Harold Camping Oct. 21 Rapture: Family Radio to Shut Down After Another Wrong Doomsday Prediction?
Family Radio Stations, Inc., the radio network founded and managed by Bible teacher Harold Camping, has been broadcasting a message Saturday, one day after the world failed to end as the 90-year-old evangelist had predicted, encouraging remaining supporters to keep making donations to the network.
Camping, who had also made the same predictions for 1994 and May 21, 2011, told supporters and the public after May doomsday failed to happen that he had simply missed what God had been revealing in Scripture, and that Oct. 21, 2011, would be the true and final day of God's judgment on the world.
However, that prophecy also failed to materialize.
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The radio evangelist has not spoken to reporters as he did in May when the world underwent a so-called "spiritual" judgment. Family Radio has been broadcasting throughout the day a message to supporters, seeking to encourage them to remain hopeful as they look for Jesus Christ's eventual return to Earth.
The message also revealed that the station, which reaped about $80 million in donations between 2005 and 2009 and also benefited from sales of some of its radio properties, may be in danger of experiencing financial difficulties.
The radio announcer, who was not identified, said: "I trust that you too will pray for us often that we can minister in many ways. That God will provide wisdom to those of leadership and that we continue to minister to you, and to teach God's word daily. Please pray for us and pray about continuing to support this totally listener-sponsored Christian radio network. We have a great need for daily operating funds. Without your generous support at this time we might be forced to face some very important decisions. I trust those of you who enjoy some of our programming daily will be able to share generously in the months ahead."
The announcer did mention that Family Radio has "a large operating budget," coming from some 60 operating stations, as well as "other opportunities," but that these funds are limited.
Camping's latest prediction of a "quiet" apocalypse failed to attract as much interest among the media and the public as his May 21, 2011, prophecy.
With a total of now three flops, one would think Camping may do what Christians, expressing embarrassment for him, have been calling on the Bible teacher to do since May 21 came and went - to simply stop his erroneous teachings.
Family Radio, founded by Camping and two others in 1958, started broadcasting the Open Forum program in 1961. The live program featured Camping often fielding questions from listeners challenging his claims of a previously unknown biblical timeline.
After suffering a stroke in June, Camping has been off the air, with Family Radio broadcasting re-runs of the Open Forum program. Now that Camping's Oct. 21 doomsday scenario has failed to materialize, one wonders if he will ever resume live broadcasts of Open Forum.
