Page 31 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - February 2014 Edition

Harold Camping Dead at 92 Harold Camping, minister predicted the end of the world several times, dies at 92 The Toronto Star OAKLAND, CALIF.—Harold Camping, the U.S. preacher who used his evangelical radio ministry and thousands of billboards to broadcast the end of the world and then gave up public prophecy when his date-specific doomsdays did not come to pass, has died at age 92. Camping, a retired civil engineer who built a worldwide following for the non-profit Oakland, California-based ministry he founded in 1958, died at his home Sunday, said Family Radio Network marketing manager Nina Romero. She said he had been hospitalized after falling. Camping’s most widely spread online and on a network of more than 140 THE ALL NEW prediction was that the Rapture would happen domestic and international radio stations owned THE ALL NEW on May 21, 2011. His independent Christian by Family Stations. media empire spent millions of dollars — some Each weeknight, Camping would ‘X’ ZONE STORE ‘X’ ZONE STORE of it from donations made by followers who quit transmit his own biblical interpretations in a their jobs and sold all their possessions— to quivery monotone, clutching a worn Bible as he IS NOW OPEN! spread the word on more than 5,000 billboards took listeners’ calls. He first predicted the world IS NOW OPEN! and 20 RVs plastered with the Judgment Day would end on Sept. 6, 1994 and when it did not, message. Camping said it was off because of a When the Judgment Day he foresaw did mathematical error. Followers later said he was not materialize, the preacher revised his referring to the end of “the church age,” a time prophecy, saying he had been off by five when human beings in Christian churches could months. The preacher, who suffered a stroke be saved. three weeks after the May prediction failed, said After his billboards warning of pending the light dawned on him that instead of the doom popped up across the country in 2010 and biblical Rapture in which the faithful would be 2011, Christian leaders from across the swept up to the heavens, the date had instead spectrum widely dismissed his prophecies while been a “spiritual” Judgment Day, which placed atheists and revelers poked fun at his prediction. the entire world under Christ’s judgment. Some also criticized Camping’s use of millions But after the cataclysmic event did not of dollars in followers’ donations to advertise occur in October either, Camping Judgment Day. acknowledged his apocalyptic prophecy had Camping also offered a measured been wrong and posted a letter on his ministry’s apology, adding that he felt so terrible when his T-Shirts, Hats, Cups, site telling his followers he had no evidence the prophecy did not come true that he left home world would end anytime soon, and wasn’t and took refuge in a motel with his wife. Stationary & Much More interested in considering future dates. Camping wrote about 30 books and “We realize that many people are hoping booklets over the years. Family Radio Network they will know the date of Christ’s return,” said in its statement that he is survived by a wife Camping wrote in March 2012. “We humbly of 71 years. [] acknowledge we were wrong about the timing.” Camping graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1942 and started a construction business shortly after the end of World War II, according to his non-profit’s website. For decades, Camping and his family attended the Christian Reformed Church, where he served as an elder and Bible teacher, but he left the church in 1988 when he felt it no longer faithfully represented biblical teachings, associates said. He formed his Family Stations ministry in 1958 and eventually sold his business to become the group’s president and general manager as a full-time volunteer. In 1961, Camping began hosting the Open Forum program, which was broadcast in 30 languages Congratulations to Rob McConnell on being the host of the longest running show on radio with the same host - The ‘X’ Zone Radio Show