfold exactly like it says and Christians will be Raptured exactly when it says so in the Book. Want conformation? Read Matthew 24. It describes the end of the world and after the moon turns red, it says one will being taken and one will be left (in the field and in the bed). The Rapture of the saints. The next chapter begins with the parable of the Ten Virgins.

In a nutshell, thats why I think it could be a 20. If you arent a Christian, then the above comments probably wont make much sense to you. Even if you are a Christian, you may not believe that the events in the Book of Revelation could unfold during your lifetime. Even though I am a Christian, I dont know Gods timetable and therefore I have no way of knowing when the events described in the Book of Revelation will occur. It could be hundreds of years from now. On the other hand, I know of no reason why those events couldnt begin real soon.

Conclusion:

I would recommend preparing for at least an eight. God willing, it wont get no worse than that. On the other hand, for those of you that have already decided to make some preparations, maybe a little more wouldnt hurt.

May God Bless.

Grandpappy

P.S. - This wasnt intended to be a religious post. I aint trying to convince anyone that they should become religious or follow any special teaching. I was just explaining why I think it might be a 20. Couldnt do that without giving my reasons. It just so happens that my reasons are based on the Bible.

I aint going to give the usual links to all my previous posts. However, I will give the links to my last two posts for anyone that might be interested. The second post below shows how a family of four can spend about $90 and buy enough food for one month that will provide excellent nutrition plus good vitamin and mineral balance and avoid appetite fatigue.

Is a Camping Backpack a Good Idea for Everyone?

How to Get the Best Value for Your Food Dollar

I know many of you have a completely different perspective. It is only fair that we provide the readers of this forum with all the different views of this issue. Now is the time to state what you think below. Remember, only one of you has to say that Y2K will be a zero event for most readers to lovingly cling to their doubt and take no steps toward any type of preparation.

-- Grandpappy (Grandpappy@old-timers.hom), August 11, 1999

Answers

It's going to be a 3 and then from there we don't know how far it could slide, 6,8,10,20?

Too many unknowns here to even try to predict.

A lot depends on whether the spin continues and it looks like it's going to, thus preventing people from even starting to prepare. Again, a lot of people could be preparing, more than we know about.

Then there's domino effects, war, bio-chemical, etc.etc.etc.

May as well throw your numbers in a hat and pick one out!

The important thing is to prepare according to your means. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best !

-- sue (deco100@aol.com), August 11, 1999.

Grandpappy,Before you or anyone else quotes the Bible as an indicator for the coming destruction as the earth you should do the following:

A) Learn Latin

B) Get access to Bibles that are at least >then1000 years old

The reason I say this is that even Bibles that are <1000 years old are substantial different then today and the pop's church has changed the book of God to fit its own political agenda so often that the truth can NOT be found in our modern reproductions of what is commonly referred to as the word of God.

How do I know?

My brother WAS a catholic monk until 1979 and his effort for 45 years was to investigate the origins of the bible in the archives of the Vatican and monasteries in Europe.

Let me say, he died a bitter man as He has seen the changes and hypocrisy of the church.

Don't even try to tell me that man under the guidance of God wrote the common version. This was my argument to my brother until he has shown me some of his work. His big disappointment in live was that he was NOT given permission to publish his findings by his church. He still was faithful in the church and his oat to God but He died on a broken heart at the age of 57.

My family and I still believe that the church he was a member of killed him. In our opinion organized churches with the practice of intentional misinformation of its members are of the same kind as any and all cults that are out there.

Organized churches are BAD for mankind. find you way to God but do not believe every verse you find in the bible. Look for the concept not the words.

-- Sad memories (privat@privat.pri), August 11, 1999.

I think it will be between 4-5. There is always the possibiity that it go more or less depending on location and preparation. My concerns are mostly on the international scale. We do a lot of trading and receive a lot of merchandise that comes from overseas.As far as electricity/water etc we'll find out when the day comes. -- You can only prepare as much you can, then pray on the rest. I wish everyone good luck. Ice

-- iceman (icemanltd@webtv.net), August 11, 1999.

