By now you’ve heard that Family Radio president Harold Camping has made yet another prediction that a rapture will take place tomorrow and the world will end on October 21.
The idea is making an impact across the globe as the Vietnamese government tried to portray several thousand Hmong followers of Camping followers as orthodox Christians, Compass Direct reports.
Here’s a round-up of what some American evangelicals are saying about Camping’s predictions:
Ed Stetzer says “Yes … Jesus is coming back.”
I want to live ready in light of the soon return of Jesus, not acting like a nut because someone said he is coming back tomorrow. Honestly, I think that is part of why Jesus says, “no man knows the day or the hour.” It’s because we don’t have to think, “Jesus is coming! Look busy” because we have been living in light of his return.
Lee Grady of Charisma magazine doesn’t buy it.
There is urgency in the gospel, for sure, but it is not about a countdown to the rapture. Hundreds of thousands of people die every day without Jesus, whether or not He returns in their generation. This alone should motivate us to avoid foolish distractions and false prophecies so we can get busy with the task of genuine evangelism.
Al Mohler says the church should not arrogantly set dates.
In Hebrews 9:28, we are taught that Christ will come a second time “to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” That is the faithful Christian response to the New Testament teachings about Christ’s coming. The church is not to be arrogantly setting dates, but instead to be eagerly waiting for him. Of that we can be truly certain.
Tim LaHaye says the prediction is bizarre and 100 percent wrong.
You can be sure the rapture will not occur when anyone sets a date because God wants us all to live every day as though Christ could come today. A great motto for daily living is PERHAPS TODAY. For one day it will happen and we don’t know when, but we don’t want you to be left behind!
Matthew Paul Turner isn’t laughing.
I’m not saying that I won’t Tweet a punch line or two. But my jokes won’t be personal attacks on the May 21st believers.
…Some of them will lose their faith and yet be unable to escape it. And some of them will go on like nothing happened and probably end up setting and believing in another “date”.
And there’s nothing funny about that…
@Xianity: APOCALYPSE: On May 21st, one of two things should end ; either the world or Harold Camping’s career as a prophet.
Check out CT’s previous coverage on Camping and end times predictions, including
Camping Misses End of World (October 24, 1994)
New Dispensation? Camping: ‘Leave Church’ (May 21, 2002)
Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is? (July 17, 1995)
Apocalypse Not (Christian History, August 8, 2008)
