May 22 and Beyond/The Aftermath (part four)

"God left all the churches in 1988, leaving satan to rule those institutions"

The above statement was reportedly made by Harold Camping. Did he really say it? Take a look at the following website and judge for yourself. 

Harold Camping predicts the end of the world. Again. - CSMonitor.com

While I do not agree with their theology (Christian Science Monitor) and had just stumbled upon their own articles about Harold Camping's end time predictions, I found it interesting, especially about that statement that he was reported to have made about God leaving the church. So I went looking for other resources not only for that particular one but any other of his beliefs that do not line up with the Bible and/or are just plain ridiculous

I found that Wikipedia has some interesting research on it. 

Camping taught that all churches have become apostate and thus must be abandoned. He encouraged personal Bible study and listening to his Family Radio broadcasts.^[42][43]

Departing from the doctrine of eternal torment for the unsaved in a place called Hell, Camping taught annihilationism: that life will end and existence will cease for the unsaved soul.^[41]

• Departing from scriptural doctrines stating that no one can know the time of Christ's second coming, Camping taught (until 2011) that the exact time of the Rapture would be revealed sometime near the end of the world (as per the Daniel 12:9–13 prophecy).

The following came from Harold Camping, radio evangelist who predicted 2011 doomsday, dies at 92 - The Washington Post

A civil engineer by training, Mr. Camping was a self-taught and self-described Bible scholar who developed his end-of-world prophecies through complex mathematical calculations and, he said, “clues sprinkled throughout the Bible.”

“It is going to happen,” he told NPR in early May 2011. “There is no Plan B.”

This statement came from Doomsday minister Harold Camping dead at 92

Each weeknight, Camping would transmit his own biblical interpretations in a quivery monotone, clutching a worn Bible as he took listeners' calls. He first predicted the world would end on Sept. 6, 1994 and when it did not, Camping said it was off because of a mathematical error. Followers later said he was referring to the end of "the church age," a time human beings in Christian churches could be saved. Family Radio would never tell anyone what they should do with their belongings, and those who had fewer would cope, Camping said.

I found this statement interesting:

"We're not in the business of financial advice," he said. "We're in the business of telling people there's someone who you can maybe talk to, maybe pray to, and that's God."

But he also said that he wouldn't give away all his possessions ahead of Oct 21.

"I still have to live in a house, I still have to drive a car," he said. "What would be the value of that? If it is Judgment Day why would I give it away?"

My notes: So there we have some of the things reported that Camping believed. I guess since he said that God left the church, that we are to only do our own bible study according to what he says? Ahhh, sorry. I don't think so. I am especially appalled at the audacity of all of that. Admittedly, there are all too many so called churches where God isn't, and was not ever in them in the first place.  However, on the flip side, there are many all over the world where he can be found. And if we get right down to it, the church isn't in a church building. The church is the body of Christ as believers as a whole. A church building is where we go to learn about God and the bible. And many 'church buildings' teach that. And many don't teach anything that is truth, or teach very little truth, if that makes any sense. 

Plus, what about the Holy Spirit? Jesus-when he was ready to go back to his Father after had risen from the grave, said he was going away to his Father, but that the Comforter would come to teach them.

So, as far as Camping believed, he (the Holy Spirit) must have left the church in 1988 as well? Because, the Holy Spirt is part of the Godhead. You don't have one without the other two.

And that about the radio station not being in the business of giving financial advice. I find that a bit ludacris because billions of dollars went into that station to help finance it. If they weren't exactly asking for money, the people giving it were truly getting the message that they wanted and maybe should be giving to this ministry? And in the mean time, they were being bled dry, so it seems. 

What else can we know about this man Harold Camping? There is more. And some of it comes from the people that knew him best. So come back tomorrow, and I will continue on with what and who he was. 

Thanks for coming today. Have a blessed day!