Harold Camping is a Lunatic
I got a call a few weeks back from a good friend who had listened to “Family Radio” on some station out of Camden, NJ. The teacher, Harold Camping, said a few things that made this young lady a bit worried.
I didn’t want to write this beacuse I really don’t want to give the guy any more publicity, but I’m worried that some of you have come across his teachings and perhaps not noticed. You can easily recognize his voice because he sounds very old and almost sounds like he has some speech problems going on. I’m not in anyway making fun of him, just trying to help you recognize his voice if you hear it (its certainly not a usual “broadcast” voice).
Anyway, this guy is a quack. Completely off the wall. Honestly, unless you are a Bible student and want to spend some time researching how stupid his ideas are, I wouldn’t even listen. He predicted the world would end in 1994, and now he is preaching its 2011. Apparently, the church is run by satan and everyone should flee from it.
Ok, enough of that. I just wanted to encourage you to change the channel if you hear a really old man with a funny voice talking about the Bible on “Family Radio”.
By the way, I picked up the video from Misty’s service tonight. I’ll have it available soon. It came out great. That will get its own post away from Mr. Camping…but not tonight. (I’m tired – its kinda late)
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Unless things have changed significantly in the last 19 years, Harold camping is (or at least was) the general manager (and owner? I may have that part wrong) of Family Radio. When we first moved into the area I started listening to him because I hadn’t been warned. It didn’t take long to become disgusted. what did it for me was that he had the audacity to say on the air that anyone who speaks in tongues is of the Devil, doing so by the power of Satan himself! Now – please – I get it that not everybody is Pentecostal, and that particular gift can freak eoole out if they aren’t familiar with it. That’s OK. But the way he handled it – speaking of (? fellow?) believers that way was completely unacceptable. I have boycotted the station ever since. There are some good alternatives. When the station manager is in error I wouldn’t trust any teaching promoted on that station. Just a thought…
I never listen to the radio, but this year I am devoting myself to keeping my mind filled with things of God. I tuned into Family Radio as other Christian friends had recommended, and, really, I could not listen to to the nonsense I was hearing. I tried a few times thinking maybe I was not hearing what he was saying. Maybe I missed something. When I mentioned it to a few people, they gave me a history of Harold Camping and then I understood why I couldn’t listen. I will think of it as God’s protection of my mind. Just another reminder why we must be in the Word daily so we know the difference when what we here is Truth or man.
Most mornings I wake up to family radio. Which is so strange, because I really can’t stand it. But I keep it on, ignore Camping’s little musings and listen to some really wonderful, serene old hymns (some are a bit Lawrence Welkish, but I prefer it over all the noise on some of the other Christian radio stations.
I’ve found some encouragement to start my day from Family Radio, minus what H.C. says, which usually just gives me a chuckle anyway.
If you know the word, you know Camping is off base. I mean, he wants everyone to leave the church, follow his teachings only and tithe only to his organization.
I guess I feel sorry for the vulnerable people who call in to the station with their questions, searching for answers. They are the ones we ought to really be in prayer for.
I’m looking for people who actually take him seriously — I know they exist, b/c I hear them call the open forum all the time. There must be some base of support given the nationwide reach of family radio and the number of stations they own.
If anyone reading this has had more intimate experiences with Camping, please contact me at rexpacificus@yahoo.com. I’m contemplating doing a research project about the history of his ministry and of family radio, and would like to keep in touch with his supporters as they approach May 21, 2011.
I have been calling his station for the past year and a half, and has never been able to develop a thought, especially if it disagrees with his position. I asked him if God is 3 distinct persons, how many thrones are in heaven? I told Him since Jesus is the Everlasting Father, then who is God, or the Holy Spirit according to Isaiah 9:6 and Philippians 2″9-11, and of course it’s a lenghty explanation, without a rebuttal! The ones on his programe who has some biblical insights are always cut off, and seldom mentioned by jis listeners, very few complain with substance!
Thank you for that comment — I’ve noticed myself how in the past year or so, after announcing a definitive date for the Rapture, Camping’s exegesis has become less focused on theological questions like the divine nature, and more so on the specific salvation plan that he finds in the Bible. Understandably, of course — if I were a first time listener I would certainly be more interested in hearing about the scriptural grounds for the end of the Church age and the coming Rapture, than about the relationship between the three persons of the Godhead. But I think in his desire to get the word out on his timeline, certain issues have unfortunately taken a back seat.
Re: Harold Camping, is it b/c his teachings are so different from the mainstream christian doctrines the reason you think he is a lunatic? If so, that is no reason to discredit his teachings.
I too was shocked and angry when I heard his teachings. I am still not certain about “2011″, but his teachings on church apostasy and people blindly following the teachings of old simply b/c they have been around for a long time made me at least compare his differences with traditionalists to come to my own decision.
My personal need to “know for myself” made me reaseach some of Campings teachings. My findings were that this: That the bible frequently talks about a “definite christian apostasy” as a precursor to christs return. I had never been taught this. I had never heard or been taught that at some point in time, without fail, their would be a mass “falling away from christian principles” by christians in the history of man, and that this occurence would be a precursor to Christ’s return. God knews that this would happen. He predicts it, and tells us in His word that it will happen before Christ returns. He tells us this as a sign. He tells us this to warn us so we will not be a party of it.
