Jay and J-Fo were inspired by their time on youvebeenleftbehind.com and they came up with a couple ideas. J-Fo first suggested a "justincaseitstrue.com" site where some wise webmaster would use google maps to pinpoint Christians' houses so that we heathens can have their shit after the Rapture. Jay and J-Fo combined their insights though and contacted Mark at youvebeenleftbehind.com about advertising. Based on his response, they drafted this email, which they have actually sent. Buddha bless them.
Mark,
My partners and I (business partners, not life partners) are building a web site similar to to RaptureIndex.com. But it is far more sophisticated.
First, we target multiple news sources and blogs, and import their RSS feeds into an algorithm that highlights relevant keywords. We analyze posts that are flagged for possible Rapture Relevant Content and rate posts based on Factual Verification, Consistency with Scriptural Indications of End Times, and Intensity of the Event (meaning, an earthquake that kills 100 people is given a lower rating than one killing 10,000 people).
Our algorithm then combines our analysis to generate a Rapture Probability Indicator (RPI) that measures how likely the Rapture could occur at any given moment.
The RPI is expressed as a percentage. So a 1.25% would indicate an extremely low likelihood of the Rapture occuring at this given time (although God can do anything He wants). A 99.5% would indicate a very high likelihood of a Rapture Event.
We do not at all use this to set specific dates. In fact, an RPI of 100% does not mean the Rapture will happen right now. It simply means that all that needs to happen for the rapture to occur is currently in place.
Second, (and this is where things get interesting) we offer Christians the ability to generate revenue from the site by selling futures contracts on their assets to non-Christians. So for instance, suppose Bob Smith is a Christian and has assets of $500,000. The RPI is currently 50%. Bob can offer his assets upon Verification of Rapture (with those conditions spelled out in the contract) to the highest bidder if the Rapture occurs within the time frame of the contract.
So just like in the futures markets, Bob can sell his 'Bob Smith January 2010' contract to the highest bidder. The cost of the contract will be influenced by the number of bidders, the current RPI, the value of the assets and time between the present date and the expiration of the contract.
Bob receives the revenue from the contract, and if the Rapture occurs before January 31st, 2010, the buyer will have a legally binding contract in which s/he can take possession of Bob's assets. If the Rapture does not occur, the contract expires and Bob can then sell another contract at another expiration date.
Make sense?
Blessings,
Jay
justincaseitstrue.com - Fantastic. Quick do it now! :-)
Posted by: Simon Jones | June 07, 2008 at 07:10 PM
FYI . . . He believed me.
Posted by: Jay Kelly | June 09, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Jay,
I've not posted his reply because I think it's wrong to do so without his consent and because he didn't send it to me.
Posted by: greg | June 09, 2008 at 10:38 AM
I think you're right about that. But oooooohhhhh is it glorious! Suffice it to say, he believed me. Horton's words were, as I recall, 'Dear God, he took you seriously.'
Posted by: Jay Kelly | June 10, 2008 at 02:08 AM
My boss has pointed out that American and European churchgoers can often be both breathtakingly honest and staggeringly naive, which are arguably the same sort of thing. Just when you think they're out to defraud you, something that has feathers, waddles, quacks, and eats fish and the odd bits of bread you throw it from the surface of the pond will turn out to be a steam locomotive.
Posted by: Leighton | June 10, 2008 at 11:39 AM