The New Testament was written by the Roman Piso family in the first century C.E. in order to "to regain control of the Jewish masses" after a revolt.

"...The proportion of Jews (Jewish Beth Hillel, zealots/Pharisees), in the Roman empire by the late 50's C.E. was over 20%. As humanistic Jews, they were a threat to the Roman way of life, i.e., aristocratic. So, a few conspirators in the hierarchy decided to give the Jews a new religion - Christianity.

They synthesized this new religion, and based it upon the already existent Jewish religion, and using the Jewish books, they customized it to fit the Roman way of life.

The New Testament books were written after the supposed fact, so that it was easy for them to be self-fulfilling. The first 'Christian' book written was 'Ur Marcus', which was the proto-type for the book 'Mark' that was written later by Arrius Piso.

'Ur Marcus' was written by Lucius (Lucillius) Calpernius Caesoninus Piso in about the year 60 C.E. (Perhaps closer to the year 62 C.E.). Even theologians agree that chronologically 'Mark' would come before 'Matthew'. The main conspirators at this time included: Seneca, Galba, Lucius Piso, Gaius Piso, and Seneca's nephew 'Lucan the Poet'. Arrius Piso was 28 years old in 65 C.E.

The book 'Ur Marcus' was given to the Jews, who soon rejected it..."

"God" has nothing to do with Y2K...

-- (Grandson@new.paradigm), August 11, 1999.

Grandpappy,

You said..." The sun turns dark and the moon turns red. Then the Rapture. Those Christians who are still alive are instantly taken to heaven. They taste not death."

The Bible expains itself, Daniel said the power of the Holy People would be broken! That is what is meant by the "sun turns dark." The moon turning red is a reference to war. Israel was depicted by Joseph in the following verse...(Gen 37:9 KJV) "And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me."

Joseph had two sons who received the blessings of a Great company of Nations and a Great Nation. The eleven stars are the remaining tribes (nations) of Israel.

Read the following and you find out the condition of the Tribes of Israel at the close of the Babylonian Age or "System". (Gen 49:1 KJV) "And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days."

The Rapture Theory is Malarky. We look for "The Hope of the Resurrection"

"Occupy till I return." Is what we were instructed to do, but the Christian has fallen asleep placing their hope in the Rapture in order to get the heaven out of here.

Take care.

-- Mark Hillyard (foster@inreach.com), August 11, 1999.

Grandpappy,

In your timetable of event's you left out a MAJOR factor....ANTI- CHRIST!!!

The Anti-christ HAS to come into power for a 7 year term. Midway through the 7 year "peace" plan, he breaks the accord and hence starts the Tribulation. IF the Anti-christ were to come into power TODAY and make the 7 year peace pact TODAY, then the absoloute earliest that Christ would come back is late in 2002!

Here's my take. Soon, a major war will break out, because of y2k or not. This war WILL involve at least a limited use of nukes. Because of this fact and due to the severity of this war, a leader will come forward to offer "peace"(Anti-christ). The 7 year peace plan will be drawn up then. You get the rest.

-- CygnusXI (noburnt@toast.net), August 11, 1999.

All religions are scams! They invoke the name of God to create guilt, wealth, and mayhem.

-- antireligion (antireligion@antireligionnn.com), August 11, 1999.

God will not intervene, never has and never will so we can safely say it will be a 10. What makes you think if I pray to God that he will intervene? I bet all those people who prayed to God before they were murdered and slaughtered in his name wondered where he was at and why he forsaked them. Your scenario theory is nothing more than babble and a wild-eyed dream.

-- ~~~~ (~~~~@~~~.com), August 11, 1999.

I'm very glad to see a few of you aren't fooled by the middle eastern monotheistic garbage we're surrounded with. One afternoon of 'surfing' can show anyone who looks that the current cults doctrines are just edited versions of much earlier works. Y2K is *real*.

