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Posted on 05/14/2011 7:03:25 AM PDT by flowerplough
Christian radio tycoon says the world will end May 21—and surprising numbers believe him.
Ralph Workman believes what he hears on Christian radio. He believes preacher and Family Radio chief Harold Camping is right about Judgment Day. He believes the world is coming to an end May 21, 2011.
An engineer at Boeing's avionics lab, Workman helps manage an RV caravan winding its way around the United States—from Indianapolis to Pittsburgh to Virginia—sharing the belief that biblical numbers point to the specific expiration date for the world. He also runs a website called eBible Fellowship, which distributes Camping's teachings. "I hope many people will get saved and God will have mercy like Nineveh, but most are just scoffers," Workman said. Even his wife does not agree with him on Camping's teaching.
The timing coincides with earthquakes, tsunamis, and Middle East turmoil, feeding greater than usual response to end-times predictions. It precedes the Mayan 2012 prediction, which broke into popular culture through the 2009 big budget movie 2012 . Theologians, former listeners, and skeptics warn that Camping's teaching is unbiblical, prediction off-base, and message harmful to followers. But many seem to be listening to Camping rather than his critics—funding ads, signs, and postings from Iceland to India, along with YouTube videos, some with more than 300,000 views and titles like "Rapture Soon," "Jesus Coming," and of course "May 21, 2011." Family Radio is sponsoring the caravan of four RVs, plastered with Camping's message, and has bought space on 1,000 billboards nationwide.
This is Camping's latest prediction after followers were disappointed in 1994, when he gave a range of dates.
(Excerpt) Read more at worldmag.com ...
Funny, it's been is the scriptures for Millennia...But then you guys don't even believe Millennium means Millennium...
Oh stop it. No one is saying he isn't free to believe what he wants, many of us are just pointing of his idiocy. This has gone on for as long as human beings have been around, it is not something new. When someone says dumb things it is the responsibility of others who know better to point it out so additional people don't follow charlatans.
There are all kinds of loony cults and false prophets around and we have a responsibility, in a free society, to teach and remind people that quacks exist and not to fall prey to them.
Your incredibly defensive and entirely wrong. Do you believe the world is about to end on May 21st?
You wrote:
“You’re missing the main point.”
No, I don’t think I did. Besides, did I say I was talking about his main point?
“You’re making too fine a distinction. Maccabees are not part of the Hebrew Bible, commonly known as the Old Testament.”
Sorry, that seems more like a Protestant claim than reality. Show me the Jewish canon as written in a Hebrew document BEFORE Christ walked the earth. Oh, that’s right. There isn’t one.
“That they were placed there in some canons is only because the events described therein took place before the events of the New Testament.”
Uh, buddy, EVERY BOOK OF THE OLD TESTAMENT describes events that “took place before the events of the New Testament.”
“The reference the author made was to an allusion that was particular to Greek/Roman times versus pre-Greek/Roman times in Biblical history. In this sense, then, Maccabbees are part of Greek/Roman times and the appearance of ‘parousia’ underscores the author’s point.”
Then you are clearly missing the point because this is the line I quoted and commented on:
Original comment: “He said the background for this word has no counterpart in OT scriptures...”
I said: “Nonsense. It’s right there in 2 Maccabees 8:12 and 15:21. That’s why people who have complete Bibles (unlike most Protestants) aren’t freaking out over all of this rapture nonsense.”
And now you’re saing: “In this sense, then, Maccabbees are part of Greek/Roman times and the appearance of ‘parousia’ underscores the author’s point.”
Which is of course EXACTLY WHAT I SAID: “It’s right there in 2 Maccabees 8:12 and 15:21.”
” You’re still missing the main point.”
Show me where I EVER SAID i was commenting on the main point.
The Protestant idea of Rapture is found nowhere in scripture. Even other Protestants don’t believe it’s there!
“If you feel more comfortable using the word HARPAZO instead of Rapture, simply reread 1Thes 4:17. .. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up (HARPAZO) together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” ~ Cvengr
“.....The teaching of two “second comings” of Jesus is not Biblical. As the Apostles’ Creed simply states, “From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.” On the mount of Ascension the angels told the disciples that He would come again in the same way they saw Him depart into heaven. Nowhere does the Bible teach two “second comings.” The language of 1 Thess. 4:17 does not allow for the “rapture” teaching. The phrase “to meet the Lord” literally means “to meet for the purpose of welcoming back.” The Greek phrase “to meet” ( eis apanthsin) is only used on four occasions in the New Testament. In each case it means to go out to meet for the purpose of welcoming. (See, for example, Acts 28:15.) ....”
Here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/981906/posts?page=3D22#22
It didn't really phase Charles Taze Russel, Joseph Smith et al.
vladimir998 wrote: “It would have to be more of a stretch since the “Rapture” is really little more than a 19th century creation.”
