Caribbean: Reflections on the Rapture  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

So the world was supposed to end this past Saturday – at least according to some religious sects.  Caribbean bloggers write about how one man's delusion had an impact on the region and put a humourous spin on surviving the end of the world.
Jamaican blogger Stunner's Afflictions was…shall we say…stunned to discover that:
The May 21 believers are so convinced of this that they have embarked on a massive campaign, which has resulted in many large billboards being placed all over the US and even here in Jamaica! There are also floods of Google ads and other forms of electronic media being used to propagate this baseless prediction.
He goes on to point out the irony of the fact that:
Camping and his followers, however, despite claiming to be followers of God has completely disregarded the very word of God himself, which states that only God knows the exact time when He will brig fourth his judgement on those who fail to serve him. The Bible states in several books that only God himself can say when this great day will be.
Meanwhile, Jamaican diaspora blogger Grasshopper Eyes The Potomac concedes that:
It has been a world that has had its share of events fitting for the last days…
Jones cites “the allegations laid against the now former-Managing Director (MD) of the International Monetary Fund” and the case of “a wealthy, white, Jewish Frenchman, highly regarded in the world of finance, and a potential French presidential candidate having close encounters with an (I assume) not very well-off, black, Muslim, woman hailing from one of France’s former colonies, and with no known political aspirations” to underscore his point, adding:
Of course, should the world remain as we know it, then we will all have more time and actions with which to reckon. Those who do not want to face tomorrow will not be very happy.
Guyana-Gyal, in an entertaining post, answers the all-important question, “Wha’ you drinkin’ today when the world gon end?”, then considers her brother's explanation for the whole affair (“the man does do this to scare people so they gon sell out their property cheap-cheap and he gon buy it up”), concluding:
That would never work in Guyana. Things does get tough like drought and them-these people does hold out for high-high price!
Blogging from Trinidad and Tobago, Outlish‘s Afiya Ray goes to great lengths not to “pour criticism on anyone's personal beliefs”.  In contrast, diaspora blogger Trini Like Salt thinks the whole idea is preposterous and doesn't hesitate to poke fun at the concept, first re-blogging this post-Rapture to-do list “for sheer brilliance”, then posting his own “notes” on the subject:
I’m nekkid AND I can fly! Rapturing is awesome!
I can see Sarah Palin’s house from here!
Rapturin’ gives me gas, man.  Or maybe it was that pizza.  That sinful, sinful pizza.
Fab Five Freddy tells me everybody’s high, DJ’s spinnin are savin’ my mind…oh wait, wrong Rapture.
Did I mention I was flying naked?
Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!
Across much of the region, life went on as usual, as Throwing Down the Water proved in this post:
The end of the world looks like sunshine. It sounds like Latin drums on the radio and a baby chasing a rooster next door. It smells like onions frying in the kitchen. It feels like a clean breeze coming through the windows and shoulder-solid hugs from good friends. It tastes like just pressed papaya juice, cool on my throat, kind to our thirst.
The last day failed to materialize as per Camping's prediction, but Stunner gets the last word:
Camping and his following have proven what they are since it is already May 21, 2011 in half of the earth and nothing has happened thus far. But Camping is not the first who thinks he can beat God's word with his own prophesy and he shall certainly not be the last. The Bible has warned against people like him and they have manifested themselves, misleading many.