I've no idea what the chances are, Lighter, and neither does anyone else here. My point was, however, that people in general, whether they are religious or NOT, love focusing their fears and fantasies on all-ecompassing doom scenarios where we "all go together when we go". It appeals to their sense of drama and completion (of the great story of life). It's much more exciting and somehow appealing to think that EVERYTHING is going to end than to imagine that you will just die in an unremarkable manner in an auto accident or lying in a hospital bed, and practically everyone else will survive you and things will go on in the usual fashion regardless.

But I bet that's how it will be for most of us. We'll die in an individual and quite unremarkable manner, leaving behind us a world that is still fascinated by dramatic "end of the world" predictions of all sorts, both "scientific" and "religious".

Chances are that if the world as we know it "ends", Lighter, neither you nor I will be there to witness the Great Event. We will already have checked out in a far more ordinary manner.

Get my point yet? I'm not attacking religion. I'm not attacking science. I'm saying that people prefer a BIG drama to a small one...and that's why an "end of the world" story gets lots of media coverage, no matter who it emanates from.