We were all left behind

So I've apparently been out of the Biblical loop because I had no clue that the Apocalypse Rapture was supposed to happen yesterday (at 6pm!) until last week.

A lot of people sure are talking about it now, though....and making jokes.  And while making fun of extremist Christians sure sounds fun, I can't help but think that those people must be feeling pretty foolish and sad right about now.

I was reading about this all weekend online; all the up-to-date news reports on what people were doing and everyone's opinions, all the little internet jokes -- I gotta admit this "Raptor / Rapture" one *was* pretty funny....!

....and while I can't find the article anymore, I read somewhere that there was a group of people waiting nearby those believers who thought the Rapture was happening waiting to counsel them to help them deal with the eventual disappointment when it didn't happen.  I thought that was kind of nice.

On the flip side, though, a lot of Rapture-related internet scams seem to have popped up because of all this - the most noteworthy I can find being the "After the Rapture Pet Care" - where those of us who were "left behind" will take care of the pets of those of who ascend after the Rapture comes - because as it supposedly common knowledge - pets can't ascend to heaven.

After doing a bit of research, I actually found a lot of forums, movies and other media discussing and dealing with this historical date that people seem to be anticipating.....I actually find myself wanting to see Kirk Cameron's "Left Behind" movie now....! 

I am absolutely *POSITIVE* I will regret watching this. 

But getting back to this whole "Rapture" media frenzy, I just have to ask - if this whole episode was just the act of some extremist religious cult......


....how did this get so much media attention? 


My own theory is that religion is ingrained in us from a very early age so no matter how logically ridiculous it seems, we still believe in it a little no matter how much we try to deny it.  It's very similar to why The Exorcist and Paranormal Activity were such scary movies.  We know that they're just movies and that "the supernatural" doesn't really exist (or does it?) but it scares us anyway because a part of us still believes in it no matter how much we tell ourselves that there's no such thing.

What do you all think?  

Were you even slightly worried that the Rapture might actually happen yesterday?