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New company to rescue left-behind pets after the Rapture

A new company has started up - a company that will rescue and care for pets once their owners are Raptured away. Christians, take note - this is no joke. Just as it says on the official Eternal Earth-Bound Pets, USA Web site, this is serious.

Have you ever wondered who will care for your pets once you are joined with your maker in Heaven? Well, now you can put your mind at ease. For a small fee, you can rest easy knowing that the fine folks at Eternal Earth-Bound Pets will rescue and care for your pets once you're gone.

They are currently operating in 20 states. According to their Web site, they will care for "dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, and small caged mammals." Oddly enough they do not offer this service for camels. Why do I say "oddly enough" in regard to camels?

Well, as it turns out, the owner of this new company happens to be the author of the new book, The Atheist Camel Chronicles. The author's name is Dromedary Hump. With this in mind, considering that the owner is obviously a camel, you'd think he would hire employees who wouldn't discriminate against camels. Then again, considering they only offer their services in the US, it isn't likely that many camels will left behind to be concerned with.

The book, which is self-published (it's difficult for a camel to get a literary agent these days), has become a huge success after having gone viral on the internet. Among other things, it was mentioned on Richard Dawkins' Web site (with note to the fact that the "A" in "Atheist" is the "A" used for Richard's "Out Campaign"). The book is said to be riddled with humor and a great read. A review on religioustolerance.org said, "... the author has produced a hilarious book of humorous and witty descriptions taken from her/his blog. They are absolutely delightful arguments useful to Atheists, Agnostics ... and also for Theists who want to be prepared for challenges from secularists. A real delight! Caution: Be careful where you read this book. You may find yourself helplessly rolling around on the floor in laughter. So check for sharp objects in advance."

According to the book's description on Amazon.com, "The Atheist Camel Chronicles is the go-to book to find a burr to place under the saddle of the holier than thou, or to glean retorts to the banal 'Truths' that religionists use to bolster their faith in the face of the Scientific Age and 21st century reality. Sometimes funny, always hard hitting and thought provoking, this book belongs in the library of every atheist, agnostic and skeptic who engages in debate and discourse with the religiously afflicted."

Yes, Mr. Hump is an atheist. I spoke with him yesterday and he assured me that all of his employees at Eternal Earth-Bound Pets are atheists as well. He said he and the gentleman with whom he started this company know all the employees personally. The have made sure that not only are their employees upstanding citizens (no criminal backgrounds) and pet lovers, but that they are atheists who have blasphemed against the holy spirit, which according to him is the only unforgivable sin as per the book of Mark in The Bible. According to Mr. Hump, all of his employees have to have blasphemed in this way to ensure that they will be around after the Rapture to uphold their ends of the contracts.

I asked Mr Hump if the popularity of his new company at all mirrored the success of his new book. He told me that he receives about 300 e-mails a day. Seventy-five to 80% of those e-mails are from atheists, many who would like to offer up their services in their own states. Another percentage of the e-mails are from irate Christians - some who believe their pets will be raptured with them; some who think the company is a scam. However, there are a few who like the idea that their pets will be taken care of should the Rapture occur during their lifetimes.

Mr Hump told me how the idea for the company came about. His partner (I don't know what species he is) told him about a company in the UK that was doing something similar. He thought it was funny. But, Mr. Hump thought differently. The company in the UK, it seemed, wasn't really serious. Their Web site was only one page and didn't offer a great deal of information. But, Mr. Hump felt that they could take the idea and make it into a legitimate business here in the states - and so they have.

So, it seems Mr Hump has something to offer for everyone this coming holiday (Christmas - if you will) season. If you are a gift-giver during this time, you can get your nearest and dearest atheists a great book and for the believers in your midsts, you can get them a contract to ensure their pets are taken care of when/if they are raptured away. Don't do Christmas? No worries, either would make an excellent birthday gift. And don't forget to pick one up for yourself.