With a heavy heart we report to you that Harold Camping, failed Oakland-based doomsday soothsayer, has died. The Family Radio minister's prediction of a catastrophic May 21, 2011 rapture never happened — famously so, if you recall — which he then rescheduled to October 21 later that year. As many of you may be aware, that second prediction also never occurred. Alas.
Camping died Sunday at his home after reportedly suffering injuries in a November 30 fall. Here are a few highlights of the Oakland prophet's handy work:
May 21, 2011: The end. At least that's how it was supposed to go, according to Camping. Harold incorrectly predicted that Jesus would drop by for another visit on May 21, 2011 at 6:00 pm in various time zones around the world. His followers were supposed to ascend to heaven while the sinners (ahem) died in a massive earthquake. Here's a photo of Camping's house at 6:01 PM that day.
May 23, 2011: Sinners rejoiced.
May 24, 2011: "J/K, you guys!" said Camping, deciding that, due to a technical glitch, the end of the world would instead go down in October. He said, "Were not changing a date at all; we're just learning that we have to be a little more spiritual about this...But on Oct. 21, the world will be destroyed. It won't be five months of destruction. It will come at once." Also, as Salon noted, Camping and his church, Family Radio International, "spent millions — some of it from donations made by followers — on more than 5,000 billboards and 20 RVs plastered with the Judgment Day message."
May 25, 2011: Steven Furtick, a young whippersnapper cum megachurch pastor from North Carolina, wasn't having any of it. Regarding Camping, he said, "Harold! Harold! Harold! My man Harold! The score is functional unraptured universe 6 billion you 0. The clock says 0:00."
October 22, 2011:The Earth's crust remained in tact. Business as usual.
March 9, 2012: Harold admits defeat. "Events in the last year have proved that no man can be fully trusted," wrote the then 90-year-old false prophet. "Even the most zealous of us can be mistaken." He went on to add: "I really am beginning to think as I've restudied these matters that there's going to be no big display of any kind. The end is going to come very, very quietly."
Update: Camping first predicted the end back in 1994. His accompanying book, 1994?, did not do well with Amazon critics, netting a paltry 2.5 stars.
[KRON/BCN]
