Don’t let predictions scare you!

I am the first person to admit that predictions are not my thing.  While I admire people who make them, as opposed to making them up, I am amazed at how accurate they can appear.  Appear is the operative word, as it stirs up illogical holes upon closer examination. 

The first hole is accuracy.  How many predictions did someone make and out of the total predictions how many were 100% accurate.  Not 80% accurate, 100%!  After all these are predictions, they need to be spot on the money.

The second hole is considering the source.  Some well known names that hold claim to fame for extra-ordinary accomplishments of predicting events are:  Jeane Dixon, Nostradamus, Rasputin, Melampus, Lucia de Jesus dos Santos, and Mother Shipton.  But what was their degree of accuracy?  As an example, Jeane Dixon, an astrologer by trade, was quoted in a Parade Sunday paper, dated May 13, 1956: “As for the 1960 election Mrs. Dixon thinks it will be dominated by labor and won by a Democrat.  But he will be assassinated or die in office ‘though not necessarily in his first term.”  However, in 1960 she predicted that Senator John Kennedy WOULD NOT win the election.  After the tragic assassination of President Kennedy this one prediction brought her notoriety and while she had a handful of subsequent vague predictions that her most ardent fans retrofitted into accuracy, I still cannot wrap my mind around the fact that she could not even predict that JFK would be elected in 1960.

Nostradamus lived in the 16^thcentury and was a physician and an astrologer.  Here was a man who used fire and water as scrying tools to record his visions.  How many visions we will never know because they are under the lock of key in the Vatican for “interpretation and safe-keeping”.  Safe-keeping from whom?  Scholars have cherry-picked the most notable quatrains and attributed them to devastating world events, i.e., the invasion of Hitler’s Nazi Regime, the World Trade Towers falling, the death of Henry II, World Wars, the End of the World.  Have you ever researched and read these quatrains?  They could apply to almost any event in history, with the noted exception that his mentioning of Hisler is pretty close to the word Hitler, so I have to give him that.

Then we have the most frightening prediction of all – the end of world as we know it (cue singing).  The Mayan Calendar, has a last entry for December 21, 2012, lovingly referred to by alarmists as “The Time of Great Purification” or “Judgment Day”.  Do you have any idea how many books are being written about this, and how the thought of the end of the world is striking fear in people’s hearts?

That’s my third hole – interpretation.  How is it possible that things written hundreds or thousands of years ago are affecting us today?  HOW?  Interpretation.

Allow me to close with my interpretation and personal predictions:

The end of our lives is going to happen at some point.

We have no control on it.

We control our choices made in the twenty-four hours graciously bestowed on us by our Creator of choice.  So choose kindness, generosity and compassion.

When the earth shakes furiously stand very still and do not show fear.  Fear is the force that kills the human Spirit, not death.

Now I’m going to predict stuff for 2009!  In one year let’s see what my degree of accuracy was.  Because I am terrible at predictions I’m going to just let stuff fly and say whatever comes to mind:

President Elect Obama will start out his term of office owning a black dog, but then it will mysteriously disappear and he’ll have to replace it with a brown and white one.

Devastating expansions of the human waistline will occur in 64% of all North Americans in 2009.

A major record label that begins with an “S” will go bankrupt and close its doors.

A well-known married couple, who both have won Grammy’s, will terminate their marriage.

Four predictions — the numbers could be good.

Tags: Jeane Dixon, JFK, Judgment Day, Lucia de Jesus dos Santos, Mayan calendar, Melampus, Mother Shipton, Nostradamus, predictions