‘Rapture’ evangelist Harold Camping suffers stroke

Harold Camping speaks during a taping of his show "Open Forum" in Oakland, Calif. Camping says his prophecy that the world would end was off by five months because Judgment Day actually will come on Oct. 21. (Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP)

Harold Camping, Family Radio evangelist whose prediction of a May 21, 2011 Rapture failed to materialize, has had a stroke, according to the Oakland Tribune.

A neighbor told the newspaper that Camping suffered a stroke Thursday and was experiencing slurred speech as a result.

The 89-year-old Camping has been under tremendous pressure since May 21. On his first radio broadcast after his failed prediction, Camping said that he and his wife had been shaken by the turn of events and retreated to a secluded motel room.

“I stayed away from home for one night because the pressure from that phone ringing and people knocking on my door for an interview was more than I could stand,” Camping said May 23.
Camping speaks outside of his home in Alameda, Calif. on May 22. (Brandon Tauszik - AP)

Family members of those bankrupted by notions of impending doom have blamed Camping for their relatives’ financial decisions. The Freedom from Religion Foundation, a secular watchdog group, has asked California’s Attorney General to investigate Camping’s Family Radio operation. And during a press conference May 23, Camping was peppered with questions from reporters about his obligation towards those who gave away their life savings warning the world about the Rapture. “I don’t have any responsibility,” Camping insisted. “I don’t have responsibility for anybody’s life. I only teach what the Bible says.”

“We had all of our dates correct,” Camping declared during that broadcast, clarifying that he now understands that Christ’s May 21 arrival was “a spiritual coming” ushering in the last five months before the final judgment and destruction.

Camping said that he had re-interpreted the Scripture and learned that May 21 was “an invisible judgment day“ rather than physical event.

The world, Camping says, will still end on Oct. 21.