Oops! Make that October 21 Instead

Radio host changes course says world's end actually coming in Octoer

May 23 2011

Harold Camping, the 89 year-old religious fraud who has received and squandered a small fortune over the past 17 years by predicting the Rapture says his latest fiasco is just a slight misinterpretation, and judgement day will actually not come until Oct. 21, 2011.

It would seem, according to Harold, that May 21 was 'selection' day when all the chosen for the Rapture were designated, a sort of inventory of the righteous by Christ. There was no mention of those who will be born between now and Oct. 21 or those who might convert between now and then.

Five months from now, on Oct. 21, will be the date of the big lift-off into the sky. Camping says he's sorry for any inconveniences and economic losses incurred by his followers on account of his botched calculation.

Camping actually showed his face for a taping of his show ''Open Forum'' in Oakland, Calif., Monday, May 23, 2011. Camping says his prophecy that the world would end was off by five months because Judgment Day actually will come on October 21. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

As crestfallen followers of a California preacher who foresaw the world's end strained to find meaning in their lives, Harold Camping revised his apocalyptic prophecy Monday, saying he was off by five months and the Earth actually will be obliterated on Oct. 21.

Camping predicted that 200 million Christians would be taken to heaven Saturday before global cataclysm struck the planet. He said he felt terrible when his doomsday message did not come true so he left home and took refuge in a motel with his wife. His independent ministry, Family Radio International, spent millions _ some of it from donations made by followers _ on more than 5,000 billboards and 20 RVs plastered with the Judgment Day message.

The globe will be completely destroyed in five months, he said, when the apocalypse comes. But because God's judgment and salvation were completed on Saturday, there's no point in continuing to warn people about it, so his network will now just play Christian music and programs until the final end on Oct. 21.

Monday, rather than give his normal daily broadcast, Camping took questions as a part of his show, "Open Forum," which transmits his biblical interpretations via the group's radio stations, TV channels, satellite broadcasts and website.

Camping fully expects that there still will be many millions ready to go on October 21, 2011, and that more importantly, they will continue to send more donations to his ministry during the 5 month wait.