Is the Millennium Bug Really Just a Fly in the Ointment? by G. Richard Fisher Y2K — only two letters and a with M. Kurt Goedelman mers will begin no later than 1999.’’2 number, but it has some churches, He also says that it is impossible to ministries and individual Christians make computers compliant. reeling with paranoia. This three- A FRIGHTENING PLOT LINE North has pressed his conspiracy character abbreviation simply stands Doomsday is just a few short theory ideas to the utmost degree. His for the year A.D. 2000. However, the months away, they say. This massive web site contains hundreds of articles fear and trepidation arise not so much shutdown will throw the world into warning of the impending dangers. from the ushering of a new millen- upheaval. Some have scenarios that He has further put his reputation on nium, but from what some say will be include the president declaring mar- the line: a computer apocalypse on Jan. 1, tial law or even the notion that these ‘‘I have been writing for over a 2000. failed computers will usher in Arma- year on this with all the skill I Due to enormous costs, at the ad- geddon, setting the stage for the have. I simply cannot get it vent of computers nearly 40 years Antichrist and the end. Most of the across to all of you or even to ago, software programmers conserved doomsday prognosticators have a most of you. I am never at a loss on memory and data storage by using book or program for sale on how to for words, but I am at a loss for only two digits for the year-date code. get ready, stockpiling food, water, persuasion. I have been unable to For example, an entry for the year gold, and in some cases, guns and persuade the vast majority of my 1965 simply became 65. However, the ammunition. readers, after almost two years, that if the division of labor col- number for the year 2000 will con- The scenarios of what will happen lapses, we will lose millions of found older computers as the 00 will nationally and even worldwide, range lives. Joe Boivin, who was the dramatically from catastrophic be read as 1900, since these computers Y2K director for Canada’s Impe- doomsday predictions to total disre- read dates as two-digit numbers. rial Bank and Commerce until he gard. There are various scenarios in Other computers, equipped with fail- quit, estimates that a billion safe designs, will see 00 as an faulty between. people will die in 2000. He limits input and simply terminate opera- One extreme, worst-case scenario is his discussion to the Third tions. presented by theonomist Gary North. (continues on page 14) This, we are told, will confuse, North, on his web site, tells us that, cripple and shut down millions of ‘‘At 12 midnight on January 1, 2000 (a computers and computer-driven Saturday morning) most of the world’s mainframe computers mechanisms. According to alarmists, a will either shut down or begin monumental disaster is coming with spewing out bad data.’’1 It massive computer shutdowns affect- will create the greatest disas- ing every strata of society, including ter since the great plagues of governments, financial institutions, the 14th century. North utilities, hospitals, telecommunica- claims that there is no stan- tions, airline travel and on and on. As dardized approach to fixing the final minutes of Dec. 31, 1999, tick this problem. In fact, he asserts away, millions of computers world- that computer programmers wide will be knocked out, sending will vacate their jobs and business and the economy spinning head for ‘‘safer places’’: ‘‘Will and crashing into catastrophic global they quit? I’m betting my life chaos. on it. The exodus of program- 4 · The Quarterly Journal January-March 1999 Y not 2 freaK COLLAPSE IN THE YEAR 2000. where the blackout lasts so long (continued from page 4) COMPUTER CHAOS: Bank records money loses it meaning. (So far, and transactions are lost! Defense the shrillest doomsayers admit- World. I think we could lose half systems fail! Social Security is wiped tedly aren’t computer experts.) ... a billion in the urban West.’’3 out! Nuclear power plants melt down! The truth is, no one knows what Power grids fail - throwing the world will happen. This event is un- Chuck Missler, in his ‘‘Supplemen- into total darkness! COMPUTERS precedented; there’s no ‘last time’ tal Notes’’ booklet, ‘‘The Millennium WILL CRASH WORLDWIDE!’’5 As to compare it with.’’8 Bomb’’ Y2K, provides ‘‘Your Personal with Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds Dr. James Dobson had a panel of Action Plan’’ and under his ‘‘Family broadcast in the 1930s, these people ‘‘experts’’ on the subject on the Oct. Logistics’’ gives the following: seem to care little about the fear and 21, 1998, edition of his Focus on the ‘‘Power, Water, Food (Ammo?); Barter confusion they are generating. Items: food, medical, et al. Location: Family radio broadcast. It was a cross- depart urban areas; seek rural areas, SOME R NOT 2 SURE section with both extremes and the smaller towns, self-reliant neighbors, middle ground between the extremes. On the other extreme stands Nicho- etc.’’4 Dobson’s own telling statement was, las Zvegintzov, a well-known com- ‘‘No one knows.’’ While it is true that Hal Lindsey and Cliff Ford co- puter expert and co-founder of Soft- no one really knows for sure, there are hosted what was labeled as an ‘‘Inter- ware Maintenance News. In his now some things we can know for certain. national Intelligence Briefing’’ televi- famous article, ‘‘The Year 2000 as sion program: ‘‘Y2K Special Report: Racket and Ruse,” Zvegintzov asserts: So, is it the end of civilization as we Facing Millennial Midnight.’’ In it the know it or is it nothing to be con- ‘‘Dealing with the Year 2000 pair laid out their own worst-case cerned about? Is it doomsday or problem is a simple software scenario calling the Y2K effect ‘‘the distraction? task. ... Solving the Year 2000 millennial bug’’ and ‘‘millennial problem is an exercise for the APOCALYPSE bomb’’ and said that it could ‘‘unravel software novice.’’6 R POPPYCOCK? civilization.’’ Although Trinity Broad- casting Network sponsored and aired Dr. Quentin Schultze, professor of On the television program Dragnet, the program (and has never been communications at Calvin College in Sgt. Joe Friday used to say: ‘‘The facts known for its discernment or a hesi- Grand Rapids, Mich., says: ma’am, just the facts.’’ Only facts, hard tancy to promote the bizarre or sensa- ‘‘Ambiguity produces a broad facts, will help us here. Speculation, tional), it was quick to issue an range of opinions, and Y2K is an wild claims, doomsday scenarios, the opening disclaimer that the views of ambiguous phenomenon. You marketing of books, dried food, and Lindsey and Ford did not necessarily can predict the weather reason- even guns is not the answer, just facts. represent the views of TBN. ably well, but not perfectly, be- We need to have informed opinions and make informed choices. Toward the end of the program cause there are too many factors there is a hedging and some ‘‘may- involved. The same is true of the Even if the worst-case scenario were bes’’ and ‘‘perhaps,’’ as well as asking Y2K problem: There are too around the corner, should a Christian people to use discernment. However, many factors involved. There’s change anything he or she is doing? the overall impression from the bulk no one who can tell you precisely And wouldn’t it be a time of unprec- of the show will no doubt create what’s going to be affected. The edented opportunity to witness and paranoia and depression for some. sense I have is we are going to be reach out, not retreat and hole up And then there’s the blazing commer- moderately inconvenienced for a somewhere? Our Savior’s marching cial at the program’s conclusion for fairly short period of time. Soci- orders in Matthew 28:18-20 do not Lindsey’s latest volume, Planet Earth: ety is not going to grind to a change just because the going gets halt.’’7 The Final Chapter. ‘‘This is the very rough. Paul and the other Apostles best insight the Lord has ever given Scott Pinzon, president of Pinpoint faced misery and hardship and even me on prophecy. And it shows how, Marketing Communications, writes in death but made no extraordinary in chronological order, things are a recent issue of the Christian Book- provisions as they plodded on preach- coming together rapidly, to show that sellers’ Association magazine: ing and teaching. the return of Christ is very near,’’ ‘‘We can probably rule out a The Church has faced annihilation Lindsey boasts. He has been making perfect transition to the year 2000 and death in past generations but the same declaration for over 25 years. — after all, the U.S. government stood its ground. In the face of the Yet, Christians do not find them- has to update Internal Revenue massacres of Nero, Peter and Paul did selves alone on the doomsday band- Service and Social Securities not advise the Church to go out and wagon. As expected, the supermarket computers, and when did they stockpile swords. What we do know tabloids are jumping on the sensa- ever bring a project in on time? for sure is that even if our country tional aspects and at least one is But we probably also can rule faces loss, it does not change what the reporting in bold headlines; ‘‘WORLD out extreme ‘meltdown’ scenarios Church ought to be doing.