In May 2011, Harold Camping’s name became a household word in the US and many countries throughout the world. Up until then, he had been an obscure religious radio broadcaster and founder of a network of approximately 150 small, conservative religious radio stations named Family Radio Network (now officially called Family Stations, Inc.)
Although he had started out on his Open Forum radio show clear back in 1961 preaching a pretty standard “Reformed Church” theology, in recent decades his Bible interpretations had become increasingly idiosyncratic and increasingly controversial in some church circles. Although he had developed a loyal following among many in the Family Radio audience, his speculations and his personal theology were ignored at best and criticized vociferously at worst by many outside religious commentators.
Those who pay attention to fringe elements of the Wild World of Religion had been aware of Harold for quite some time. An earlier version of the profile of Harold on this Field Guide website, written in 2006, noted:
Camping is most famous in religious circles for two things: (1) A failed dogmatic teaching, promoted through his radio ministry and through his book 1994?, that Christ would return in 1994. (2) His current teaching, promoted bombastically by him since about 2002, that every single local church congregation on Earth has been abandoned by God, and that thus all true believers need to remove themselves from any church affiliation at all, as well as abandon any thought of taking part in baptisms or communion activities. At one point he recommended that they form “home fellowship groups” with likeminded believers, with no leadership of any kind (such as pastors, deacons, or elders) recognized. (While, of course, he strongly suggested that they continue to look to his teachings and broadcasts on Family Radio as authoritative.) But he now evidently recommends even against that. Individuals are to just worship privately at home—while, of course, still continuing to look to his teachings and broadcasts as their source of spiritual understanding. He has readjusted his speculation on the timing of the return of Christ (and has toned down the absolute dogmatism just a tiny bit) a number of times. He currently says:
“Surely, we must take into very serious consideration the likelihood that A.D. 2011 may be the year that ends this world's existence.”
But after his bombastic claims for the Return of Christ in 1994 failed miserably,
few expected him to stick his neck out as far as he did in early 2011! Rather than
continuing to tone down his dogmatism, he ramped it up to the ultimate degree… launching
a multi-
The scenario was described like this:
As sundown at the end of May 21 arrived at the International Date Line in the South Pacific, a giant earthquake would occur there. As the sun continued to set around the world in each time zone, the “rolling earthquake” would arrive also. This earthquake would herald the resurrection of the dead Christians of all ages. They would rise out of their graves, and join the living true Christians (mostly Harold’s followers, evidently) who would have their bodies “changed” as described in the Bible. Christ would return and catch them all up (“rapture” them) into the air to go to be with him in heaven.
By the time the sun set in the last time zone for May 21, all true Christians would
be gone from the earth, and every nation would be in devastation. This would trigger
five months of terrifying conditions on the earth, including more earthquakes, along
with famines and disease epidemics. At the end of the five months, on October 21,
God would then destroy the whole earth, along with every living thing on it, and
the “heavens” as well. Camping does not believe in an ever-
Since Camping believes in total predestination… that is, that God just arbitrarily has chosen who will be saved and who will be lost even before they were born, the purpose of his advertising campaign was not to get anyone to “repent” of their sins so that they could be saved. It wasn’t a warning. It was just an “announcement.”
This announcement was spread by voice over the airwaves, by individuals passing out
tracts in public places all over the world, by about 1200 large billboards across
the US and 2000 more in selected countries overseas … and most famously, as shown
in the photos above, by a fleet of RaptureMobiles, vehicles decked out as rolling
billboards that criss-
Family Radio itself reportedly invested over a million dollars in this publicity blitz. But that was augmented by many followers who “stepped out in faith” and gave up jobs, and sometimes homes–and even families–to dedicate their “final days” to being part of the volunteer publicity brigade.
Some liquidated their savings to pay for advertising materials–including one 60-
As the date got closer, the advertising blitz eventually caught the attention and fascination of much of the world’s media. Stories about the situation became daily fodder for major newspapers in the US and around the world, all the main US broadcast networks and Cable news networks, and magazines such as Time.
On May 7 an NPR radio show included an interview with Camping.
The interviewer asked, “So you’re not planning for May 22?”
“Absolutely not,” Camping says. “It is going to happen. There is no Plan B.”
I’ve asked a dozen of Camping’s followers the same question. Everyone said even entertaining the possibility that May 21 would come and go without event is an offense to God. They all hope they’ll be raptured. Some worry about being left behind.
“If I’m here on May 22, and I wake up, I’m going to be in hell,” says Brown. “And that’s where I don’t want to be. So there is going to be a May 22, and we don’t want to be here.”
