Harold Camping : Doomsday preacher doomed again!

The following represent the views of the author and not IBTimes.

Harold Camping stunned the world a second time. He was like a bear that has just awakened from a 17 year hibernation period ready to redeem his once lost credibility.

The world stood both anxiously and in awe while awaiting "Doomsday" to take place on May 21, 2011. Lo and behold, the day passed and the world still awaits the end of the world.

The world patiently waited for a statement from the "doomsday will come, without a shadow of a doubt," preacher, Harold Camping. IBTimes, who came by to interview the preacher Sunday night, just managed to get a "he needed more time to think and to recover before he would speak publicly" remark.

To the dismay of many, instead of apologizing for another miscalculation, or to the families of those who took his prediction seriously and plunged into their own death because they dreaded the rapture, he picks a NEW doomsday date - October 21, 2011.

What is it with predicting when the world would end anyway? Who would benefit from knowing exactly when it would happen? Why is there a need to know the exact time and day? Is it for the purpose of preparing for that day a week before? A month before? A year before and so on?

People are turning to different religious sects now because the signs that the world is about to end is written in the holy bible and non-believers are gradually flocking to churches to seek refuge by learning what they ought to expect when the so-called rapture happens.

It is a known fact that the basis of most religions is The Holy Bible and, if you are to look at judgment day in a biblical perspective, it was clearly stated in Matthew 24: 26 - that, "No one knows when that day or hour will come. Even the angels in heaven and the Son don't know. Only the Father knows."

If it is written in the scriptures that "only the Father knows" and, preachers like Camping, et al, seem to have a fixation for predicting dates of when the world would end, doesn't this qualify as blasphemy? "Only the Father knows" - so giving out a date is short of saying that I know because, I am the father? Although they do not directly claim that they are (unlike some preachers who claim that they are the son of God) then what they are doing is a clear mockery of what is written in this sacred book.

Harold Camping has been erroneously predicting the end of the world for over a decade now but, his May 21, 2011 prediction was definitely well advertised/publicized thus, created quite an impact especially to those who are not active members of any religious group, thus, are not spiritually secured about the fact that there is no exact date or, probably they are just unsure about whether they would qualify to be part of the ones who would be spared or not.

Thanks to Camping's followers and staff, who helped solicit funds to advertise well this time around, he is now a top ranking celebrity - the most popular false prophet recorded in history perhaps? Because of this false May 21 Doomsday predictions and the stress that his rapture theory has caused, he now has the blood of a number of people in his hands because they took this prediction seriously and opted to end their lives rather than experience the rapture.

These suicides don't seem to bother Camping at all. If you are one of those who still believe in Camping's new doomsday date, then I think you should definitely continue on reading.

Camping also made a statement that "judgment did happen. His only mistake, he said, was thinking the judgment was physical when in fact it was spiritual." When will this deception end?

Isn't it a fact that the ones who are deceived by preachers (like Camping), who seem to have a fixation for smart-guessing when the end of the world would be, causing havoc to humanity, are those who live a life of sin and don't care about what the bible tells us until now that the written signs of the end of the world is evident?

Well enough is enough! Here are a few points to ponder on about judgment day, the rapture, and the end of the world. These are reasons why I am not at all bothered by Camping's false predictions.

I attended different churches searching for answers to my endless questions about life, religion and society and believe me it was an interesting journey.

I found one church that has an award winning and renowned preacher that didn't capitalize on the contributions of its members for personal use (unlike pastors that have become filthy rich) but, this preacher was given the title, "the most sensible preacher of our time" simply because he is well versed about the teachings in the bible. He objectively discusses facts, amazingly answers questions with passages in the bible extemporaneously and in a biblical perspective.

Some of the things that made sense that I learned I would share in a non-preachy manner since I do not have neither the authority nor the credibility to do so. These are laid out facts, some passages that enlightened and helped me stay calm during the time that Camping's claims and statements disrupted the equilibrium of life for those who were deceived by him, and my opinion.

Although the Holy Bible has been criticized for its authenticity, there are a number of things that would make you think otherwise. I will share just three (3) things that struck me about the bible's authenticity (on top of relics and artifacts discovered):

1. The bible was written centuries ago and yet it already contains information about FINGERPRINTS even long before science discovered that it is impossible for 2 people have the same fingerprints - not even identical twins.

(Job 37: 7) "He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work."

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Job-37-7/

2. The bible also talks about the world being round long before man, who initially thought that the world was flat, was able to confirm that it was indeed round.

(Isaiah 40: 22) [It is] he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof [are] as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Isaiah-40-22/

3. There are no contradicting statements in the bible.

Now that people are turning to the scriptures for guidance, thanks to Camping and other false prophets' "booboo", and to things that science can't explain, only means that there are more people aware of the signs laid out for us below:

Matthew 24:4-14 (New King James Version)

⁴ And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. ⁶ And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all^[a]these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences,^[b] and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of sorrows.
⁹ "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. ¹⁰ And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. ¹¹ Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. ¹² And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But he who endures to the end shall be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Source: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+24%3A4-14&version=NKJV

2 Timothy 3:2-5 (New King James Version)

² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

Source: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20timothy%203:%202-5&version=NKJV

So obviously, a lot of what was stated has happened recently and is still happening hence, more people are worried about what's going to happen next. But why search for answers to questions about the end of the world now, or, what you need to do to be saved? Why weren't you concerned about this yesterday or a year before?

The times are hard now - recession here and there, a high unemployment rate in several countries, wars between countries all over the world ; natural calamities happening and claiming the lives of a number of people in other nations.

We should not be terrified of the end of the world or death at all. If you lived a life wherein you broke every rule or law given by God in this book, it is not too late. Even If you are still assuming the October 21,2011 doomsday date is correct then you still have roughly 5 months to completely overhaul your life.

Finding the preacher who preaches nothing but the true gospel of the kingdom in a biblical perspective could also help provide you with a security blanket. The end of the world is dependent on that preacher's accomplishments (Matthew 24: 14).

In the meantime, we should live one day at a time and just try to do as much good as you can to humanity, starting now! Live your days like it is your last day and that the world would end tomorrow, instead of relying on false prophets that the bible has warned us about.