In Defense of Harold Camping
A lot of people are laughing at Harold Camping and his followers lately. In less than 48 hours Camping’s prediction will be proven wrong, but what I find interesting is Camping’s most fervent detractors are not atheists, but Christians. As an atheist, I have no problem laughing at Camping and his ridiculous beliefs, but Christians really have nothing to laugh about. For them it really is the crack pot calling the crack pot cracked.
Whenever the news covers Camping and his Rapture date, they always make sure to point out the Bible verse Matthew 24:43 in which Jesus tells a parable about how the end will come like a thief in the night, as if that settles the matter conclusively. The news isn’t the only people who believe that this one verse ends the debate. Few Christians have taken the time to actually find out what Camping says about this. But I have. 🙂
Like all Christians, whenever there is a verse that disagrees with their beliefs, Camping goes right to the “Context Argument.” On his website WeCanKnow.com, Camping explains that a careful analysis of this verse shows that it actually says that some people will know. He then quotes other verses to show that toward the end, God will inform some people of the date and time.
Of course, we can all see that Camping is just picking through the Bible to justify his ridiculous position, but isn’t that what all Christians do all the time with just about anything? Does Jesus believe in Peace? It depends on what verse you quote. For anyone who believes that Jesus was all about peace and love, all I should have to do is quote Mathew 10:34 and that should settle the argument. Jesus did not come to bring peace. He came with a sword! Case closed right? Not according to all the Christians who will insist that I took that verse out of context, misinterpreted what Jesus said, etc… just like they are doing with Camping.
What I love about the super wacky Christians is that the slightly less wacky Christians become slightly more rational for a short period of time and in a way it exposes their own wackiness. Harold Camping is wrong about his Rapture prediction not because one Bible verse out of context refutes him, but because the whole idea of a Rapture is absurd and ridiculous. But I have to defend his brand of ridiculousness to expose that whole ridiculous belief system and the hypocrisy of his religious detractors.
Don’t forget to get your Rapture Survivor shirts and Bumper Stickers at RaptureSurvivor.com.
Related articles
- Congratulations, You are a Rapture Survivor! (rapturesurvivor.com)
- The Rapture according to Harold Camping (fellowshiproom.org)
- Harold’s Hogwash (godsmustardseed.com)
- Harold Camping meets the Not So Amazing Facts (thebiblerunner.wordpress.com)
- Harold Camping Says It’s the End of the World. He’s Said that Before (time.com)
- Rapture Madness, Over and Over and Over Again (debunkingchristianity.blogspot.com)
Filed under: context, delusion, End of Days, End of the World, prophecies, Religious Manipulation, The Rapture