# Are there any rature gatherings on May 21? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 12, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599 "2011-05-12T01:25:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/1 "2011-05-12T01:25:18Z")
I was looking on family radio’s website and found nothing. Are there any parties/gatherings/broadcasts scheduled for the 21st. This is a serious question btw, though I don’t take the rapture seriously. ---
**Author:** ![bizerta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@bizerta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizerta)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/2 "2011-05-13T16:52:54Z")
Being a skeptic, I’d like to know if they have any contingency plans should the Rapture not occur on the 21st. Are they so sure of themselves that a contingency plan is not even considered? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/3 "2011-05-13T17:06:33Z")
What is a rature gathering? ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/4 "2011-05-13T17:23:40Z")
NM. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/5 "2011-05-13T17:55:19Z")
I’m not sure how widespread this belief is. I know that one radio station with that one preacher is pushing it (and still asking for donations!), but I am not at all sure that many evangelicals are buying it. None of the ones I know are saying anything. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/6 "2011-05-13T18:00:25Z")
Entertainment at the rature party will be provided by a pied piper. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/7 "2011-05-13T18:09:04Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Entertainment at the rature party will be provided by a ied iper. That’s better 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/8 "2011-05-13T19:46:20Z")
The Houstn Atheist’s are having a Rapture Party. I don’t know if you want to drive to Houston to attend, though. Recently, I asked for Rapture Party ideas here and got several good ideas. ---
**Author:** ![Intelligently\_Designed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intelligently_designed/32/20957_2.png) [@Intelligently\_Designed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intelligently_Designed)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/9 "2011-05-13T19:49:27Z")
Looks like [atheists](http://www.atheists.org/press_releases/multiple_parties_and_events_scheduled_for_rapture_day) have some end-of-the-world parties planned. ---
**Author:** ![scripthippe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@scripthippe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scripthippe)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/10 "2011-05-13T20:05:10Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > I’m not sure how widespread this belief is. I know that one radio station with that one preacher is pushing it (and still asking for donations!), but I am not at all sure that many evangelicals are buying it. None of the ones I know are saying anything. Of course there will be. Just none in my church. Or any that I know of in my area. I think there will be some Christians that will celebrate the idea that the rest of us get left behind, as much as the idea that they will be in heaven. As a fellow Christian my heart go out to the people that truly believe May 21 is the date. On a different topic is there a psychological reason why someone who believes the world is about to end would would have contingency plans? ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/11 "2011-05-13T21:45:56Z")
I certainly hope not. They’d probably have to drive there, and driving a car on the day of the rapture is just plain irresponsible. ---
**Author:** ![bizerta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@bizerta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizerta)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/12 "2011-05-14T00:03:02Z")
Somebody with bucks is spending… I am driving south on I-95 in CT. I just passed a full-sized billboard that said something like “Don’t forget Rapture on May 21, 2011” If you don’t care how much money you have on May 22nd, why not waste it on a billboard. OTOH, if they believe Rapture is coming on May 21st, what’s their advantage of making me believe it? If I believe it and if they can convince others, does that make it more likely to happen?? ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/13 "2011-05-14T02:27:09Z")
Previous thread on Rapture Party ideas: > **[Rapture Party ideas?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=601990)** > > My local atheist group wants to have a Rapture Party on May 21st. Any ideas for fun food, games, etc? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/14 "2011-05-14T03:27:53Z")
> [@bizerta](#): > > Somebody with bucks is spending… > > I am driving south on I-95 in CT. I just passed a full-sized billboard that said something like “Don’t forget Rapture on May 21, 2011” > > If you don’t care how much money you have on May 22nd, why not waste it on a billboard. OTOH, if they believe Rapture is coming on May 21st, what’s their advantage of making me believe it? If I believe it and if they can convince others, does that make it more likely to happen?? Presumably they think your more likely to “get right with the lord” if you think you only have a couple weeks left. Or alternatively, if your already sure your getting raptured, I guess it would be handy to know ahead of time. I mean, not much point sticking to that diet if your going to heaven in two weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/15 "2011-05-14T10:37:49Z")
Mr Camping, predictor of the rapture, previously predicted another one but now admits he was in error. On the 22nd, his batting average will remain the same. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/16 "2011-05-14T11:01:31Z")
It’s at Third Base Point, 15 miles north past the Warren Harding Memorial Thru-Hole. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/17 "2011-05-14T17:23:22Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > What is a rature gathering? Dammit. No spell check it the title. _hangs head in shame_ ---
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/18 "2011-05-14T17:29:57Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > I’m not sure how widespread this belief is. I know that one radio station with that one preacher is pushing it (and still asking for donations!), but I am not at all sure that many evangelicals are buying it. None of the ones I know are saying anything. I first heard of it from a Bible Geek podcast and didn’t think much of it, but I’ve been hearing more about it in the media than I thought I would. Maybe with the billboard campaign it has been a little overrepresented. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/19 "2011-05-19T13:56:19Z")
Here is a LiveScience article regarding a “rapture party” > **['Rapture Parties' Planned to Celebrate Doomsday Saturday May 21](https://www.livescience.com/14227-rapture-parties-planned-celebrate-doomsday-saturday-21.html)** > > With the end of world at hand, some just want to have fun. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-rature-gatherings-on-may-21/581599/20 "2011-05-19T15:32:27Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Entertainment at the rature party will be provided by a pied piper. When come back please bring pied.