Sun. May 22, 2011
Harold Camping, the leader of the California-based Christian ministry known as Family Radio Worldwide, is now 0 for 2 in his prediction of Judgement Day.
The 89-year-old radio evangelist had predicted that Saturday, May 21, 2011 would be the beginning of the Biblical prophecy known as the Rapture. He and his followers, many of whom used their own money, spent months proclaiming the message with billboards, bus stop benches, websites and traveling RV caravans.
Based on a mathematical system he devised to interpret clues and prophecies in the Bible, Camping was sure the date was May 21, 2011.
This was not Campings's first end-of-the-world prediction. He previously said that Judgment Day would occur in 1994, but now says he did not have enough data to make an accurate prediction.
Citing the rise of the "gay pride movement" and a number of other signs including severe earthquakes and the killing of Osama bin Laden, the cult leader said there is "no possibility that it will not happen."
"No sign is as dramatic and clear as the phenomenal worldwide success of the Gay Pride movement. In the Bible God describes His involvement with this dramatic movement … We will learn that the Gay Pride movement would successfully develop as a sign to the world that Judgement Day was about to occur," Camping writes on his website.
According to a recent Pew survey, 79% of Christians in the United States believe Christ will return one day.
Camping has yet to made a public statement since his prediction for mayhem was again incorrect.
May 21, 2011 came and went without reports of the Rapture, but it certainly received plenty of media attention. Gizmodo reports there were 3940 Google News articles on the Rapture alone on Friday.
For the complete article (non-reader view with multimedia and original links),
Tap here.
Head to the local LGBTQ news, events, directory and people network at ChicagoPride.com