Harold Camping Admits He Was Wrong About End Of World Prediction

[moraavelo]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/09/harold-camping-admits-hes-wrong_n_1335232.html

SAN FRANCISCO — A California preacher who convinced thousands of followers that the world would end has posted an online letter conceding he has no evidence of an impending apocalypse and will no longer predict global doom.

In a missive posted Thursday on his independent ministry's site, 90-year-old Harold Camping said he was asking for forgiveness for his sin in predicting Judgment Day, and has stopped trying to pinpoint future dates.

"We realize that many people are hoping they will know the date of Christ's return," Camping wrote. "We humbly acknowledge we were wrong about the timing."

Camping's Family Radio International broadcasts his messages from the nonprofit's headquarters in a squat building near the Oakland airport. In recent years, the organization spent millions of dollars – some of it from listeners' donations – putting up thousands of billboards plastered with his prediction of the Rapture.

Marie Exley, 33, was among those who spent her own money to put up apocalypse-themed billboards in Colorado, and later met her husband while passing out Bible tracts in Japan.

The pair traveled through Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq to publicize Camping's prophecy and spent May 21 holed up in Montana waiting for the end. She said Thursday she was glad that the Christian preacher had acknowledged he didn't know everything about the Rapture.

"Sure, I was looking forward to it, but it's actually a blessing to reconnect with family and friends," said Exley, who is writing a screenplay about her experience. "I think it was good for Mr. Camping to humble himself and admit he was wrong and take the heat for that ... but I should have done more careful studying and been more cautious about what I was proclaiming myself."

Camping, a retired civil engineer, had originally forecast that some 200 million people would be saved when the globe was destroyed, and warned that those left behind would die in earthquakes, plagues and other scourges until Earth was consumed by a fireball.

After May 21 came and went, many listeners were crestfallen, particularly those who had quit their jobs or donated some of their retirement savings or college funds to get out the word. Three days later, Camping revised his prophecy, saying that Earth actually would be obliterated on Oct. 21. He said a mathematical error also prevented an earlier apocalyptic prediction from materializing in 1994.

Several weeks later, however, Camping was hospitalized after suffering a mild stroke and spent months recuperating.

Camping said he would instead concentrate on deepening his faith through rereading the Scriptures.

"God has humbled us through the events of May 21," he wrote. "We must also openly acknowledge that we have no new evidence pointing to another date for the end of the world."

No one at Family Radio would explain what prompted Camping's decision to post the letter.

Michael Garcia, who has worked as Family Radio's special projects coordinator, said he couldn't say why Camping decided to post the letter, but said it had made more people aware of his message.

"I'm sure a lot of people heard about the May 21 message, and now they're hearing about this too," he said.

___

[Bro.David Drake DeLaurento]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/09/harold-camping-admits-hes-wrong_n_1335232.html

SAN FRANCISCO — A California preacher who convinced thousands of followers that the world would end has posted an online letter conceding he has no evidence of an impending apocalypse and will no longer predict global doom.

In a missive posted Thursday on his independent ministry's site, 90-year-old Harold Camping said he was asking for forgiveness for his sin in predicting Judgment Day, and has stopped trying to pinpoint future dates.

"We realize that many people are hoping they will know the date of Christ's return," Camping wrote. "We humbly acknowledge we were wrong about the timing."

Camping's Family Radio International broadcasts his messages from the nonprofit's headquarters in a squat building near the Oakland airport. In recent years, the organization spent millions of dollars – some of it from listeners' donations – putting up thousands of billboards plastered with his prediction of the Rapture.

Marie Exley, 33, was among those who spent her own money to put up apocalypse-themed billboards in Colorado, and later met her husband while passing out Bible tracts in Japan.

The pair traveled through Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq to publicize Camping's prophecy and spent May 21 holed up in Montana waiting for the end. She said Thursday she was glad that the Christian preacher had acknowledged he didn't know everything about the Rapture.

"Sure, I was looking forward to it, but it's actually a blessing to reconnect with family and friends," said Exley, who is writing a screenplay about her experience. "I think it was good for Mr. Camping to humble himself and admit he was wrong and take the heat for that ... but I should have done more careful studying and been more cautious about what I was proclaiming myself."

Camping, a retired civil engineer, had originally forecast that some 200 million people would be saved when the globe was destJroyed, and warned that those left behind would die in earthquakes, plagues and other scourges until Earth was consumed by a fireball.

After May 21 came and went, many listeners were crestfallen, particularly those who had quit their jobs or donated some of their retirement savings or college funds to get out the word. Three days later, Camping revised his prophecy, saying that Earth actually would be obliterated on Oct. 21. He said a mathematical error also prevented an earlier apocalyptic prediction from materializing in 1994.

Several weeks later, however, Camping was hospitalized after suffering a mild stroke and spent months recuperating.

Camping said he would instead concentrate on deepening his faith through rereading the Scriptures.

"God has humbled us through the events of May 21," he wrote. "We must also openly acknowledge that we have no new evidence pointing to another date for the end of the world."

No one at Family Radio would explain what prompted Camping's decision to post the letter.

Michael Garcia, who has worked as Family Radio's special projects coordinator, said he couldn't say why Camping decided to post the letter, but said it had made more people aware of his message.

"I'm sure a lot of people heard about the May 21 message, and now they're hearing about this too," he said.

___

If Mr. Camping would of been familiar with Matthew 24: 36 which says, 36 “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father

Enuff said

[Spydar]

If Mr. Camping would of been familiar with Matthew 24: 36 which says, 36 “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father

Enuff said

Agreed

[onzomanie]

some darkness in the head never stops to amaze me alot of christians know that verse but they went ahead and and joined him

[LizzyJo]

If Mr. Camping would of been familiar with Matthew 24: 36 which says, 36 “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father

So, our car group discussed this last year and we came to the conclusion that Jesus probably knows now. What do you think?

[Dages]

So, our car group discussed this last year and we came to the conclusion that Jesus probably knows now. What do you think?

We cannot be sure but there is an article in a recent WT which tells the same : Jesus PROBABLY knows now that he is king.

[Bro.David Drake DeLaurento]

If Mr. Camping would of been familiar with Matthew 24: 36 which says, 36 “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father

So, our car group discussed this last year and we came to the conclusion that Jesus probably knows now. What do you think?

Im gonna stick with the scrips in regards to nobody knowing not even the angels or the son of man. Trust in Jehovah.

[moraavelo]

I agree with David. It was made clear to me that Jesus has known when Armageddon is to strike since the year 1914.

[loginphp]

If Mr. Camping would of been familiar with Matthew 24: 36 which says, 36 “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father

So, our car group discussed this last year and we came to the conclusion that Jesus probably knows now. What do you think?

There was a whole topic dedicated to this question a while back. It's here http://www.jwtalk.net/forum/read.php?10,32464,32595#msg-32595

There was some pretty interesting posts there.

[Bec C]

I cant understand why they never saw the script been stated on this thread!! I guess satan blinds them to the truth. People are getting worked up now about dec 21st and the mayan calander. We are so protected as we have no need to worry, Jehovah will bring the end at just the right time, we dont need to orry, we just have to concentrate on staying faithful until then and beyond. We can leave all that stress with Jehovah, whilst getting on with the job he has given us