Over the last month there has been a lot of talk about a Rapture that Howard Camping of Family Radio said was suppose to happen on May 21, 2011. Over the last few days I have been in a number of conversations about this subject, and figured that I would blog about it like so many others.
I find the whole thing interesting, as I started listening to Howard Camping and Family Radio a few years ago. I actually enjoy listening to Family Radio, as it has some wonderful programming. As far as the Rapture thing, I am one who didn’t believe what he was saying concerning it as to the date, as I feel God will choose that date at some point. To me it is clear that there is nothing in the Bible that gives any kind of code to say when it will happen.
But I find it interesting in the way that people (mainly because of the press) did not report the truth in what Mr. Camping said was going to happen. In the times that I listened to him talk about the subject over the last 3 or so years, I never heard him state that the world was going so blow up on May 21, 2011. He always started that the Rapture was going to occur that day, and that the earth would no longer exist as of October 21, 2011. All of those who say that he revised the date apparently never listened to Mr. Camping, as he hasn’t revived anything concerning the dates.
Now Mr. Camping was wrong as to what was going to happen when the Rapture occurred on May 21, 2011, and he actually apologized on air for the mistake. I didn’t hear a bunch of excuses like I hear some clergy do when they are wrong. He clearly stated that he was wrong.
But the story of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” comes to mind with this whole thing. This is the second time that he was wrong, and he may be wrong again when it comes to October 21. But like the boy who cried wolf could he be right at some point?
One of the things that I am know that he did was to get people to open up and actually read the Bible and how many of us can say that we actually managed to get others to do that, let alone ourselves. Sure some people who followed him will stop, but I am sure that others will continue to read the Bible and follow it’s teachings.
I have heard and seen people say all kinds of things about him when it didn’t happen, and yes I can understand people being upset, but how many times have you said that you would do something and failed to do it? How often have you erred in something? The only person that I know of in history was perfect was Jesus. I’m not claiming to be perfect, and am sure that I will error in the future.
“But he needs to give back ALL of the money that people gave him!,” some people are yelling. I’ve heard sports teams and others say that they will win the championship, and people will go out and buy tickets to see these teams, but yet NOBODY seems to demand they get their money back when the team doesn’t win it. Why should Howard Camping have to?
“I hope that he rots in Hell!,” I am hearing and seeing people claiming to be Christians saying. That statement is so wrong. Nobody deserves to be told that. That is something that God will decide as to who go there. I think that we all will be surprised as to who goes to Heaven if we should be so lucky as to be selected to go there, and the same goes as to who goes to Hell.
Will I continue to listen to Family Radio. Yes I will, as it does have some great programming on it, and I have actually learned and discerned things in my life because of that station and Howard Camping. What do we all need to do is to look at the person in the mirror to figure out what kind of life we have lived and if we really deserve to go to Heaven. I am trying to do my best to go there, but I will admit that I do screw up and hope and pray that God forgives me for my mistakes in life.
May The Peace and Love of the Holy Triune be with you.