I’ve been getting into published works about 2012 and I will soon be posting books about this topic on my site. As for now, I’ll be posting free electronic e-books about 2012 from professional researchers. The first of this series of posts is by Harold Camping and goes over the Biblical evidence. The book focuses on scripture and how the scripture tells us about the second coming of Christ in 2011 with Judgment/Doomsday in October 2011. The book does very well in explaining how these conclusions are met and allows the reader to come to their own conclusions. Its a good read for anyone interested in the Biblical aspect and does go into how one can save oneself from judgment. Here is a direct link to the PDF “We are Almost there” by Harold Camping.
“We are Almost There” by Harold Camping taken from FamilyRadio.com
Actually, this book say the date is in 2011. Specifically, the Rapture in May 2011, and the total end of this current universe (doomsday) in Oct. 2011.
I stand corrected. Thank you iGreg for that catch.
Hello,
One problem I have with the book “We’re Almost There” is that Mr. Camping assumes and does not prove that his Biblical Calendar is accurate.
In chapter 2, page 8, of his book “We Are Almost There”
(http://www.familyradio.com/graphical/literature/frame/) Mr. Camping writes, “As we carefully study the Bible, we discover that the world was created about 13,000 years ago.* The Bible is very precise, so when we harmonize the Biblical calendar with our modern calendar, we know that the year of creation was 11,013 B.C.”
Do you see the asterisk Mr. Camping placed after the word “ago”. This is very important. This asterisk directs us to the bottom of the page where he directs us to his proof that the world is about 13, 000 years old. This is what we find:
“* You are invited to send to Family Radio for the free book “Adam When?” that shows how the Bible provides this information.”
Mr. Camping uses his Biblical Calendar of history to project future dates such as the final judgment. Unfortunately, his proof of the calendar in “Adam When?” contains mathematical and logical errors, and is therefore invalid.
Since his original proof of the calendar is invalid, we know that his teachings that are based on this calendar, are also not to be trusted.
I would be happy to discuss the mathematical and logical fallacies that are found in Mr. Camping’s proof of the Biblical Calendar.
Some criticize people who reject the teachings of Mr. Camping without carefully reading his books. Well, I do carefully read Mr. Camping’s books, and believe that I can demonstrate clearly from the Bible several mathematical and logical errors that he makes.
For instance, Mr. Camping calls a person named in the Genealogies of Genesis 5 and 11 a Calendar Patriarch. He claims that a Calendar Patriarch must meet two conditions: 1. He must be born in the year the previous patriarch died. and 2. He must be directly descended from the previous Calendar Patriarch.
He admits there were exceptions to this pattern such as Adam, Seth, Noah, and Abraham. How does Mr. Camping defend this inconsistency in the Biblical Calendar? Here is what he writes, and notice the faulty mathematical logic that he uses to defend his Biblical calendar:
On page 58 of his book “Adam When? A Biblical Solution to the Timetable of Mankind” Mr. Camping wrote “At the beginning, men were comparatively scarce. Thus, it seems apparent that when Adam died, no one was born that year who was qualified to become the next reference patriarch. When Seth died 112 years later, the same situation prevailed.” He repeated this logic on page 59 where he wrote, “When Noah died 350 years after the flood, the same situation prevailed that existed when Adam died. Few people lived upon the earth and no one met the conditions required to become the next reference patriarch.” Then on page 63 where he summarized his calendar proof, he repeated the same logic when he wrote the following: “There were periods in history when the above rules for calendar keeping could not be strictly kept. Such was the situation at the beginning, when men first began to multiply on the earth. This was the situation at the flood of Noah’s day and the special time when God limited his people to the family of Abraham.”
Isn’t his explanation in these statements mathematically incorrect? Doesn’t his calendar specify that any calendar patriarch must be directly descended from the previous calendar patriarch? How does having a “comparatively scarce” population on the Earth during a patriarch’s lifetime make it more difficult for him to have a descendant born in the year of his death? Isn’t it true that the “comparatively scarce” population of the Earth would have nothing to do with his claim that Adam did not have a direct descendant born in the year of his death? Mr. Camping asserted that Adam’s 930 years was not enough time for him to have a direct descendant born in the year of his death because “men were comparatively scarce.” Isn’t his assertion wrong? Isn’t it true that the “comparatively scarce” population of the Earth would have nothing to do with his claim that Seth did not have a direct descendant born in the year of his death? He asserted that Seth’s 912 years was not enough time for a direct descendant to be born in the year of his death because, “men were comparatively scarce.” Isn’t his assertion wrong? Isn’t this especially strange logic since he teaches, with no reservations, that Levi, Kohath, and Amram each had a direct descendant born in the year they died? And didn’t they all live to be less than 140 years old?