The great apostasy is a time when Christians will give up their strict christian walk. Christians will be more like “Christian-Lite”. Their adherence to God’s laws, teachings, principles, will soften, relax, go easy. Fear of being a strict hardcore christian is unappealing. Better to blend in and not offend.
If Christians don’t know this state of being “Christian-lite” is destined to come, and is linked to Christ return, then how would they know to react against it?
The bible clearly states the great apostasy will come right before christs return — so why aren’t bible teachers and evangelists looking for it? And if they see it, why aren’t they warning us about it? Why isnt anyone saying, Hey, when we see xyz happening, MAYBE we should examine whether this is the great apostasy?
No wonder Christians don’t know they are destined to go apostate. Their teachers don’t know it. If you knew you were a part of a group that was going down hill, would you try and extracate yourself from it?
Here are 3 scripture references that caused me to re-examine what was going on. I read and re-read them frequently because they are so big in content for me. After you have rad them, if you’re interested, let me know what they say to you. I am very interested in your point of view on this — hey, I could be wrong and worry about that too, but this I know for sure. There is a great apostasy, and it is eithr here, or coming, and no one in the churches is talking about that.
Scriptures:
1-Daniel 12:4, read this first to get a handle on the process that “as we get closer to THE END, God opens our knowledge to biblical passages that we have not fully understood before. D12:4 says, in the end, knowledge will increase. To me, that means, something different happens to our understanding when we get closer to the end. That goes against the standard “status quo” teachings in traditional religious studies. KNOWLEGE WILL INCREASE IN THE END, what does that mean?
2-2 Thess 2:1-12. Many biblical scriptures on “end times” refer to a “falling away”(the great apostasy)as a precursor to the end. 2 Thess 2-12 paints the picture of what happens:
(a) when we get close to the end;
(b)when satan rules the churches
(c)when satan fools all the church memebers into worshiping him b/c they think he’s the real deal.
When you read this chapter answer these questions:
1-what “time” in history does this chapter reference as the event that occurs.
2-”Who” is taken out of the way.
3-”who” is fooled in this set-up. “Why” were they duped.
3-Matt 7:22-23 says that the people who THINK they are christians will be surprised when they find out they are indeed not christians. What people could this scripture be talking about? Ask yourself the question, who are these people in Matt 7:22?
I hope I hear from you.
Stay away from Family radio and Harold Camping. I was involved in the early 90’s. take my world for it. Legalism, Phariseeism, judgmentalism, critcism all characterizes this ministry.
There is no repentance or sorrow on his part. be careful
HAROLD CAMPING IS A SENILE OLD FOOL I WOULDNT ELIEVE HIM IF HE TOLD ME THE SUN ROSE IN THE EAST EVERY MORNING. HE IS AS LIAR JUST LIKE CHARLIE TAZE AND MARY BAKER EDDY HE NEEDS TO BE BANNED FROM RADIO AND ALL HIS ERRONEOUS BOOKS CONFISCATED AND BURNED!!! HAROLD CAMPING IS AN UTTER DISGRACE HE IS A BLASPHEMER A LIAR AND A FALSE PROPHET
Wow it is pretty simple – Harold makes the dates up. He treats the Bible as a magical number book and with his inventive mind, he asserts a date that doesn’t exist. In Oakland the program department which he ultimately oversees, is planning to produce programs for May 22, May 23, May 24… you get the picture. He seems to have a split personality. Not sure he believes his own date. In private he admitted he could be wrong. It’s amazing how mixed up he is at this point. Why doesn’t another God fearing network take over these stations?
I’ve met him several times, he’s an imposing and extremely intelligent person who will never lose an argument, but I absolutely can’t believe that he’s had the audacity to repeat the 1994 thing, just with a new twist so it’ll have some fresh appeal. I’m not sure what motivates him, but he likes the massive attention he gets from these things, it keeps him going in his old age, and although he personally may not make money off it, Family Radio profits massively, and that’s what he does, it’s his life, so his life profits from the publicity and the fear of the people who hang on his every word like it’s their last hope. Every time he does this, he gets himself a following and massive piles of money to spend in his role as president and general manager. One of his closest colleagues, Gabriel Otero, said that Camping just does whatever he wants to do. So that money is his to spend.
Actually, Dania above has a good point. In addition to the book sales, people leaving their estates to Family Radio because there’s supposedly no future for their children anyway, and the many people who send in a lot of their money figuring there’s no point having any past May 21, he may want people out of the churches so he can get the money they would otherwise have given to the churches.
Also, sometimes I wonder if this guy is confusing the end of his life with the end of the world. He must think he’s Moses II, with the world’s end tied to his own likely end before long considering how old he is. And he had a triple-bypass in 1995, I’m actually surprised he’s still alive, and more surprised he’s able to continue doing all the things he does.
this camping guy is nuts!!! What about the guy who spent his life savings on all the billboards he should sue Camping and get his money back with interest !!! And they should not only remove him from the radio but find a looney bin to put him in as he is insane !!! A true mental case how would anyone in their right mind follow what this jerk says unless their as looney as he is ????? What old folks home did this guy escape from thats what I want to know would someone please tell me ??????????
Hope is the only medicine for the poor – promise them all, and they will seek you out. Camping knows that only too well………
Harold Camping is the poster child for senile dementia.