My Take (and a Rather Unsympthetic One at That) On Harold Camping and His Followers
Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 10:08AM 
Frankly, this whole Harold Camping mess ticks me off. Since I write and teach in the field of eschatology, people expect me to say something. Yet, I'm not sure many of you will appreciate my take on this. I'm not a happy "camper."
I see this tragic episode as one gigantic mess, which God's people will be cleaning up for years. I, for one, am not very sympathetic to Mr. Camping, or to those who follow him. Here's why:
1). He's done this before. 1994? anyone??? If Camping lives much longer (he's 89), he'll likely do this again. As one of my favorite philosophers, Dirty Harry, once put it when his police superior questioned whether the serial killer (so wonderfully played by Andy Robinson) would continue to kill, Harry replied, "Of course he will. He likes it." You cannot tell me that however Camping came to this particular date for the Lord's return, and however sincere he might he be in his calculations, that the man does not love the media attention. Why else spend all that money on an "in your face" ad campaign with buses and billboards across the country? Camping likes the hubbub way too much. Since someone's past behavior is the best predictor of their future behavior, if given the chance, Camping will do it again.
2). Camping was disciplined by his church, and never once demonstrated the slightest hint of repentance. When Camping was removed from his office for his unbiblical speculations, Camping's response was to declare that the church age was over, and that people should leave their churches! (see Bob Godfrey's account of this--Godfrey on Harold Camping). Harold Camping is not some grandfatherly old man who has weird views on things (every church has a few of these). This is a man, who, when he did not get his way, sought to create widescale schism and division in the church. How can we not conclude that many among his followers are schismatics who have followed their master in his sin?
3). Camping is not a theological conservative defending the faith, he's a theological radical, and has a dangerous hermeneutic. Camping gained a following among Reformed cultural conservatives by defending the view that only men should hold the office of minister, elder and deacon, that evolutionary thought had no place in Christian colleges, and that the rampant immorality of our age cannot go unchallenged nor be accepted by Christians. Meanwhile, the "conservative" Camping was using some outlandish and distorted hermeneutical method to calculate the day of Christ's return and telling everyone who would listen that he was right and that anyone who challenged him had no authority to do so. Since when did theological conservatives attack the perspicuity of Scripture? Or champion "private interpretation" while mocking the teaching office and disciplinary authority of the church?
4). Someone has to say it -- the man is a false teacher and a kook. My sense is that Camping falls within the exhortation given by Paul in Romans 16:17 (and elsewhere) -- such people are to be avoided. Camping is a false teacher, plain and simple. Anyone who repeatedly pulls the kinds of shenanigans he has should have no credibility. Non-Christians see him for what he is. Yet, Christians feel ashamed about calling him out on the same grounds--when Scripture requires that we do so! Yes, we need to pray for his repentance, and yes, we need to be merciful to those whom he has deceived. But given the way the man handles God's word, he is self-edvidently a kook. He has no business being labeled a "teacher." And it is tragic that he has used his vast radio empire to deceive so many.
5). The only prophecy which will be fulfilled in association with Harold Camping is 2 Peter 3:3! Scoffers will come, and sadly, Camping has given the scoffers a whole bunch of ammunition. This is why is is so vital that Christians be clear to everyone who will listen, that despite this man's false prophecy, the blessed hope awaits all those who are Christ's, and the day of judgment will come upon those who are not. This is a serious matter, and Christ will not be mocked.
This, then, is why it is so important to expose this man for who and what he is--a false prophet, a schismatic and a kook, lest anyone think that Jesus will not return when we least expect it, to judge the world, raise the dead, and make all things new.
And frankly, it is sad that so many Christians expect non-Christians to do our job for us.
Reader Comments (51)
> with Harold Camping is 2 Peter 3:3!"
How about 2 Peter 2? (and wrt your #1, see especially v22 "the dog returns to his own vomit...")
Ain't that the truth!
A couple of forums where I hang out (www.corvetteforum.com and www.crackberry.com) have many posts proving this true. And I'm sure that's just a small sample.
Unless...
"The key in Silence" could be...
Riley: Prison.
Albuquerque.
See, I can do it too.