Again, my question is: How does having a “comparatively scarce” population on the Earth during a patriarch’s lifetime make it more difficult for him to have a descendant born in the year of his death?
This is one of many, many, many, examples of Mr. Camping using flawed logic and flawed mathematics in his teaching. He disguises his errors by making his arguments so complex that few take the time to check his math. Adam’s descendants could easily have numbered over one million when he died at 930 years old. Mr. Camping’s suggestion that one of his male descendants would not be born in the year he died seems highly unlikely. In addition, Mr. Camping’s explanation that a scarce human population somehow rationalizes his conclusion is not valid. Even if there were 10 billion other people on the Earth when Adam and Eve were created, none of these people could produce a descendant of Adam, except Eve (or other intimate partner if Adam committed adultery or remarried after Eve’s death).
I would be happy to provide you with many more examples of Mr. Camping violating God’s laws of logic and mathematics. Mr. Camping needs to be held accountable for teaching doctrines contrary to the Bible, and contrary to God’s mathematical and logical truths.
Again, I can give you many more examples of Mr. Camping using mathematical and logical errors to prove his calendar, and would be happy to discuss this topic further
Marc
I find it curious that Harold Camping is the target of ridicule and defamation and that people abuse him because of his appearance and his unique teaching methods and his outlandish revelations about the Bible. Harold Camping brings a message that is completely adverse to conventionally established Church teachings. Many seminary educated professional Pastors and Ministers and others who preside in leadership positions within today’s established Church structure have taken a position that Mr. Camping is some sort of a misfit. Some have called him a lunatic and a charlatan. If you read the Bible carefully you’ll be surprised to learn that God almost never selected seminary-trained people to deliver His message or to carry out His divine plan. God chose Moses to deliver the nation of Israel out of Egypt. Was Moses a qualified individual to accept such a task when compared to the standards of today’s established church leaders? When God selected the man to slay the giant Goliath, did He select a man that was fit to carry out the task by today’s church standards? When God selected a man to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus’ coming He picked a man who was considered a crazy evangelist who lived in the wilderness. This man was John the Baptist. Today’s church leaders can be compared to the Pharisees and the Sadducees of Jesus’ time. That is to say, unless you were seminary trained and unless you were well connected in the established church, established church leaders would ignore and ridicule you and call you a fraud. Is Mr. Camping a modern day prophet? Is Mr. Camping God’s choice to reveal new revelations about how to interpret the Bible? Is Mr. Camping a modern day John the Baptist? You must judge this for yourself. As for me, it sounds like Mr. Camping fits the bill when it comes to the way God has always chosen His messengers. God never seems to pick people who were qualified and good looking and great speakers and great leaders like we see in most pulpits today. On the contrary, God picks those who reply upon Him and trust Him and not upon themselves, as do so many professional and established church leaders.
marc,
thank you for that information. please reveal more of these math and logic errors. thanks
joe
Yo Tony, what the hell? I used to be an avid listener of the OF and Family Radio until Camping started going off the deep end. I became a Jehovah’s Witness expert (never was one, but married one) and it took me TWO years to pull my wife break out and have her break free of that cult mentality. Mr. Camping is a cult leader. He is cut out of the same cloth from that jackass on 20/20 recently. I don’t recall his name, but he said the world would end on OR BEFORE June 12, 2008 - Hello - I’m still here! Camping also made a prediction and he was WRONG. What does God say about a prophet whose prophecy didn’t come true? That he’s a FALSE prophet (read Duet. 18:22). God said it I believe it, that settles it. It’s not rocket science. Camping predicted 1994 as the end of the world, now he’s at it again with 2011. The Watchtower also made predictions that the world will come to an end in 1875, then 1914, and 1925, 1941, 1975 (that was a biggie), tried again in 1992 (which started an internal uproar) so now they simply say “the end is near” - but keep it generic so they don’t look like jackasses again. Here’s the deal: These cults and cult leaders are dangerous and prey on folks that are insecure about their spiritual future and take control of their minds, money, time and most importantly their personal relationship with Jesus Christ and its so, so sad. And speaking of Jesus: He comes when he comes. The rapture and end of the world is none of our business. Besides, I’m in a win/win situation regardless of what happens. If I die tomorrow, I go to heaven. If Jesus comes tomorrow to take his church home I go to heaven without experiencing death. Either way, I’m happy (and secure). So instead on focusing on these clowns who try to manipulate people by telling them doomsday is around the corner, focus on the freedom that Jesus gave you through faith in him. When he died on the cross for you his last words were: “It is finished”. You’re sins have been paid for IN FULL and you have been redeemed by him taking your place. All your past, present and future sins are forgiven. Now go on with your life and spread the Gospel to the best of your ability. That’s it. And yes, it’s that simple. Below are a couple of interesting videos on how cults operate. Tell me if Camping doesn’t fit the bill!
