23-05-2011 BBC News - 'Rapture' apocalypse pre…

21 May 2011 Last updated at 18:26 GMT

'Rapture' apocalypse prediction sparks atheist

reaction

COMMENTS (708)

US atheists are holding parties in response to an evangelical broadcaster's

prediction that Saturday will be "judgement day".

The Rapture After Party in North Carolina - "the best damned party in NC" - is among the
planned events.

Harold Camping, 89, predicts that Jesus Christ will return to earth on Saturday and true
believers will be swept up, or "raptured", to heaven.

He has used broadcasts and billboards to publicise his ideas.

He says biblical texts indicate that a giant earthquake on Saturday will mark the start of the
world's destruction, and that by 21 October all non-believers will be dead.

Mr Camping has predicted an apocalypse once before, in 1994, though followers now say
that only referred to an intermediary stage.

"We learn from the Bible that Holy God plans to rescue about 200 million people," says a
text on the website of Mr Camping's network, Family Radio Worldwide.

"On the first day of the Day of Judgment (May 21, 2011) they will be caught up (raptured)
into Heaven because God had great mercy for them."

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'Countdown to back-pedalling'
The Rapture After Party in Fayetteville, North Carolina, is a two-day event organised by the
Central North Carolina Atheists and Humanists.

"Though the absurdity of this claim is obvious to the majority of the world, it's a great
opportunity to highlight some of the most bizarre beliefs often put forth by religious
fundamentalists and raise awareness of the need for reason," said a posting about the party
on the group's website.

Atheists in Tacoma, Washington, have headed their celebration "countdown to back-

pedalling".

Events were also due to take place in Texas, Florida and California.

An atheist and entrepreneur from New Hampshire, Bart Centre, is enjoying a boost in
business for Eternal Earth-bound Pets, which he set up to look after the pets of those who
believe they will be raptured.

He has more than 250 clients who are paying up to $135 (£83) to have their pets picked up
and cared for after the rapture.

They would be disappointed twice, he told the Wall Street Journal. "Once because they
weren't raptured and again because I don't do refunds."

'No Plan B'

Meanwhile Mr Camping says he knows "without any shadow of a doubt" that "judgement
day" is arriving.

There is no "Plan B", he says.

His campaign has been unusually widely promoted - both in the US and overseas, including
in the Middle East.

In Vietnam, thousands of members of the Hmong ethnic minority gathered near the border
with Laos earlier this month to await the 21 May event, the Associated Press reported.

He said rolling earthquakes would occur at 1800 in the world's various time zones.

The internet has been alive with reactions as the apocalypse failed to materialise in various
countries.

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23-05-2011 BBC News - 'Rapture' apocalypse pre…
One early posting on Twitter read: "Harold Camping's 21st May Doomsday prediction fails;
No earthquake in New Zealand."

Your comments (708)

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Editors' Picks All Comments (708)

305. KnightShift
21ST MAIO 2011 - 16:02 +1
I am a Christian who has done extensive bible study all my life, and I
cannot make any sense of these predictions. Yes, Christ will return, but he
makes it quite clear that only the Father will know the day and time, not
some American preacher. It is sad that this kind of miss-understanding of
the bible gives such bad publicity to real Christianity and the true meaning
of the Gospel.

245. mt3ch
21ST MAIO 2011 - 14:41 +34
As a Christian I &, I am sure, the majority of Christians find these "end of
the world" predictions tedious & depressing. Sadly, it gets into the press
no matter how small they start out. I'm curious exactly how many believe
compared to the number of Christians who think it is hogwash. I think the
number of believers will be statistically negligible but it still gets all this
press attention.

180. Nick Payne

21ST MAIO 2011 - 13:35 +55
I'm a Christian and having great fun over this nonsense. The Bible is pretty
explicit in saying that nobody knows the day or the hour. When anybody
says they know when the end is happening, it is always about their ego
and never about God. Also fundamentalists always try to use fear and guilt
to coerce non believers... conversely Jesus used genuine love to convict
them. See you all tomorrow :-)

97. Malt
21ST MAIO 2011 - 12:08 -110
All you cynics posting here are going to look pretty damn stupid if this
prediction turns out to be correct! You can always console yourself that if
the prediction actually turns out to be correct, there'll as least be no-one
left to laugh at you...

93. Wellington11
21ST MAIO 2011 - 12:01 +125
Haha, I'm in Wellington New Zealand and we all seem to be fine.. it's
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23-05-2011
, g BBC News - 'Rapture' apocalypse pre…
almost May 22!

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