On a sad note news had a report of a lady who, frightened by the whole end of days thing, tried to kill her daughters and herself. Yes, she was likely mentally unstable to begin with, and this just ended up being the trigger most congruent with her timing and weaknesses.

But it still bothers me that what may end up to have been a publicity stunt by a radio preacher, a preacher heading a wealthy organization, with assets reported close to 24 million, could even indirectly lead to such a tragic end. They are playing on long standing and deeply rooted doubts and fears. Doubts and fears that come down hardest on the mentally infirm and damaged. People who are all out of the sort of humor and circumspection necessary to get the joke.

If some guy went out of his way to frighten your children you would think he was a creep. You would run him off. But somehow playing on the fears of the mentally ill, under the guise of religion, is okay.

One perceptive commentator suggested that, seeing as that this is their second bite at the apple, the honorable thing would be for the preacher to dissolve the church/media operation and return the money. And this was before the reports of the murder/suicide surfaced. A few million to mental health services sounds fair and IMHO if this guy had any honor people would scarcely have to ask. I'm not advocating a law.

It won't happen.

Yes this was a sad, deranged lady. Barely a blip on the radar. But it points out that fear-mongering is not a bloodless sport. Scare people enough and they lose themselves and do crazy things. Soon enough this episode of end of days nonsense will be a distant memory. I wonder how long we will remember the lady and her daughters.