With June 6, 2006, approaching, school officials and others are carefully watching to see if that date ? which some link to the ominous 666 prophecy ? will spur demonstrations or violent activity.
They are aware that 666 signifies the ?Mark of the Beast? or the Antichrist to some and believe the significance of June 6, ?06, could trigger problems. They also are aware of a rumor that has snow-balled into a ?warning that a satanic group from Asheville planned to come to Pisgah High School and shoot it up on that date,? according to phone calls school officials received over the weekend.
The rumor changed to a ?planned attack at the school on Tuesday,? said Pisgah High Principal Danny Miller. That never happened, nor was the attack ever planned, he said. ?We have identified the source of the rumor. It was an Internet conversation on myspace.com about the significance of June 6. Pisgah High, nor Haywood County, was ever mentioned,? Miller said.
?The rumor has taken on a life of its own,? he added. The Internet is full of Web sites that predict terrible things could happen June 6. On www.satansrapture, for example, the writer predicts that the Antichrist will reveal himself on television worldwide on that day.
However, other sites say the date is being exaggerated and the day will come and go with no major occurrence like the appearance of the Antichrist, that this date will be similar to the millennium controversy, when many people stockpiled food and other provisions for fear the world would come to a standstill or end that day. Miller has a hard copy of a conversation on the myspace chat room, which he said is likely where the rumor started.
Discussing the 666 theory and the likelihood that someone will use the opportunity to create chaos or tragedy, one writer states, ?I live in Canton,? to which the other writer responds, ?that area is a perfect place to do something like that just because it would be impossible to run away if they just set up road blocks on each interstate coming off the mountain they can corale (sic) everyone.?
Associate Superintendent Bill Nolte said school officials appreciate the information even if it is just rumors.
?We?re glad when we get phone calls of this nature. If it ever turned out to be true, at least we would have had a heads-up and could be better prepared,? Nolte said.
Meanwhile Pisgah officials are doing everything possible to check the rumors out and to dispel them. ?We do not feel at this time that there is any threat of an attack on Pisgah High School,? Miller said. However, just as a precaution, school officials have a plan to address any threats like that, he said. That included stopping people driving onto the campus Tuesday.
?We will continue to monitor the situation until everyone feels comfortable that they are in no danger,? Miller said.
Source: http://www.themountaineer.com/archives/ ... react.html
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