-- D E F (eattherich@mailcity.com), August 11, 1999.

I know better than to refute anyone's religious beliefs. I won't even try but I believe in faith. If you have faith, you have enough. After a year and a half of living and preparing for y2k, I have come to the decision that society needs a cleansing. If y2k is the soap, then so be it. If I am one of the ones that is dirty, then soap me down too.

-- Carol (Glear@usa.net), August 11, 1999.

Grandpappy...thanks for a reallity check...I have been stuck in this nasty whorld of Y2K researh for about 1000 hrs now...Im totally committed, or maybe I should be that is.....I sold my house, business, converted to cash, maxied out my credit cards for cash and now am about to go to overdraft for cash. Have lots of Y2K pervisions. Am all ready to rock and roll...Im hoping for a 10 on your scale....I kind of like the idear of a level playing field next year..you know the one in which those who run the world to there benifit today will be doing the same thing as we,looking for food. Know some folks my think thats kind of nasty, but the truth of the matter is ,Y2K dosent care...nor does the God for that matter. For the only thing that God reconizes is weather you know the CHRIST or not...Good luck

-- les (yoyo@tolate.com), August 11, 1999.

Clinton fits the Anti-Christ description quite well, along with 7 years of peace, ey?

I agree, y2k has nothing to do with God or prophacy (sp?)

On the other hand, God has *got* to be plenty mad at all of us.

Bio/chem warfare, according to Cohen is GOING to happen. It's just a matter of time. Whenever man creates a weapon, he also creates an opportunity to use them.

JMHO

-- mar (derigueur2@aol.com), August 11, 1999.

Grandpappy:

The Bible was once used to support slavery, now it is used to condemn slavery. Homosexuality was practiced in Ancient Rome and I strongly believe King David practiced it with Johnathon. Today, we use the scriptures to condemn homosexuality.

I could pick and choose those scriptures out of the Bible to support racism (Jews are the apple of God's eye), Killing rebellious children (Bring rebellious children to the elders that they be executed), keep the women silent in church, women submit to you husbands, the head of woman is man (sexism).

If you've studied the Bible as much as you claim, then you know what I'm talking about. Churches pick what they want out of the Bible that supports their agenda at that time in history. I've pretty much come to this conclusion. Nothing will change my view on this

Having said that, there are a lot of valid points in the area of prophecy because we've begun to witness current events unfolding. Take bar codes and micro-chip implants just to name one. As you mentioned the book of Daniel and Revelation are very prophetic . The problem is that you always have the problem issues (as I mentioned above) and it makes it difficult to prove the prophetic points of the Bible because the churches pick and choose what they want the congregation to hear. They bend the Bible so much to their needs at that point and time in history. And BTW, Christians (I'm one too), have little credibility. Weren't thousands tortured/executed all in the name of Christianty during the inquistions? Our track record isn't pretty. So, we've got a very big problem when trying to bring up prophecy. I believe a lot of what you've said, but we will convince few.

-- Larry (cobol.programmer@usa.net), August 11, 1999.

Mar:

You may not be right. The Bible does state that there will be a time of "perplexity" among nations (Luke 21:25). Is it y2k with a combination of other things? We don't know for sure yet. But look at the word "perplexity." One wonders. I can't sit here and say that there is no chance of prophecy here. I don't know how you can. Here are other signs:

1. Israel will be restored, valley of the dry bones (Ezekiel 37)
2. A false prophet (False Pope?)will arise along with a false church (World Council of Churches?) (Rev 13:11, Rev 20:10)
3. The Ancient Roman Empire will revive (EU) (Dan 2,7)
4. Israel will be longing for peace ( 1 Thess 5:3)
5. Jerusalem will be a burdensome stone to the world (Zechariah 12:3)
6. Jerusalem will be a cup of trembling to all people (Zechariah 12:2)
7. A leader out of the Roman Empire (EU) will sign a peace contract with Israel (Dan 9:27)
8. A new buying/selling system will be implemented (Rev 13:16-18)
9. 666 will be an international buying/selling code number (Rev 13:18)
10. There will be many earthquakes (Matt 24:7)
11. There will be many weather disruptions (Luke 21:25)
12. There will be great signs from heaven (crop circles?) (Luke 21:11)
13. It will be a time of perplexity among nations (Luke 21:25)
14. Signs in the sun, moon and stars (Luke 21:25)
15. Automobiles (Nahum 2:3,4)
16. Airplanes (Isaiah 31:5)
17. Helicopters used in war (as John saw them in his vision. Carefully read the description and you'll see the connection) (Rev 9:7-10)
18. Knowledge explosion (Dan 12:4)
19. Atom bomb (Zechariah 14:12, 2 Peter 3:10)
20. Collapse of families (Mark 13:12)

-- Larry (cobol.programmer@usa.net), August 11, 1999.

I feel it's going to either be a 1-2 or a 9-10. I don't see any room for the middle ground. Either it's bad or it isn't. It all goes back to fault tolerance. If the system can handle it, then there will be minor disruptions, bump in the road, life will go on. If it gets too overwhelming, then we go in a downward spiral (not necessarily Infomagic) and it's a 9-10. I don't see any possibility of a 5.

-- Jim (x@x.x), August 11, 1999.

How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
There is more ancient knowledge available than just the Hebrew bible (old testes) and the Christian knockoffs. And more than one "God" (Yahweh). Many many books contemporary with the Old Testament not included. And many many records on tablets from 2000 or more years before that.

Most Christians are like people who can write a letter using Microsoft Word and think they're computer experts.

Jim's right -- either a bump in the road or off into the ditch -- no middle of the road.

And if TSHTF, it won't be late 1800s or early 1900s. It will be technology of the mid 1700s or BEFORE. For example, in the late 1800s they had huge steel making plants and RAILROADS to service them. In the U.S. Aside from some specialty mills, where does steel come from nowadays?

Bicycles in the late 1800s. Anyone know where bicycle tires; bicycle tire rims; bicycle spokes; bearings for the wheels, pedals and pedal cranks; bearaings for the steering fork/front wheel mounting; springs for the seat; bicycle chain piece parts; etc.; come from? EVEN A BICYCLE IS "HIGH" TECH, REQUIRING A MAJOR INDUSTRIAL ECONOMIC SYSTEM TO SUPPORT.

-- A (A@AisA.com), August 11, 1999.

Kansas Board Votes To Bar Evolution From Classroom Full Coverage Religion News By Carey Gillam

TOPEKA, Kan. (Reuters) - The Kansas Board of Education rejected evolution as a scientific principle Wednesday, dealing a victory to religious conservatives who are increasingly challenging science education in U.S. schools.

The 10-member board, ignoring pleas by educators and established scientists, voted six to four to embrace new standards for science curricula that eliminate evolution as an underlying principle of biology and other sciences.

``Evolution has been removed,'' board member Janet Waugh, who opposed the new standard, said in a packed conference room near the state capitol. ``Instead of Kansas' curriculum having more and more credibility, it will have less and less.''

The board voted on a modified version of curriculum guidelines for grades kindergarten through high school that eliminates evolution as a way to describe the emergence of new species -- for instance the evolution of primates into homo sapiens -- while leaving intact references to ''microevolution,'' or changes that occur within a single species.

The theory of evolution was developed by 19th-century British scientist Charles Darwin. His discoveries were famously argued in the 1925 ``Scopes Monkey Trial,'' in which the state of Tennessee put teacher John Thomas Scopes on trial for knowingly infringing a law banning the teaching of evolution.

Defended by prominent trial attorney Clarence Darrow, Scopes was convicted and fined the minimum $100 but the verdict was reversed on a technicality by the state Supreme Court.