Snorkel. (end of script)
So I can do it too: there are 1189 chapters in the bible and 31, 103 verses. The formula then is 1189 x 31, 103 x 1978 (number of years since Christ) = Harold Camping is a kook.
It always makes me nervous when Christians seem to enjoy throwing stones at the person (Camping / Bell / others) rather than the error of their ways.
I respect the struggle that you propose, and I hope that you are able to dialogue in a constructive way about this topic, as I'm sure you're not the only person to struggle with this.
Titus 2:12-15 does tell us that the Blessed Hope is the return of Jesus Christ, and for all believers it is a day we long for because it is a day when every tear is finally wiped away, every temptation is abolished, and we can experience the full consumation of life with God for all eternity. That is the prize at the end of the race that helps us persevere and finish the fight.
I could be wrong, but I think most honest, bible-believing Christians do not like it when attention is drawn to the end of the world in a way like it has been via Family Radio lately. It is an important topic, yet certainly it has been a bit of a cartoon show this week - and mostly today. So, please understand that most Christians probably are as troubled by all this attention just like you are.
Finally, I can see your point that when we pray for the return of Jesus in a sense it seems like we are praying for the eternal damnation of the unbeliever. That is probably the extreme end of the spectrum - I don't think too many Christians want to see their neighbors suffer for eternity, which is why they share Christ in word and deed whenever possible. I hope your experiencne is that Christians are sharing the gospel - and sharing God's heart for the lost. It is His desire (and the desire of His disciples) that the gospel go out to all people and share His love for them. When you know that eternal damnation awaits the unbeliever I hope that motivates you to share the gospel with them.
Personally, I long for Jesus' coming because I can't wait to finally experience the full consumation of His presence. I also want my neighbors / relatives to experience it too...take advantage of the time we have to share God's love, but keep your eyes on the prize so that you aren't tempted to compromise.
Blessings to you
George, there is no sociopathic element in longing for Christ's return. When he returns he will mete out both justice and mercy. To those who belong to Adam and his sinful race, he will mete out justice, which is hell. To those who belong to Jesus Christ, the second Adam, he will mete out mercy, which is heaven.
All of us are born belonging to Adam, and we deserve condemnation because of our failure to honor God as God, and give him thanks. No one has loved God with heart, soul, mind, and strength. Therefore, the wrath of God, which is entirely just, rests upon all people born in Adam.
Therefore, we must be transferred from Adam to Christ, and this happens only through placing our faith in the Son whom the Father sent into the world to save a world under judgment. The good news is that Christ bore this judgment on our behalf. When we trust in Christ, we are accepted by the Father because all of his suffering and righteousness are imputed to us.
Therefore, the Bible is not about morality, but about the news that Jesus can restore lost, condemned sinners to God. No longer do we have to face our Creator as our Judge who rightly condemns us, but through faith in Christ the Creator is now our gracious Father.
There is nothing sociopathic about this, but only a true recognition of God's justice, our sinfulness that deserves condemnation, and God's grace and mercy offered through the eternal Son he sent in our flesh, as the second Adam, who succeeded where Adam (and us in him) failed.
You do a great job in fighting these false teachers that bring shame to Christians, but even more so to Christ.
I sent your interview with Pastor Todd on Issues, Etc. to some of the members in our broadcast media. You bring so much respectability in your defense against the false teachers.
Keep up the great job!
If you choose, you can go ahead and leave my blog post on page two of the letters that Camping may write.
You may take off my request to have it removed. Might as well leave it on. Camping deserves the ridicule.
"kill ... I wound ... I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh." -- Deuteronomy 32:39-42
Estimated number of deaths God is accounted for in the bible: 25million.
Satan: 10
Although of course i can't complain... because if i did God would kill me!
See chapter 22, Num 16:49, as 15,000 people are MURDERED for having an opinion.
People can have biased opinions, and be wrong, but figures don't lie, and these (and more) come straight from the bible.
Enjoy your peaceful religion!
"Let's just make sure we're throwing stones at the fallicy of these types of predictions - and the "theology" of doing such - and not at the man himself."
Not at the man himself? Since when does God separate the sin from the sinner?