Harold Camping predicted the end of the world. If you are any kind of disciple of Jesus you knew that he'd be wrong because Jesus said "no man knows the time or the season" of the Second Coming. I'm baffled by the reports of thousands selling out, forsaking family and preparing for a May 21st ending. Now what? What a shame. Let's take this a little deeper and speculate as to the reason this man swayed people so persuasively.
Camping began his calculations by reinterpreting the relationships of Old Testament characters, re-translated some phrases from Old Testament Hebrew and summoned up some speculation from his own mind. The entire philosophy is self-based as Camping promotes his own teachings and radio program as the true way. He maintains all other Christian churches have abandoned God's will and do not follow the Word.
Camping, too, tried this before. He predicted the end of the world in 1994. Later, when he missed the end of times, he said he made some mathematical errors. Ya think? So now he comes back and says May of 2011. Nope. So he comes right back out and takes the same line the Witness folk used...it was a spiritual deal. Some sort of spiritual judgement occurred and, if you listen to Camping, he'll get it right eventually.
Let me make a prediction: Camping is gonna die before Jesus comes back. I just feel it in my bones. You don't need to sell your home just yet or even send me a check. This is free prophecy for you. This one's on me. Harold Camping, the civil engineer, will die before the end comes. So turn your radio or TV to some other program and chill. If it walks like a quack, sounds like a quack and quacks like a quack then you can be sure that Harold Camping is a quack. I'm a Boy Scout leader. I'll be camping 'til Jesus comes. What about you?
Camping was born in Colorado in 1921. He was trained as a civil engineer which provides him, I suppose, the numerology for his predictions. He self-publishes his materials and books. He has no deep academic or theology training to rely on. His basic claim to fame came through his hosting of a call-in talk radio show entitled Open Forum. Here he began his long, slow journey toward predicting the end of the world.
Camping began his calculations by reinterpreting the relationships of Old Testament characters, re-translated some phrases from Old Testament Hebrew and summoned up some speculation from his own mind. The entire philosophy is self-based as Camping promotes his own teachings and radio program as the true way. He maintains all other Christian churches have abandoned God's will and do not follow the Word.
Ducks quack and so does this guy. I find it absolutely amazing that some like Camping can be so pompous as to tell other humans what God wants them to do. God is big enough to tell you what He wants you to do. He doesn't need Camping to muddy up the works for you or me.
This type of hype is not new however. In the 19th century, a preacher named William Miller tried two times to identify Christ's return. Miller said first the end would come in 1843 and, when he didn't get it right, he predicted it again for 1844. When nothing happened, his most ardent supporters maintained that the events had taken place, but only in heaven. These die hards were known as "Millerites."
In the 20th century, the Jehovah's Witnesses -- a group that denies Jesus' deity -- predicted major end-times events in 1914. When the date passed, they eventually claimed Christ had returned that year, but only spiritually. "That year, 1914, indeed marked the birth of God's heavenly Kingdom," their website states. Today they stridently visit from house to house passing out Watch Tower material and offer you confusing information about the class system they say exists in heaven.
In the 20th century, the Jehovah's Witnesses -- a group that denies Jesus' deity -- predicted major end-times events in 1914. When the date passed, they eventually claimed Christ had returned that year, but only spiritually. "That year, 1914, indeed marked the birth of God's heavenly Kingdom," their website states. Today they stridently visit from house to house passing out Watch Tower material and offer you confusing information about the class system they say exists in heaven.
Camping, too, tried this before. He predicted the end of the world in 1994. Later, when he missed the end of times, he said he made some mathematical errors. Ya think? So now he comes back and says May of 2011. Nope. So he comes right back out and takes the same line the Witness folk used...it was a spiritual deal. Some sort of spiritual judgement occurred and, if you listen to Camping, he'll get it right eventually.
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