Harold Camping Oct. 21 Rapture: Camping's Failed Predictions and Explanations

By Herbert Pinnock, Christian Post Reporter Monday, October 17, 2011

Harold Camping has seen all his startling predictions concerning the end of the world proven untrue. What are just as startling are his nonchalant, off-the-cuff explanations as to why his doomsday prophecies have failed.

Following the failure of Camping's 1994 end-of-world prediction, the founder of Family Radio told Christianity Today, "Obviously this has not happened, so that was inaccurate."

This glib comment was made after an event which prompted many of the followers of the evangelical radio host to make emotional and physical preparations in anticipation of a world-changing cataclysmic event.

Following the failure of his May 21, 2011 prediction, the 90-year-old told the San Francisco Chronicle that he was "flabbergasted" as to why his prediction did not materialize. He also added, "It has been a really tough weekend."

Do these perfunctory comments by Camping represent a less than sincere regard for the life changing prophecies he espouses? This is certainly worth deciphering, in light of the psychological havoc that his pronouncements inflict on many of his ardent followers.

After the doomsday May 21 deadline, National Public Radio spoke to a board member of Camping's Family Stations Inc., who spoke of many believers who left their jobs and their families, and gave their savings to Family Radio.

Following the failure of Camping's prediction, they had no other recourse but to pick up and move on.

In a video interview published Monday, Camping said in June of the May 21 Judgment Day prophecy: "I did not have it – all of that worked out as accurately how I think I should have had it."

Camping now insists that the world will come to an end on Oct. 21. In a statement on Family Radio in September, he described his latest prophecy: "The end is going to come very, very quietly, probably within the next month. It will happen by Oct. 21."

Undoubtedly many skeptics are looking forward to Camping's explanation on Oct. 22.