Yesterday we learned about the Millerite Movement which occurred in the US in the 1840s. I like to believe that William Miller did in fact fall off a wagon and onto his head to start such a thing. He abused people's religious zeal by convincing them to believe in something that was never going to happen. I wonder if he truly believed that the second coming was going to happen or if he just relished in being able to gather large crowds and convince them of it. However, in a case like this, it is easier for me to imagine how everyone joined in the mass movement since there is a religious aspect to it. People have a fear of death and worry about wether they will end up in heaven or hell.
During the presentation I kept thinking about one thing: how did people react when they realized everything he preached about was not going to happen? Since many people sold their "earthly possessions" I imagine that there was outrage against Miller. I suppose that many people walked away from religion entirely after experiencing the Great Disappointment. But even after the prediction failed, not everyone abandoned the ideas behind the movement, and instead reinterpreted what had happen to use as a foundation for new religious beliefs. It is interesting that this movement spurred other religions such as the Seventh-Day Adventist Church despite it being a sham. Ultimately, the presentation made me wonder how something that ended in a huge disappointment could still have a lasting impact on religion today.
The Millerite Movement is such a strange phenomenon. How people reacted to the Great Disappointment varies. But there were more than a few who kept believing and waiting. That movement still affects us today in many ways. There still are people waiting for the Advent.
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