By now you may have heard: Family Radio evangelist Harold Camping says Judgment Day in May 21, 2011 — that’s three days, people!
Camping has been denounced by Christian leaders left and right --not necessarily for asserting that the end of the world is nigh, but for putting a date on it. Many point to this passage from the Gospel of Matthew to suggest that Camping is a false prophet who uses Scripture selectively and for his own purposes.
“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.”
False prophet or not, Camping’s followers believe that they’re living their last days on earth, and news reports indicate that at least a few have bet their whole livelihood on the cause. “We budgeted everything so that, on May 21, we won’t have anything left,” 27-year-old pregnant mother Adrienne Martinez said to NPR. Robert Fitzpatrick, a retired New York Metro Transit Authority employee, reportedly spent $140,000 --his entire life savings --on advertising for Camping’s doomsday message.
Camping’s movement may be old news by Sunday (May 22), but the dilemma his followers face is age old: What would you do if you knew you only had three days left?
Skydiving? Rocky Mountain climbing? (Cue the Tim McGraw song ) Would you over-indulge in sensual pleasures or make peace with the universe? Both?
Tweet Describe your best three days using #bucketlist
More On Faith and May 21, 2011:
Under God: How did Harold Camping calculate the Rapture?
Spong: Camping does not represent Christianity
Dawkins: Science explains the end of the world
Turner: The harm that ‘Judgment Day’ will do
Panel responds: How do end-times theologies impact real world behaviors?
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