Video One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4-Hms7bHqY (approx. 10min.)
Video Two (you may need google player which you can get at the link below: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/2919/wofjehovah.html (approx. 50min.)
God Bless,
Bruno
Thank you all for your responses.
In efforts to get the opinion of Harold Camping on this discussion, I have contacted a dear friend of mine which knows Mr. Camping personally and works for him on a full time basis. Here is a response to this discussion from my dear friend.
As you know, the “end time” issue is a scary one. No one wants to face it. In Noah’s time, the Bible says no one believed, except Noah’s family. The Bible also states that almost everyone in the world today will not believe that Jesus is coming to judge the world at the end time, there is a remnant who will believe. So, there is no surprise to see lots of people don’t believe. And believing in the Bible doesn’t hurt. If we humble before God, is there anyone laugh at us? may be. But if it is true that Jesus is coming and we are ready in our heart to see Him, then it may be well with us. For those who are not ready, then they will know what will happen to them. And if we are ready, and for some reason, for example Jesus does not come then you are not to die on May 21, 2011. But that is just a silly thought, the Bible confirmed that Jesus is coming.
Now about those who oppose Mr. C. There are hundreds and thousands of people both in the churches and in the world who are strongly opposing him, for many reasons. But look at all of the prophets in all time in history, people never liked none of them. People hated them; people hurt them; people imprisoned them, and most of them were killed by those who did not like to hear the message.
The Bible says whoever speak the truth of the Bible is a prophet. In a sense we are all prophets if we speak about the Bible. It happened that Mr. C. has a platform that is very large around the world, so as a modern prophet of the Bible, then no body likes him.
I agree if we look into the past. Mr. C. did make some mistakes. And that is how God wanted that Mr. must made those mistakes. But now at the very close to the end, God wants to correct those mistake so that we can see the truth. It is not mathematics that decides the day of the end time, but it is the whole Bible points to the day of the end time. Almost all people just want to jump to the conclusion that Mr. C made mistake or they can prove that they can do math. And all they do is to find the opposite idea or disagreement with the Bible. Bible does say about that, too.
Well, I encourage you to read again the book We Are Almost There, and compare to your Bible. Try to spend time to read the Scipture references. Don’t ignore the Words of the Bible, they are more important than whatever Mr. C wrote in his book. Don’t believe Mr. C. right away, rather check with your Bible to see may be something here that the God is speaking to you.
Even now, I study the Bible everyday, and I must say that I never understand the Bible like before, though I had 2 master degrees in theology. God is speaking clearly now about the end time and His process of judgment to the world. We must listen to God today. The Bible does not tell you to follow any one but God. Mr. C. though does not ask anyone to follow him or to join him as a cult, or to sell everything then giving to him before May, 21, 2011. In fact that he insists everyone to read the Bible and to believe in God only, and carefully listen to the message from the Bible about the end time. That’s all Mr. C. does.
I would like to thank our brother who gave a concise explanation about brother Camping on the above blog. It is true FR is faithful to the Bible.
I presume almost every body who believes in God wants to go to Heaven. But almost no one is willing to die. That is why the comming back of the Lord Jesus Christ is such a shokingly sad news for most “christians”. When FR proclaims May 21, 2011 to be that date for the Comming Back, 1988 the end of the church age, the Toungue movement and all the occults rampant in today’s churches is from Satan; and most of all the command “get out of the local congregations!” have sent a huge sesmic force through out the “churches”. It is absolutely logical to demonize Mr. Camping for all the mess resulted from his teachings. When true believes go out of these local congregations financial income, which I believe is one of the goals for the establishement of most ministries, will go down. This means the market for man made prosperity gospel will decline. Finally businesses established for this purpose will be closed. Unemployed pastors, decons, “prophets”…
I live in South Africa and we listen to Family Radio via AM and Short Wave radio broadcasts.