Prior to Wednesday's vote, the presidents of Kansas' six public universities wrote a letter saying the new standards ''will set Kansas back a century and give hard-to-find science teachers no choice but to pursue other career fields or assignments outside of Kansas.

``The argument that teaching evolution will destroy a student's faith in God is no more true today than it was during the Scopes trial in 1925,'' the letter said.

Banning evolution from the classroom gave conservative forces a victory after previous attempts to eliminate evolution in states including Alabama, Arizona, Georgia and Nebraska.

Religious groups have argued that evolution cannot be proven, and some feel that evolution is not in accordance with Biblical teachings regarding the origins of life.

Teaching evolution misleads students, said Tom Willis, director of the Creation Science Association for Mid-America, which helped write Kansas' curriculum proposal.

``It's deception,'' Willis said prior to the vote. ``You can't go into the laboratory or the field and make the first fish. When you tell students that science has determined (evolution to be true), you're deceiving them.''

Dozens of books have been published in the past two decades challenging the validity of evolution, bearing titles such as ''The Facts of Life: Shattering the Myths of Darwinism,'' and ''The Neck of the Giraffe: Where Darwin Went Wrong.''

In Kansas, a 27-member state science committee spent a year writing the new curriculum standards for elementary and high school students that were based on national education standards and included evolution.

But this spring, a school board member introduced a competing proposal to remove evolution theories from classrooms. The board deadlocked over the matter in May, and the issue has since roiled political circles and prompted angry debate.

Kansas Gov. Bill Graves, a Republican, warned board members not to adopt the anti-evolution curriculum, and has said he would support an effort to abolish the Board of Education.

``It's frustrating and it makes me angry,'' said Steve Case, a member of the state science committee and a University of Kansas instructor. ``There is potentially great damage that can be done to students in Kansas.''

Prior attempts by religious groups to include ``creation science,'' or Creationism, in school curricula included a failed attempt in Arkansas to require that it be taught alongside evolution.

In 1982, an Arkansas federal judge overturned the law, ruling it violated the constitutional clause barring the establishment of religion by the state. He said that creation science was not a valid science, had no secular educational purpose, but served only to promote religion. A similar law in Louisiana was struck down later the same year.

---------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------

-- No this is not right (no_to_religion@rer.not), August 11, 1999.

Larry,

You've got some good points...perhaps beside each one you could explain, in further depth, which you think have happened and how.

"Perplexity" in my small, practically usless dictionary (which I should just throw away)says: To Disturb Mentally: Confuse

So, begging your pardon (grin), I don't see where that hints in any way, towards y2k.

I would say that most of your examples have already come true. Although I do not study the bible and have only read it once. One would have to be completely oblivious to not see/intuit things happening right now, as I'm sitting here...

(Although I *still* don't get the 666 thing...)

But as far as y2k being in the bible or prophecy, to my knowledge no one has described y2k as something yet to come. And, for me, this makes it all that much more real. Y2k is a man-made problem that could hardly be forseen--ever.

Respectfully,

-- mar (derigueur2@aol.com), August 11, 1999.

I figure on Y2K being about a 9.5. My assessment comes from purely secular thinking/information. Read Sorokin's books yet?

www.y2ksafeminnesota.com

-- MinnesotaSmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), August 11, 1999.

I think it will be a 2, or a 10, or maybe a 3, perhaps a 7 or a 5. I agree with Sue, "Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. We're talking about an unprecedented event here, folks, and attempts at prediction will fare no better than weather reports. So many variables, both machine and human. People, both pollies and doomers, who try to ram their rabid notions of knowing exactly what will happen come 01/01/00, down our throats, are pretty silly, in my book.