But of course Harold Camping was “here” on Sunday, May 22, bewildered for a short while about the failure of his prophecy. That didn’t last long, though. Monday night, he was back on his Open Forum radio show, explaining to bewildered callers eager to hear the answer to “what happened??” that he had it all figured out now.
Judgment really had come on May 21. It was just “spiritual,” rather than something that could be seen with the eyes. God had just “closed the door” of salvation on that day. Everyone not already a Christian on that day would remain that way until October 21, and then be annihilated.
What about the earthquake predicted? That was a metaphor. What about Christ coming and rapturing the saints? Another metaphor. And the resurrection of the dead? Yes, another metaphor.
This wasn’t much comfort to those now without jobs and homes and savings, and with their families totally alienated from them because of their involvement with this strangeness. Even if they believed the “new” understanding that the Real End wouldn’t come for another five months, many were desperate for advice from their guru on how to put their lives back together so they could survive those five months!
So what advice did he give them?
Read a summary of his comments on Monday, June 23 on the Open Forum show in an open session with reporters, including this gem:
When confronted with the question of how to address his followers who spent their life savings thinking that the world would end on May 21… he says, “The fact is that just as I’m talking very candidly to you… please understand we don’t advise anybody what to do… we’re not in the business of financial advice. We had a great recession… there are lots of people that lost their jobs… their houses. Lots of people had this and that… and somehow they all survived. Maybe a cousin helped them or the city… some cases were very severe… I’ll tell ya, what has happened to the average person listening to Family Radio isn’t nearly as grievous. People cope. ”
That was his solution for the man who gave up his $140,000 life savings. “People cope.”
A Chronicle, as it happened, about this unfolding situation, is available in a series of posts on the Field Guide companion blog, Prophecy Panic Button. The first entry in the series was May 3, and the last June 28. Reading the entries in order will give you a front row seat to the drama. Included are news reports; posts by Camping followers on discussion forums before, during, and after the failure of the prophecy; commentary by the Field Guide webauthor, and more.
3. Wouldn’t Ya Like ta Be a Prophet Too?
You can read more about the history of Harold Camping leading up to his 2011 debacle on Wikipedia. A bibliography there provides many resources for further research.
A 1994 review of the book 1994? and evaluation of its impact on the Family Radio ministry gives more insight into Camping’s teachings.
Excerpt:
California-
The problem centers on Harold Camping -
Camping is causing problems for the organization that go far beyond general discomfort
with the book. Key ministry officials, who requested anonymity, told the JOURNAL
that he has used the network to promote 1994? without the authorization of Family
Radio's board of directors. "We've had battles with him before, during and after
this book came out," offers a ministry insider, "and Harold just won't listen. He
considers himself a modern-
Insiders claim that the contention among Camping, his nationwide staff of over 400,
and his board is undermining the entire ministry. "Everyone is in turmoil about his
1994 stand," says the high-
"We told him not to do that anymore," he sighs, "but he's a loose cannon."
[See the link above for the full article. ]
In spite of the failure of the 1994 predictions, Family Radio didn’t self-
Reports at the time of the failed May 21 prophecy indicated that perhaps up to 80% of the employees of the network actually didn’t believe his predictions, but merely stayed with the organization because it was their source of income.
For many weeks after the failure of that date, nothing seemed to have changed. Camping’s
90-
But on June 9, 2011, Camping, age 89 at the time, suffered a stroke which affected his verbal communication. At first Family Radio played repeats of old Open Forum shows at the regular time. But on June 23 the Associated Press reported that Family Radio had announced that the show would be replaced with new programming at the end of June. Harold had survived the stroke, and was at the time In a “nursing facility” receiving rehabilitation. But he was evidently not expected to be able to return to his microphone.
However, there is no indication on the Family Radio website that the management of the network intends to recant Camping’s October 21 prediction, nor revise the intent to not “preach the gospel” any more because … no one can be saved any more, so why bother? The plan was just to “encourage the flock” of people who were already Christian with uplifting music and messages about the goodness of God and such, to help them be patient until October.
Only time will tell if the network can survive the failure of the October 21 date that is sure to come.
For what may be the most complete overview and evaluation of the past history of Camping’s ministry and teachings available (which will not include the 2011 debacle), see Dangerous Airwaves, a book by Dr. James R. White. An introductory essay on the topic from 2002 by White is available on the Web.
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Careful effort has been made to give credit as clearly as possible to any specific material quoted or ideas extensively adapted from any one resource. Corrections and clarifications regarding citations for any source material are welcome, and will be promptly added to any sections which are found to be inadequately documented as to source.
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Harold Camping and His
Doomsday 2011
