Bbc news harold camping biography

Christian leaders around the world denounced the warning.

He and his wife retreated to a motel after October 2011 passed without the apocalypse.

"We realise that many people are hoping they will know the date of Christ's return," Camping wrote in March 2012, apologising to followers.

"We humbly acknowledge we were wrong about the timing."

Camping, who lived for many years in a suburb of Oakland, California and wrote 30 books and pamphlets, is survived by his wife of 71 years, Family Radio Network said in a statement.

"We know that each of us remain in God's hand, and God is the One who knows our appointed time to leave our earthly body behind," the statement said.

The evangelical broadcaster who left followers crestfallen by his failed prediction that last Saturday would be Judgement Day says he miscalculated.

Harold Camping said it had "dawned" on him that God would spare humanity "hell on Earth for five months" and the apocalypse would happen on 21 October.

Mr Camping said he felt "terrible" about his mistake.

But he said he could not give financial advice to those who spent their life savings in the belief the end was nigh.

Mr Camping had predicted that on 21 May, true believers would be swept up to heaven while a giant earthquake would bring destruction for those left behind.

His independent ministry, Family Radio International, spent millions of dollars on broadcasts, billboards and campaign vehicles to publicise the prediction.

Some followers donated their life savings or simply gave away their worldly possessions as the day approached.

Many expressed bewilderment and shock as the day came and went with no sign of the global cataclysm.

"I've been mocked and scoffed and cursed at," said Jeff Hopkins, a retired TV producer in New York state who spent some of his savings customising his car to showcase Mr Camping's warning.

"It's like getting slapped in the face."

Who was Harold Camping?

Harold EgbertCamping was an AmericanChristianradio broadcaster, author and evangelist.

In October 2011, he retired from activebroadcastingfollowing a stroke, but stillmaintained a role at FamilyRadiountil his death.

Harold Camping, 89, predicts that Jesus Christ will return to earth on Saturday and true believers will be swept up, or "raptured", to heaven.

He has used broadcasts and billboards to publicise his ideas.

He says biblical texts indicate that a giant earthquake on Saturday will mark the start of the world's destruction, and that by 21 October all non-believers will be dead.

Mr Camping has predicted an apocalypse once before, in 1994, though followers now say that only referred to an intermediary stage.

"We learn from the Bible that Holy God plans to rescue about 200 million people," says a text on the website of Mr Camping's network, Family Radio Worldwide.

Camping is notable for issuingmultiplefailedpredictions of dates for the End Times, whichtemporarilygained him a globalfollowing and millions of dollars of donations.

Camping predicted that JesusChristwouldreturn to Earth on May 21, 2011, whereupon the savedwould be taken up to heaven in the rapture, and that therewouldfollow five months of fire, brimstone and plagues on Earth, with millions of peopledying each day, culminating on October 21, 2011, with the finaldestruction of the world.

He had previouslypredicted that Judgment Day wouldoccur on or aboutSeptember 6, 1994.

His prediction for May 21, 2011, was widely reported, in part because of a large-scale publicitycampaign by Family Radio, and it promptedridicule from atheistorganizations and rebuttals from Christian organizations.

Born

Jul 19, 1921
Colorado

Spouses

Religion

Nationality

Profession

Education

• University of California, Berkeley

Lived in

Died

Dec 15, 2013
Alameda

Edit

US atheists are holding parties in response to an evangelical broadcaster's prediction that Saturday will be "judgement day".

The Rapture After Party in North Carolina - "the best damned party in NC" - is among the planned events.