But experts on millenarian religion say they know of no sects that expect the
apocalypse to actually occur in coming days.
Faiths that formerly talked that way are hedging. For example, the dwindling Chen-Tao, or "True Way," sect of Lockport, New York, forecast nuclear catastrophe and rescue by heavenly spaceships at the end of 1999. Now, spokesman Richard Liu says the 30 members believe the end will come "in the next year. We have no specific date."
Chen Tao Update A collection of
Watchman Fellowship materials regarding the group's failed predictions "that, at 10:00 am on March 31, 1998, God will materialize in a body identical to their leader's. The leader of Chen Tao, Hon-ming Chen, also predicted that God would preface this event by addressing all Americans on television channel 18 on March 25, 1998. Following the failure of Teacher Chen's prophecy for March 25th, the group released a new prophecy on March 31, 1998, that God will begin appearing in people's dreams in the form of Teacher Chen.
"
God's Salvation Church Article by
Watchman Fellowship
When Prophecy Fails A list of failed prophecies by Teacher Chen, along with the group's explanation of why each prophecy failed.
Chen Tao
