May 21, 2011 - Mark That Date on Your Calendar - It's the End of the World!


Described as a loosely organized Christian group, several people united by radio broadcasts and websites are predicting the end of the world. The date? May 21. Exactly. Kind of risky, if you ask me, considering that Jesus Himself said that no one knows the day or the hour. Not to mention the fact that the return of the Lord in glory is pictured as a "thief in the night." Can you imagine a thief broadcasting the exact date of his break in? Well, considering that May 21 is technically the "Rapture," and that this misguided doctrine teaches a secret first coming of Jesus, then maybe the 'thief in the night' thing is kind of covered. Well.....

A major player in this prediction is a retired civil engineer named Harold Camping, the leader of the California-based Family Radio Worldwide, an independent Christian ministry. The 89 year old leader claims that the Bible functions as a cosmic calendar. Considering that he messed up by predicting the end of the world back in 1994, it is surprising any one is taking him seriously. He should stick to engineering.

You can read the longer AP story that describes how various followers are responding at this by going to this site. If you want to see exactly what Family Radio has on its own website, check the link provided above. By the way, Mr. Camping has an interesting way of getting around Jesus' words in one of his online booklets entitled "No Man Knows the Day or the Hour?" Talk about creative exegesis. Or should we say eisegesis?

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