With the extensive advertising campaign alleging the “Judgement Day” and the “End of the World” prophecies for May 21, 2011, one question is being asked: who is Harold Camping, the man behind these bold, and in some eyes, outrageous, predictions?
Harold Camping, whose full name is Harold Egbert Camping, will turn 90 years old this year in July. He is a radio broadcaster and president of Family Radio, which is based in Oakland, California and boasts more than 150 outlets in the United States.
Born in Colorado, Harold Camping moved to California when young and got a degree in Civil Engineering from University of California, Berkeley. In 1958, along with Christian friends, Harold Camping purchased a FM radio station in San Francisco to broadcast Christian gospel. This would later become Family Radio, which expanded throughout the country by acquiring FM and AM radio stations.
Camping is not new to predictions. In fact, he had predicted a “End of the World” earlier in 1994. His book “1994?” was published in 1992. His current prediction, the one that has gotten most media coverage, is that “Rapture” will be on May 21, 2011.
Harold Camping and Family Radio are not without critics, however. One of the critics, Got Questions Ministries published an article critical of Camping’s “End of the World” prophesies and have opposed Camping’s teachings, explaining that his entire method of Bible interpretation is flawed.
But in any case, Family Radio’s and Harold Camping’s massive and elaborate advertising campaigns have sparked a lot of interest and gained media and public attention.
