# Do you believe that "Judgment Day" will happen on May 21? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 27, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939 "2011-04-27T20:06:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/1 "2011-04-27T20:06:49Z")
The signs are ubiquitous. I’ve seen them on my train, on highway billboards, etc. It seems like someone did a lot of work in marketing this idea that May 21, 2011 will be the day of judgment. I’m curious if any dopers truly believe this. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/2 "2011-04-27T20:08:44Z")
There will be no judgement day. Even if the world ends (which it won’t), no one will be judged by any person or fictional character. ---
**Author:** ![Stauderhorse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Stauderhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stauderhorse)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/3 "2011-04-27T20:24:40Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > There will be no judgement day. Even if the world ends (which it won’t), no one will be judged by any person or fictional character. How do you know it won’t end? I don’t think there’s any point at which God or whoever will destroy the world and everyone on it, but it could still be destroyed through natural causes at some point (i.e., a huge meteor). ---
**Author:** ![Marc\_Xenos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Marc\_Xenos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marc_Xenos)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/4 "2011-04-27T20:26:04Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Do you believe that “Judgment Day” will happen on May 21? _Another_ one? Like that Heaven’s Gate bunch waiting for the comet? Sorry, but I have a hard time believing anything made up by a group that claims God is Love, but uses Fear of Eternal Damnation to control the masses. That would be one psychopathic God, wouldn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/5 "2011-04-27T20:27:10Z")
It’s nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/6 "2011-04-27T20:40:03Z")
Damn well better not - that’s my dad’s 80th birthday party and my mom is putting tons of work into it! ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/7 "2011-04-27T20:40:49Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > There will be no judgement day. Skynet disagrees. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/8 "2011-04-27T20:55:05Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Skynet disagrees. Don’t worry, I’m on it. Nothing a whole lot of bees won’t fix. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/9 "2011-04-27T21:01:56Z")
“Yes, it will happen on that exact day” looked so lonely by itself up there with no votes. So I officially now believe! Goodbye cruel world! Goodbye cruel couch. Goodbye cruel venetian blinds. Goodbye cruel toaster oven. Etc. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/10 "2011-04-27T21:10:54Z")
no. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/11 "2011-04-27T21:43:22Z")
The Apocalypse will not be televised … ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/12 "2011-04-27T21:50:01Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > The Apocalypse will not be televised … But think of the ratings! ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/13 "2011-04-27T21:53:55Z")
I saw a billboard saying something about Jesus and May 21st. I didn’t know what it meant. Now I do! I’m surprised- I’ve never seen a billboard declaring the end of the world before. ---
**Author:** ![Marc\_Xenos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Marc\_Xenos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marc_Xenos)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/14 "2011-04-27T22:45:32Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Skynet disagrees. I did enjoy the pure contradiction of such a story. Skynet, by sending back a cyborg though time, created itself, by the discovery which led to the invention of the cyborg. Which, of course, HAD to happen in order for Skynet to send a cyborg back through time… But “Fawk yew, ahrshole” had to be one of the all-time classic movie lines. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/15 "2011-04-27T23:04:06Z")
How about option #5, “Of course not, and if you do truly believe that, you are either insane or a fool.” ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/16 "2011-04-27T23:09:22Z")
One thing I’ve wondered about all these religious groups saying when they think Jesus is coming back, do we get to stone them for being wrong? False prophets and all that good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/17 "2011-04-27T23:14:09Z")
Recall that the first run of the numbers (under [the one particular dude](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Camping)’s theory) yielded a time of Judgment commencing on September 6, 1994. But He Who was seated on the Great White Throne, from Whose Presence earth and sky fled, missed the memo. So May 21, 2011 was the fallback date. But that’s actually just the scheduled time for the Rapture, and for the sea and Death and Hell to deliver up their dead, and some other stuff to get under way. We who are living but unsaved get another five months before the world is finally destroyed by fire. > [@Zsofia](#): > > Damn well better not - that’s my dad’s 80th birthday party and my mom is putting tons of work into it! Well, get all the food out early and give folks a chance to nosh, you know. I’m sure a memorable time will be had by all. ---
**Author:** ![Marc\_Xenos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Marc\_Xenos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marc_Xenos)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/18 "2011-04-27T23:27:48Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Do you believe that “Judgment Day” will happen on May 21? How did they calculate that? By the Julian calendar or the Gregorian calender? And under which calendar were the events predicted in the first place? And if they were predicted under the Julian calendar in effect at that time, how sure are they of the calculations for converting to the current Gregorian calendar? With all the calculations and conversions, it sure seems likely for an error. Are they wrong if Judgment Day doesn’t happen until August? ---
**Author:** ![Marc\_Xenos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Marc\_Xenos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marc_Xenos)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/19 "2011-04-27T23:41:29Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > But think of the ratings! “The world ended today at 3:15pm in a total nuclear holocaust. Film at 11.” ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939/20 "2011-04-28T02:19:06Z")
> [@Marc\_Xenos](#): > > “The world ended today at 3:15pm in a total nuclear holocaust. Film at 11.” I’d stay up to watch!🆒 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-judgment-day-will-happen-on-may-21/579939.md?page=2)