I’m very torn right now. A wise-guy radio preacher has been spreading a message across the United States that the rapture is coming May 21. By his logic, I guess I could skip out on this issue’s deadlines (not to mention my car insurance) and enjoy the sunshine.

While his followers turn over their life’s savings, quit their jobs and take it to the streets to save us all—the rest of the country is mocking them endlessly.

And to be fair it’s tough to take this Harold Camping fellow seriously. The civil engineer from California claims to have found evidence in the Bible, factoring in timelines since the floods of Noah. But he’s incorrectly identified Judgment Day before in 1994, saying he “did the math wrong.”

We can shake our heads and ask, “how are there people who wholeheartedly believe every bilious word he’s saying?” Granted they’re a small, fringe element of the population, but those are the ones who often scream the loudest.

Consider this: A mid-market city—let’s call it Springfield—needs a tunnel. The city and its consultants have worked endlessly for years doing research, studying the ground and considering all options. Their math is correct.

But they need money to pay for the tunnel. “This is the best solution,” they say. “Technology is rapidly improving in the industry.” Three years into the project sinkholes show up in the city, or the excavations hit bad ground and crews must back track, or the machine becomes damaged and the project screeches to a halt.

A project spokesperson tells the local media, “We didn’t know that was there. One of the many challenges of tunnelling is not knowing what’s underground.”

To anyone in the underground construction industry that makes perfect sense—making you that small, fringe element of the population.

I have no qualms about meeting my deadlines this issue or paying my bills on time. I have no doubt that come Sunday, May 22, Camping will take to the air with a proclamation that the rapture has been delayed. He’ll say he’s working on the numbers and he’ll let us know when he has a better idea of the date for delivery, I mean deliverance, but one thing is for sure, it’s going to cost more.

If Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct happens to collapse at 6pm on May 21, let’s be clear: That’s not the rapture. That’s a deteriorating piece of infrastructure (but should you panic and feel the need to hand over your life’s savings, I’m sure WSDOT and the City of Seattle would appreciate the help).


Nicole Robinson