Doomsday Minister Harold Camping Dies

Preacher famous for predicting the end of the world died in his home

  • Share
  • Read Later

Harold Camping, the California preacher and radio host who frequently predicted the end of the world was near, died on Sunday. He was 92 and died at home after being hospitalized following a fall, the Associated Press reports.

Camping is best known for using his radio station, Family Radio International, to convince people that the end of the world — or the “Rapture” — was coming on May 21, 2011. When that didn’t happen, he recalculated and predicted the world would end on Oct. 11, 2011. But that also didn’t happen. After that, Camping posted a message on his website telling followers that he did not know if the world was ending soon, and would not make more predictions.

Camping’s predictions famously raised millions of dollars from donors to spread the message. His ministry bought over ads for 5,000 billboards and 20 RVs to warn about the end of the world. Many of Camping’s followers quit their jobs to prepare for the end of the world.

Camping was sorry that his prophecy did not unfold, and subsequently left his home with his wife to take refugee in a hotel, the AP reports.

Over his lifetime, Camping wrote about 30 books and booklets. Camping is survived by a wife of 71 years.

[AP]