Harold Camping "flabbergasted" by non-Rapture
ALAMEDA, Calif. - The day after his prediction that the world would end on May 21, 2011 failed to materialize, Harold Camping told the San Francisco Chronicle he was "flabbergasted."
The 89-year-old fundamentalist minister and head of the Family Radio media empire, who had led his Christian followers to believe last Saturday marked the Rapture and the countdown to Judgment Day, told the Associated Press that he will make a full statement on his radio broadcast later on Monday.
But when he answered the door at his Alameda home to San Francisco Chronicle reporter Will Kane on Sunday, Camping said he was looking for answers - through frequent prayer and discussions with friends - as to why his prediction of the Rapture and the run-up to the destruction of Earth had not come to pass.
"It has been a really tough weekend," said Camping.
Some of Camping's followers say they are surprised they were not swept up to heaven, after Camping preached for years through his Oakland-based Family Radio International media empire that the Rapture was coming on May 21.
Camping had previously predicted the Rapture would occur back in 1994. When it didn't, he explained that an error in his mathematical computations from clues in the Bible were to blame, and he later revised his forecast.
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Along with the disappointment, believers who spent their savings to advertise the world's end are now facing more earthly concerns.
In New York's Times Square, Robert Fitzpatrick, of Staten Island, said he was surprised when the six o'clock hour simply came and went. He had spent his own money to put up advertising about the end of the world.
"I can't tell you what I feel right now," he said, surrounded by tourists. "Obviously, I haven't understood it correctly because we're still here."
Many followers said the delay was a further test from God to persevere in their faith.
"It's still May 21 and God's going to bring it," said Family Radio's special projects coordinator Michael Garcia, who spent Saturday morning praying and drinking two last cups of coffee with his wife at home in Alameda. "When you say something and it doesn't happen, your pride is what's hurt. But who needs pride? God said he resists the proud and gives grace to the humble."
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The fact that you, or nobody you know have not evaporated to the better world does not indicate that no one else did. I know I did. It is nice in here. But most of the world, are, unfortunately, sinners, and are therefore doomed. Remember, the Rupture was last Saturday; the world is scheduled to END Oct 21, 2011.
BTW, I was sent by Haven to deliever the following message: There is still a way for you to make it here (with the most of the world being doomed, it had been slightly miscalculated just how much free slots will be available). However, ULTIMATELY, the spaces ARE limited, so, act now:
In order to take advantage of your second chance, you must:
1. Repent ALL your sins by August 1, 2011. (This time there will be no extentions).
2. You must pay your dues by May 29th. (2011, obviously). That's right, you only have 2 days to make up your mind! So act quickly, if you want to have a chance.
3. Credit Cards will not be accepted. However, there is a special permission (from Heaven, obviously) to rob certain financial institutions. (Note: not all banks are eligible targets, click here for the list ___). The reason for this, apparent, discrimination is because it has been estimated that these banks will not repent, and thus will have no chance in the New World. So, ultimately, for them it is irrelevant.
So, ACT QUICKLY!!! DO NOT GAMBLE WITH YOUR SOUL!!!!
The 21st came and went and Harold briefly disappeared from the public gaze. When he did reappear he was apparently "flabbergasted" that his prediction had failed. Presumably similarly flabbergasted to the time when he incorrectly predicted the apocalypse in 1994. Undeterred he stuck to his guns and affirmed that the apocalypse will be postponed until October 21st. According to Harold, something did happen on May 21st but it was invisible!
Harold is a young earth creationist; he believes that the earth is 11,013 years old because the bible told him so. He believes that the human race is entirely derived from Adam and Eve and presumably dinosaurs cavorted around with them again because the bible says it. This is slightly at odds with the generally accepted scientific opinion that the universe is 13.75 BILLION years old and the age of the earth is 4.54 BILLION years. Anyway, all of Harold's "calculations" are somehow based around these "biblical numbers" with a bit of his own special magic thrown in. In short if anyone is left who takes Harold's opinion seriously and worries about it, I really wouldn't worry about the opinion or calculations of someone who believes the world is 11 thousand years old. I can hardly wait until the 22nd of October to see what Harold and his pals have to say then.