We remember the hype and hysteria around Harold Camping and his end of the world prediction that came and went. I first blogged on the topic back in March 2011when no one was really worrying about it. Well, he’s back! Now, the end of the world will be this Friday – October 21! According to the Family Radio Worldwide teacher radio nut, Camping believes that the end started in May and will conclude this month.
Though a “spiritual rapture” occurred at the apparent the end of the world back in May, this time Camping is for real. The end will not go out with a bang, but with a whimper. Camping said:
“We’re getting very near the very end. Next Friday looks like, at this point … it will be the final end of everything.”
“There won’t be earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other natural disasters.
“The end is going to come very, very quietly.”
I think we’ll see Camping “flabbergasted” again with another apocalypse fall out. If you are depressed about the end of the world, read my ‘End of the World Guide: 37 Things You Should Before the End‘ to cheer you up.
You have to hand it to Camping, he learned his lesson about being definitive about the end. He added “probably” to his prediction. Last time, he explained what happened:
“What really happened this past May 21st? What really happened is that God accomplished exactly what He wanted to happen. That was to warn the whole world that on May 21 God’s salvation program would be finished on that day. For the next five months, except for the elect (the true believers), the whole world is under God’s final judgment.”
At 90, Camping is still causing an international news story. Pretty good! When I’m 90, I just hope I can get to the bathroom in time.
3 Comments
Sigh. Here’s a question for you. I have written papers on eschatology in Christian thought. I remember Rick Warren saying something along the lines that focusing too much on the end of the world is really a distraction from serving our fellow man in the here and now. Do you agree with those sentiments?
Yes. There is a lot more we can do than go crazy with end of the world predictions.
[…] like retirementville for our old pal Harold Camping. Camping, who failed to correctly predict the end of the world, has now admitted he was wrong. The radio preacher said that it “seems […]