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Discussion 1 to Meditation 902
Harold Camping Dead at 92

by: JT

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Harold Camping died on Monday, aged 92.

I think Meditation 902 was the last time I devoted an article specifically to him. I didn't write at any length about the failure of his revised forecast of an October 21 2011 final day.

I was quite nasty in Meditation 902 — and I still think rightfully so for that time.

But Harold Camping did live on for another 2 1/2 years, and I'd like to say a couple of things that aren't so critical of him.

Eventually he stated his May 21 prediction (and effectively the amended October 21 prediction) had been “incorrect and sinful”. He went on: “We must also openly acknowledge that we have no new evidence pointing to another date for the end of the world. Though many dates are circulating, Family Radio has no interest in even considering another date.”

That's pretty good as apologies go for an evangelist. No weasel wording. A clear admission he was wrong, and that he wasn't going to do it again. And he didn't.

Also — as far as I can tell - Camping lived a modest and frugal personal life. While he obviously managed to rack up a lot of money in donations — he seemed to have used it as promised — to promote his ministry and message. Perhaps $100 million was spent on the billboards we saw everywhere warning us (complete with a Bible Guarantee) that the world would end on May 21. But in spite of the large sums involved, the money did not stick to his fingers on its way through his hands. That sort of financial probity seems all too rare in the evangelist business — particularly those that run a media empire.

And finally — thanks to that worldwide advertising campaign — I think Harold Camping may have contributed to a healthy skepticism of Christian end-of-the-world prophecies, even amongst the rapture-ready set. Perhaps we'll even get another couple of years free of prophecies getting such wide attention. And for that, we owe him thanks.

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