(Rev 14:7) Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
May the Lord have mercy on each one of us.
2011-greetings
johannes coetzee
Family Radio listener (South Africa)
Joe asked me to share more of Mr. Camping’s mathematical and logical errors. I am happy to do so. And I am happy to answer any questions regarding my views on Mr. Camping’s teachings.
Mr. Camping’s teachings can be very confusing, and it is hard for some people to see that his evidence for his Biblical Calendar, and his evidence for the timing of end time events is not valid.
An example of one of his most confusing and most convincing arguments is found in a chart on pages 469 and 470 [513-514 on the online edition
( http://www.timehasanend.org/ )] in his recent book Time Has An End. This chart is titled “Important Time Interval Relationships.” In this chart he lists 22 major Biblical events with the dates that they occurred according to his Biblical Calendar. In the bottom corner of the chart he lists the “spiritual numbers.” The “spiritual numbers” he lists are 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 100, 1000, 12, 13, 17, 23, 37, 40, and 43. Although he doesn’t list it here for some reason, Mr. Camping has also taught that 11 is a “spiritual number.” Mr. Camping also considers any number that is a product of “spiritual numbers” to be a “spiritual number.” For instance, the 344 years between Israel being divided and the end of Judah’s 70 year exile can be factored as 2×2×2×43. Thus, 344 is a “spiritually significant” number. Also, the number 5023 is considered a spiritually significant number that points us to the spiritually significant number 23.
Mr. Camping will be pointing out that 47 time intervals are “spiritual numbers.” He teaches that this is evidence that his calendar is of God. He doesn’t understand that this evidence is not valid for many reasons:
1. Many of his time intervals are miscalculated purposely. He claims God has authorized him to choose to calculate intervals between B.C. and A.D. dates by actual years or by actual years + 1 (which he labels inclusive (INCL)). This gives him double the possibility of arriving at a spiritually significant number for the time interval. If anyone is interested, I would be happy to explain why he claims he is authorized to do this, and why his claim that he is authorized to miscalculate time intervals is not biblical.
2. 18 of the 47 significant intervals were based on dates chosen by Mr. Camping for the very reason that they would give spiritually significant time intervals (1988: the end of the church age; 1994: the beginning of the latter rain; and 2011 the projected end of the world.) It would not be logical to purposely select 1988, 1994, and 2011, because they would yield spiritual time intervals, and then claim that these time intervals are evidence that the calendar is marvelously ordained of God.
3. Mr. Camping’s definition of a spiritual number is very broad and a high percent of total numbers. For instance, by Mr. Camping’s definition 71 out of the numbers 1 through 100 are significant numbers! We should not be amazed that many of the time intervals are also significant numbers. Finding such a time interval should not be considered a marvelous sign that God ordained the Biblical Calendar.
4. The total possible time intervals on Mr. Camping’s chart can be calculated using basic mathematics as follows: 21+20+19+18+17+16+15+14+13+12+11+10+9+8+7+6+5+4+3+2+1. This is 231 possible time intervals! [Don’t be amazed that 231 (3x7x11) is a spiritual number!] Mr. Camping only listed 47 of the 231 intervals as yielding a spiritual number. That means that Mr. Camping has not identified 184 time intervals as spiritual numbers! Isn’t that evidence that God did not ordain the calendar? For instance, he focuses on the fact that from creation to the end in 2011 is 13023 years and from creation to the end of the church age in 1988 is 13000 years. But from creation to the birth of Christ, according Mr. Camping’s calendar is 11006 years (not a spiritually significant number!) and from creation to the crucifixion is 11045 years (also not a significant number!). I would think that one would consider the birth of Christ and the crucifixion to be key Biblical events! It puzzles me how Mr. Camping claims that the 47 time intervals that yield spiritual numbers provide abundant evidence for his calendar, but the many, many important time intervals that do not give a spiritually significant number are not considered to be evidence that the calendar is not of God.
A person may think that Mr. Camping’s discovery of 47 significant time intervals within 22 Biblical events in his calendar is amazing. However, when we take the time to analyze the facts, we find this evidence does not support his claim that he has discovered a previously hidden Biblical Calendar. And when we carefully analyze the facts we find that this evidence does not support his prediction that 2011 is the end of the world.
Marc