Iscool responded: Funny, it’s been is the scriptures for Millennia...But then you guys don’t even believe Millennium means Millennium...
In the “Scriptures”???
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2716739/posts?page=147#147
Sent this a while back to Camping:
Dear Mr Harold Camping,
I have a proposal for you.
Please exercise your faith by selling me everything you own for $1.
We can contract it so that I take possession on May 22, 2011.
According to your ‘prophecy’, you and all the other believers will have departed the Earth the day before, so you will have no need for your possessions any longer.
I am dead serious. I want your home(s), car(s), cash, investments, other real estate, contracts, account payable, securities, any position if leadership that you occupy, and any interest in any form of business (sole proprietor, non-profit, corporation).
If you refuse, then I must take that to mean that you don’t really believe your own words to be true, which would make you a false prophet.
Sincerely,
No need to read into Scripture what isn’t there.
Coming WITH the clouds is not the same as coming IN the clouds.
Of course it's found in the scripture...Why do you so many millions of people believe it???
Instead of ignore it, maybe you ought to figure out why people beleive it...
“No need to read into Scripture what isn’t there. Coming WITH the clouds is not the same as coming IN the clouds.” ~ Cvenger
That’s pretty funny. Dispies “read into Scripture what isn’t there”: two second comings.
“.....The teaching of two “second comings” of Jesus is not Biblical. As the Apostles’ Creed simply states, “From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.” On the mount of Ascension the angels told the disciples that He would come again in the same way they saw Him depart into heaven. Nowhere does the Bible teach two “second comings.” The language of 1 Thess. 4:17 does not allow for the “rapture” teaching. The phrase “to meet the Lord” literally means “to meet for the purpose of welcoming back.” The Greek phrase “to meet” ( eis apanthsin) is only used on four occasions in the New Testament. In each case it means to go out to meet for the purpose of welcoming. (See, for example, Acts 28:15.) ....”
Here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/981906/posts?page=3D22#22
Pretty good argument of 2 separate events, since the Day of the Lord is one of wrath and vengeance.
Hehe. I am guessing he didn't respond to your proposal.
These "date-setting" types are all charlatans. It is amazing to me that anyone ever believes them - especially when their predictions have already been wrong previously.
I am sure Camping left himself an out (already read someone pointed it out upthread) so that when he is wrong again he can make a bunch of excuses and many of his followers will continue wasting their time and money supporting him.
There is just no end to the amount of stupid in the world. Human nature is what it is and as such many people will continue falling for this sort of crap.
That is a common understanding among Reformed Christians, and what I expect will on that day.
Now this is really interesting...You have a heretic running in the 1st century speaking about the millenial reign of Jesus Christ and then the Apostle Paul was instructed to put the same event into the scriptures...
Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Cerinthus believed in the Millennial reign of Jesus; the Apostle John believed in the Millennial reign of Jesus and wrote it as scripture...And the religion who rejects the Millennial reign of Jesus even put it in their version of the scriptures and they claim it is false...
Guess I'll just ignore the History of Eusebius and believe the Apostle John...
This is my understanding as well (after attending pre-trib Evangelical schools and churches for much of my life). There is also a parallel in ancient Jewish wedding traditions (as indicated in a NT parable), where the bridesmaids go out to welcome the arriving groom and accompany him back for the wedding. This is a fitting parallel, as the Church is the Bride of Christ who awaits the coming of their Lord.
You are correct IMHO in noting that, after joining with the arriving notary/groom, the group returns from whence they came with their guest for a celebration. They do not disappear” in some secret Rapture for 7 years. Unfortunately this interpretation, soundly grounded in the history and culture of the Ancient Near East, supported by Jesus’ parable of the bridesmaids & their lanterns, and held by the Church since earliest times, has been rejected by most Evangelical and Pentecoastal Protestants in favor of a novel 19th century teaching by the leader of an obscure American sect.
I had many otherwise sound and good professors in Bible college who would not dare question the pre-Trib rapture Dogma, I suspect for fear of losing their jobs.
I remember Harold Camping setting dates back in the 1990’s. The man is shameless, and apparently has not learned from his errors. “Let not many of you become teachers, for such will receive a greater judgment...” I expect he will be ready with an “explanation” on May 22 as to why he is not wrong, and why everyone misinterpreted him.
It certainly does not...It means what is says...To meet...
You wrote:
“Of course it’s found in the scripture...Why do you so many millions of people believe it???”
For the same reason why hundreds of millions believe Hinduism is true - they’ve been hoodwinked by false prophets and teachers.
“Instead of ignore it, maybe you ought to figure out why people beleive it...”
I already know why. They’ve been hoodwinked by false prophets and teachers. It’s always the same reason.
Problem is: you are ignoring the fact that there is no biblical evidence of the Wedding taking place on Earth...There is however scripture telling us the Wedding will take place in Heaven...
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