FYI – Harold Camping doesn’t speak for us.

   May 21st came and went last weekend and in my opinion, it was a bit embarrassing for the great majority of Christianity. The ridicule against us, to some extent, is deserved. The old saying about “one bad apple…” is true. And this guy will not stop talking…he has postponed the date again until October 21st. You can listen to it here, its really unbelievable. Sadly, the church today is not unified enough to have a good system in place to responsibly shut down false teaching on a wide scale like it used to (Deut 18:21-22). (Sidenote – What should we do about that problem?) As a result…this kind of garbage actually gets out there and receives the kind of press it did. So. So. Sad. And Messy. Now for the cleanup…

The time for debate is over. It ended on May 22nd. (Although Camping is saying that his calculations were correct and Christ returned “spiritually”???) Unreal. So stiff-necked. He reminds me of myself  and my own justifications to prolong my misery in my own sins. But that’s besides the point. God help us all.

Anyhoo, for now, there is only one thing left for Mr. Harold to do…turn from the error of his ways. I agree with Dr. James White who has debated (and defeated) Harold Camping on many of his (quite numerous) hybrid teachings and is openly calling for Camping’s public repentance. Thank you Dr. White, you are a gift to the church. (You can read Dr. White’s eloquent letter here.)

So, as for those on the outside looking in through the window at this circus with your eye brow raised, what are you going to do? I guess many skeptics will laugh. Others may dig deeper into unbelief. Scoffers will turn away and some on the fence may be wondering, “Is any of that Bible credible?” as they walk away shaking their heads. And I understand why you might think along those lines, but before you go, can I have a word with you?

To debunk all of the teachings of Jesus Christ on the basis of his weakest (and nuttiest) representatives is just not rational. Its like refusing to watch the Tonight Show ever again because you didn’t like one obscure guest. Camping doesn’t speak for us. In fact, saying Camping represents Christianity is a bit like saying Osama Bin Laden represents you as a human simply because he is a human too. Does he represent you? No. That doesn’t logically follow. 

Instead, why not actually read some real scholarship? Why not wrestle with the text of the Bible yourself and dig deeper into Jesus’ actual words? (Matthew 24:36 might be a good place to start.) If you genuinely have questions, then you owe it to yourself to devote real time and energy to getting answers. Regardless of the madness last weekend…you still must make a decision about the one who claimed to be God, died on that cross, was raised from the dead and said He would return again (at the time of God’s choosing) to rule. You cannot be neutral about him, will you accept him or reject him?

As for me, I reserve the right to differentiate myself from loonies (even if they are so-called “bible-believers”). Every family has that crazy uncle, right? I guess Harold Camping is mine…whether I like it or not. Does your crazy uncle speak for you? No. As for me, I am still hanging with the other 99.999999999% of the rest of the family who actually have brains and are busy running the cleanup. They are normal folks really…well, most of them. So until the mess is straightened up around here, I’ll be at work. And if the Lord tarries…I’ll see most of you at the next family reunion.