TELEVISION ENDS THREE YEARS FROM NOW!

“And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.” (Revelation 11:9)

The eleventh chapter of the Book of Revelation speaks of the “two witnesses” of the coming Tribulation period who will be mightily used of God, will be killed, and then will be miraculously raised from the dead after three and a half days.  All over the world people will watch their bodies laying in the streets, and their enemies will be so happy about their deaths that they will give presents to one another.  Until the 1960s, Biblical scholars wondered HOW the entire world would possibly be able to simultaneously watch the two witnesses laying dead on the street in Jerusalem- but with the successful operation of Telstar in 1962, instantly satellite television programming was born.

I’m writing this piece to write about a future prophetic date, but really NOT about the Two Witnesses of Revelation.  Rather, I’m writing of mid-February 2009.  The prophecy of mid-February 2009 has been issued not by the Apostle John, nor by God, but by the Congress of the United States of America.  In mid-February of 2009 (I believe the exact date is February 19, 2009) all analog television broadcasting in the U.S.A. will cease forever.

Here’s the story behind the story:

High Definition television was introduced in North American about ten years ago.  It is broadcast on a different frequency than is traditional analog television.  True High Definition television (called HDTV) is absolutely superior in quality and resolution to “regular” T.V.
The federal government mandated that by a certain date, all American television stations begin simultaneously broadcasting over separate and new digital channels as well as over the traditional channels.  The government also estimated a date by which the country would have “converted” to HDTV and mandated that after that date, all traditional analog television would cease.

The original date set was December 31, 2006.  Thus, as of January 1, 2007, all television broadcasting would be digital.  A big problem happened.  Even by mid-2005 very few households had actually purchased HDTV sets.  Now, IF you have a “regular” television set, but have it hooked up to a DIGITAL cable box (as I do in my living room) that automatically converts the analog television set to a digital set.  It does NOT mean you are really watching HDTV quality, but it DOES mean you can pick up the signal and watch it (with however inferior the quality) on an analog set.  Probably two-thirds of American households have at least one set that is so hooked up to a digital cable box.  In late 2005, Congress took action to push back the Dec. 31, 2006 date.  At first it was pushed back to Dec. 31, 2008.  Then, it was decided that if millions of people could not watch the Rose Parade on Jan. 1, 2009 or the Super Bowl a few weeks later, they’d be livid.  So, a final date of mid-Feb. was set.

If that were to happen TODAY, my bedroom set would be useless unless I went out and bought a converter box- approximately $60.  There are MILLIONS of Americans who do not have digital cable T.V. and will not have converter boxes on Feb. 19, 2009.  Massachusetts Congressman Ed Markey has spoken out with great concern regarding the disenfranchisement of the poor who will lose television in Mid-February 2009 and be cut off from news, public service announcements, etc.   Conservative Republicans have laughed and called this a non-issue. Although I am a registered Republican, and I’m conservative on most issues, I am 100% with Ed Markey on this one.  I think it’s STUPID to stop all analog television broadcasting in mid-February 2009!  Millions of television sets will be thrown out at that time- frankly, many will be disposed of illegally.  Some theorize that the poor will riot.  I don’t condone that, but I think it’s possible.

Ed Markey is MY congressman.  I really don’t need to contact him about this because he’s already working on the problem.  If you think the date for ending analog television broadcasting should be pushed back A FEW MORE YEARS as I do, then I urge you to contact your Congressman’s office and let him know.

(I would love to know what you think about this issue.  Please feel free to post a comment below, or e-mail me at RevRBaril@aol.com)