Blah Rapture

So, Harold Camping helped fulfill a prophecy. Just not the one he meant to help fulfill.

"Many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many." Matthew 24:11.

Camping doesn't call himself a prophet. He is apparently much too modest. But he's not too modest to make it his profession to preach for personal gain. Nor is he too modest to set himself up as an authority on something God clearly said no one can know.

And what is a prediction of the Second Coming other than a prophecy?

This was a good opportunity to teach our children: if anyone ever tries to tell you when the Second Coming will be, you can automatically know they are wrong. Christ was clear about this. "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" Matthew 24:36.

It was also a good opportunity to teach them how important it is to read and know the scriptures for themselves, so they will be less vulnerable to deception.

"If any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. . . .Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not" Matthew 24: 23-26.

Someone close to me said he had heard Camping talk, and he seemed to be sincere. He seemed to really believe it himself. This may be; however, as this person pointed out, this incident left many victims. And, as he and also some news articles I have read suggested, getting people to believe in something untrue can lessen, not build faith. And not just among those specific believers. It makes Christianity look bad.

It is a very popular thing these days to blame victims. How stupid they must have been to believe this, I hear on all sides. It may have been stupid, but most of us are stupid sometimes.

Is it stupid to believe in the Second Coming of Christ?

Is it stupid to believe what your ecclesiastical leaders tell you?

Is it stupid to act on the things you have faith in?

I know from experience that it is easy to get clouded thinking when you listen to someone charismatic, someone convincing, someone expert at turning things around.

Being vulnerable is something we, by definition, cannot help, right? We don't like to think about it, but we are all vulnerable in some way.

While I cannot personally imagine having sold my house or spent my money or euthanized a pet in anticipation of Saturday--actions some Camping believers took, I have forebears who sold their homes and gave up all their worldly possessions to "come to Zion." Would I have done the same as they did, had I lived in their time? I'd like to think I would.

Before we judge the victims, let's look at the perpetrator. I have never heard Camping speak or preach, so I may not be a fair judge. But if he is getting wealthy from preaching what he calls the gospel, to me that is a red flag. It means to me that he could have his own agenda, be it wealth or fame or power. If he has been benefiting in a worldly way--and the fact that he owns scores of radio shows and has been doing this for some thirty years indicates he may have--he may not be the best person to trust in spiritual matters.

What I can't get over is how he expected to pull this off. No matter how many believers he gathered, no matter how much publicity it brought, no matter how many dollars poured in, what would you say on May 22? Oops? Sorry?

It was also a good time to teach our children to not put their trust in man in place of God.

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs or thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. . .Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them" Matthew 7: 15-20.

Maybe he did really believe it himself. Maybe he has a delusional disorder. Maybe Camping himself is a victim of deception. I don't have enough information to know. I can only judge by the clues I have. I can see the ear-markings of fame, wealth, and power, which are worldly ambitions.

So, I ask you. Did promoting "the Rapture" do more good or more harm?