A must read- I only thought I needed a little bottled water a some extra cash! I guess I was wrong <gg>
Saturday March 13, 2:45 pm Eastern Time
Y2K a test of faith, panelists in US say
By Robert Green
TAMPA, Fla., March 13 (Reuters) - The 2000 computer problem will bring a test of religious faith, a panel of evangelists and authors said Saturday at a conference linking Y2K and Bible prophecy.
''It is impossible to think that Y2K is here and God knows nothing about it,'' minister Sherlock Bally of Trinidad told an audience of about 4,000 people at the Tampa Convention Center.
''Something is about to happen to the world. The good news is this: as the world's systems decline, God's system escalates,'' Bally said. He compared Y2K to the Biblical story about the Tower of Babel.
''Should Y2K become reality, we can see how God has informed His people and we can rest assured that He will control the outcome,'' added evangelist Perry Stone.
Many computers around the world are expected to crash next Jan. 1, because they are only programmed to read the last two digits of a year and cannot tell 1900 from 2000.
The combination of the computer problem, called Y2K, and the Dec. 31, 1999, unofficial end of the millennium (which is actually over Dec. 31, 2000) have led to many predictions of widespread chaos and even the end of the world.
None of the dozen panelists went that far, but most believed there would be more turmoil than the limited disruptions predicted by U.S. government officials and a recent Senate report.
''It's not the end of the world,'' said ''The Millennium Meltdown'' author Grant Jeffrey. But he added, ''We are going to go through a period of disruption for months.''
''I believe we are going to have a long-term problem,'' added author Hal Lindsey.
''I expect the rapture any day,'' said author Chuck Missler. He said everyone should prepare spiritually for the coming events.
Their books, video and audio tapes were on sale at the convention, along with others with titles such as ''Time Bomb 2000'', ''The Y2K Tidal Wave'' and ''The Millennium Bug - How to Survive the Coming Chaos.''
''Revelation,'' a movie about the millennium, had its premier at the convention. It was described as an action-adventure film with a strong Christian message.
The International Prophecy Conference was sponsored by God's News Behind the News, a Florida-based radio ministry. To show their confidence in the future, organizers said they were already planning a year 2000 convention.
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