The other problem is, if it's bad, just how will it be bad? The scale leaves out too many possibilities. If the power is out for two weeks, it probably won't spark the end of the world, or even a major depression. You will, however, have lots of bodies lying around, particularly, if the outage happens during a bad cold snap. No depression, no TEOTWAWKI, but I'd still call that a strong 7 and I'd call it a ten if people close to me, were among the dead.
And, if it's good, how little has to happen before it's called good? One city being out, two, three? Where's the cut off? (At the risk of digressing, a bit, I bet that, if the net is still functioning at all, this time next year, this board will still be lively with arguments about whether we are in the middle of a catastrophe, or not.)

Get lot's of supplies, just try to keep it, as much as possible, to things that you would use anyway and that have long shelf lives.
MRE's suck, and you'll really hate yourself, if nothing happens.

I gotta great recipe for Chicken Curry, using canned chicken, if anyone wants it.

-- Bokonon (bokonon@my-deja.com), August 12, 1999.

Mar:

Prophecy is a very deep subject and time consuming. It certainly isn't precise due to the various interpretations and possible mistranslations. But, I'll touch on a couple of my points. I don't understand how you can't see the possible connection between the word "perplexity" among nations and y2k (and grin like I'm ignorant. I've only studied this stuff for 100's of hours). Think of it. Computer failures globally. Banking systems, telecoms, businesses failures all at once (or close to it). If that's not a state of confusion among nations I don't know what is. If the banks don't get this right, they will be "mentally disturbed" in a business sense. I don't understand people like you. Again, I'm not saying this will happen without a doubt, 100%. This is just a theory. Something else down the road could cause this situation (solar storms, nuclear war?), who knows for sure? I can't see the future. I'm just saying I can't deny that this is a possibilty. I never seem to be able to drive this point home. Most think I'm saying it's the end of the world, period. That's not what I'm saying. I believe the world will not end, but we could be heading in the direction of a tribulation time. The world will not end in 2000. This isn't to suggest that there won't be troubling times (Dan 21:1, Matt 24:21). Isaiah 45:17, Ephesians 3:21 stipulate "World without end." Again, Ecclesiastes 1:4 states: "the earth abideth for ever." But, it could be entirely different from now as we know it.

To understand 666, I can refer you to a website. http://www.best.com/~ray673/search/database/is41.3.html. Also, 666 is already on bar codes. I knew this back in 1980 when they started coming out here in the US. So, I've known about this for almost 20 years. The first two lines, the center two lines and the outer two lines coming down the bar code really do mean 666. Each line is a 6 and 3 of them are 666. This is almost the case on all produce barcodes. Just type in Mark of the Beast or 666 in any search engine and I'm sure somewhere you'll run across this. This requires study. Most people don't take the time to do this, therefore they remain ignorant. These people are usually the skeptics.

-- Larry (cobol.programmer@usa.net), August 12, 1999.

Hi Larry,

Okay, I actually *do* see how there is a *possible* connection between Nations and Y2k--when you said "If the banks don't get this right they will be "mentally disturbed" in a business sense." Okay then, I see your point. (I didn't stop to think to assign a human emotion to situations/machines... It was a good metaphor.)

You also say you don't understand people like me. Hey, sometimes neither do I (grin). My better-half is as skeptical as they come and some has definately worn off ;-). Mostly I ask questions until I understand. Nothing more, nothing less.

Perhaps I will do some research on 666--I've heard about it my entire life, as in: "You will be required to stand and line and have the number 666 fixed on your arm. IF you refuse, you will be sent towards the left and immediately be guillotined." (sp?)

I'm not kidding. 12 years of Catholic school and this is the story that was passed around. I always wondered (from like 8yrs old) if I'd be brave enough to look at the guillotine, look at the arm band (whatever?), and chose death. Always.

One more, semi-minor point. You said "...and grin like I'm ignorant. I've only studied this stuff for 100's of hours." This was in no way a slam on you. I use "grin" a LOT in online writing just to let people know that I'm laughing at myself--not the other way around. I would never knowingly do that to someone.

-- mar (derigueur2@aol.com), August 12, 1999.

it's extremly arrogant to believe that god is limited by YOUR orthodoxy.

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), August 26, 1999.