Harold Camping "deserts" devastated followers

[Guest Butero]

Most of the Christian church rejected Camping's prediction, but I still expect this to lead to persecutions and people mocking the return of the Lord. Camping claimed that the Bible guaranteed Jesus' return May 21, 2011. Those who don't bother to look into the scriptures for themselves may believe that God's Word lied, and will claim the Bible is not trustworthy. I do think what Camping did may lead to the fulfillment of other scripture, namely, this one from 2 Peter 3:3,4

3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts.

4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

I wondered what would become of Camping after his prediction failed? I have spent time listening to the Family Radio shortwave broadcast, and there was no official statement from Camping. It will be interesting to see what becomes of him. I do feel sorry for his followers, and I hope that nobody does anything foolish. I am glad to see that rather than condemning them, there are people in the church reaching out to them.

[nebula]

Some of us know what it is to be swayed by deception, and are thus able to have more compassion on these people than others.

I don't know what Camping did, but leaders can manipulate followers in such a way that trust turns into a grip. It would not surprise me if counseling these people reveals cult manipulation. (At least, that is the only explanation that makes sense to me at this point without any further information.)

[Guest nashville]

False May 21, 2011 Doomsday prophet Harold Camping "deserts" devastated followers, church offers solace

Doomsday prophet Harold Camping, who predicted that the End of the World would come on May 21, 2011, has gone missing ever since it became increasingly clear that his prediction is going to fail, even as local churches willingly stepped in to provide counseling and help to Camping's devastated followers.

Camping, the head of the Family Radio, had predicted that the selected number of people on earth, approximately 200 million, would Rapture to heaven on May 21, 2011 while those left behind would witness the destruction of the earth which would come about on October 21, 2011.

He has based his predictions on Bible verses, namely Genesis 7:4 ("Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth") and 2 Peter 3:8 (

[Smalcald]

Well it is possible that Harold really did believe he was right and was not trying to deceive.

He was wrong of course and misusing scripture. It is also possible that he never believed it, but that is not how he has acted. From what I can tell the guy is not one of these big spenders who takes a whole bunch of money from his ministry. I don't think he has any financial stake in duping people. I just think he got twisted up in his own beliefs. He was always very big into taking the bible exactly literally, his problem was that I think he honestly felt that he was ordained to do that and find something that everyone else in the world today missed. In the end it was pride the complete Gospel has been around for 2000 years, the written complete Gospel has been around for 1800 years, if we think we have found something that no other Christian has ever found then we probably have something wrong, there is nothing new in the bible to be discovered that was not there 1800 years ago. We are totally unique in the eyes of God as unique souls, we are not unique in reading and understanding scripture, in that vain we have no special insight that billions of other believers have had. Harold thought he was unique.

[Guest LadyC]

Silly question. Why would they sell all their possessions? They can't take it with them. Or maybe they believe they could since the obviously don't know scripture!

i'm not sure, and i can't prove it but i'd be willing to bet that they sold all their possessions, and gave all their money to the "ministry" to try and "save" others before the rapture.

[nebula]

May 22, 2011 12:39 AM EDT

Doomsday prophet and Family Radio President Harold Camping has gone missing ever since it became clear that his May 21, 2011 End of the World prediction is not going to come true. However, a bigger question now looms about the unaccounted finances of the non-profit Christian radio network.

More here

[Guest]

May 22, 2011 12:39 AM EDT

Doomsday prophet and Family Radio President Harold Camping has gone missing ever since it became clear that his May 21, 2011 End of the World prediction is not going to come true. However, a bigger question now looms about the unaccounted finances of the non-profit Christian radio network.

More here

Sad.

It also makes me wonder if this might not be used as fuel to strip churches and ministries of tax exempt status. There have been attempts do so in the past that were not successful.

[AnotherTraveler]

First, there were many sincere people that were lead away into this area, we should do anything we can to help them.

Second, we should avoid condemning anyone, as to do so also causes us to condemn ourselves. I have personally been wrong after having become a Christian, so error is not as shocking to me as it might be to someone else.

Thirdly, we need to speak the truth boldly and clearly, to a world that has no idea that there is a war going on to deceive them that they might not convert to Christ.

Pray, this did not take God by surprise, and He has a way to make good things come from any situation.

[AnotherTraveler]

On another note, the potential of a church losing it's tax exempt status should not be a big worry. God provides all our needs, and the government is not really able to prevent that.

[wyguy]

I read an article this morning that left me pretty sad. Here are some highlights from Camping's followers, with a link to the full story at the end.

"As recently as two weeks ago, Gary Vollmer was absolutely certain that on May 21, 2011, God would send devastating earthquakes, raise believers to heaven in the "rapture," and then destroy the world five months later. Now that it hasn't happened, Vollmer is unfazed.

"God is God, God's going to do what he has to do," he says.

True, he says, believers got some of the details wrong. But the thrust of the message is right.

"Judgment day has come and passed, but it was a spiritual judgment on the world," he explains. "There is no more salvation. Salvation is over with. The fact is we have 153 days, and on the 21st of October, the world will end." "

"I profiled several believers before May 21. The day after, most didn't answer the phone. Those who did wouldn't talk on the record. But one man, his voice quavering, said he was still holding out hope that they were one day off. Another believer asserted that their prayers worked: God delayed judgment so that more people could be saved, but the end is "imminent."

Tom Evans was contrite. Evans is on the board of Family Radio, the organization led by Harold Camping, who calculated and promoted the May 21 date.

"I don't know where we went wrong other than that we obviously don't understand the Scriptures in the way that we should," he says. "

Link