For more than a month now, I have been anxiously awaiting the date May 21, 2011. In fact, I listened to Mr. Camping nearly every day for more than a month as he emphatically proclaimed that Jesus would return on May 21. Of course his prediction was wrong. Jesus didn’t return at 6:00 p.m. on May 21.
However, I made a prediction of my own leading up to May 21. I predicted to my wife that when Camping is proven to be wrong, he will “spiritualize” the event. In other words, he will claim that what he was teaching was fulfilled but in an “invisible way.”
Sure enough, last night Mr. Camping finally broke his silence and spoke. Do you know what he said? Here’s an excerpt…
“On May 21, this last weekend, this is where the spiritual aspect of it really comes through. God again brought judgment on the world. We didn’t see any difference but God brought Judgment Day to bear upon the whole world. The whole world is under Judgment Day and it will continue right up until October 21, 2011 and by that time the whole world will be destroyed.”
So if you ask me, my prediction was more accurate than his. I can understand and be patient with Mr. Camping about being mistaken. Countless people are mistaken about many biblical teachings. What I’m not as patient with is his unwillingness to acknowledge his error, and his apparent lack of concern and responsibility for all the people that he misled (many of whom are now facing financial ruin), and his flippant and calloused response when asked about those who are now suffering due to their trust in him. He dismissed those concerns by saying, that they just need to cope and that they aren’t the first people to lose their homes, and that there are a lot of people who have it worse than the average “Family Radio” listener. Camping also emphatically asserted that they would not return any money to those who donated to him.
So while others suffer for their misplaced faith in a misguided teacher, Mr. Camping will continue to live with the temporary benefits and security that millions of dollars can provide. While I do not believe that Mr. Camping is any more right about his predictions of October 21, 2011 than he was with May 21, 2011, I am certain that Jesus is coming again and there will be a day of Judgment. My advice is: rather than preparing for the end October 21, 2011 as the day the world will end, we had all better live each day as though it may be our last.
Couldn’t have said it better!