Eschatology and the Post-Tribulation Rapture

The bottom of my road, yesterday.
It's better than Winnersh Triangle.

Two innocent looking middle aged ladies walked into the hotel reception in the afternoon while I was working. "Bonjour," I said. "Hello," they said in French, smiling warmly and dropping a copy of La Tour de Garde on the desk, "we wondered whether you'd be interested in our magazines."

"YAY," I thought very nearly out loud, "Jehovah's Witnesses!"

This was of course completely the wrong thing to think, because if you look delighted at the arrival of two Jehovah's Witnesses then they are generally going to assume that you are Enthusiastic To Learn About The Truth. Which is, funnily enough, precisely what they did.

"Do you know these magazines then?" one asked. Hell yes, I said, the Gingehovah only spent most of 2003 defending her faith against my apostatic conjectures, and tentatively inviting me to her Bile Study evenings. "Do you know God?" she asked. "My Dad," I replied, "is an Anglican vicar, and has a direct line to God, as it happens. We were introduced when I was a kid." "This month's issue", she continued undaunted and clearly gaining momentum, "is about morality and money. Which is more important to you?"

Realising that answering such a question would lead to (if previous Gingehovah experiences are anything to go by) a three hour argument followed by a break for a hot chocolate and then another three hours before she sleeps over and we're late for university the next morning, I pointed out that I was, in case she hadn't noticed, at work, and that it really wasn't the best moment to explore the metaphysical condition of mankind with someone I wasn't going to agree with even if she offered to make me pies for the rest of my life. But I did take her magazines. They are brilliant. I think they see their world through the same filters as Jean-Pierre Jeunet put on the cameras while filming Amélie, if you see what I mean, which all things considered you probably don't, but on the small offchance that you do, well, there you are.

By the way, if you do happen to be a devout believer in similar things, you may wish to consider using this useful site to let people know where you've gone in case you're ever unexpectedly taken up to heaven. A sort of spam from the afterlife, if you like.

Now, more importantly, in case you're wondering, there was a Timber excursion this weekend, to Vanves on the invitation of the cheeky Chief Leaf. Unfortunately, however, Vanves is not interesting enough to take photos of. Sorry about that. Suggestions are welcome for the next one if you have any particular requests.