Sunday, May 22, 2011

Has Harold Camping been Raptured?

A BBC News article reports that 'Harold Camping has not been sighted since his failed prediction.'  Perhaps he's the only one who's gone ...

One of his followers, one Robert Fitzpatrick, who spent over $140,000 advertising this farcical prediction is quoted as saying, 'I do not understand why... I do not understand why nothing has happened.'  Let me explain something.

  • Matthew 24:36 (Jesus speaking, emphases mine, NIV) 'No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.'
  • If God the Father was unwilling to tell EVEN HIS SON when the end was coming, why on earth would he tell Harold Camping?
  •  Acts 1:6-7 (emphases mine, NIV) '[The apostles] asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Isreal?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority."
  • Harold Camping is not more important that the original apostles.  Even were he a modern-day apostle, which this debacle proves he is not, I doubt he would be higher up the pecking order than Peter.
It is time that people stopped believing in personalities, stopped listening to stuff that sounds exciting but is groundless, stopped jumping on spiritual band-waggons, stopped being 'blown here and there by every wind of teaching...'  (Ephesians 4:14, NIV).  Instead, follow Jesus, know the truth, persevere, grow up.

Not everything you hear from the pulpit is sound teaching.  How can you know what is sound if you have nothing to measure it by?  Read the Bible for yourself and get a broad understanding of it.  It is about down-to-earth living in relationship with our Heavenly Father who loves you better than you can understand, through all the trouble and strife your life may bring, as well as through the good stuff.  It is not (only) about Pie in the Sky.  As a start, you would do well to work through the E100 Bible Reading Challenge.  Read the Bible for yourself in a clear translation in your own, modern language.

I apologise that this article, which has been a bit of a rant, is less gracious than my usual style.  I also point out that my attitude does not necessarily reflect that of any other organisation I may have referred to here.