Today in history
On May 21, 2011 – Radio broadcaster Harold Camping predicted that the world would end on this date.
May 21, 2011, American Christian radio broadcaster Harold Camping predicted that the world would experience the Rapture, an event in which believers would be taken up to heaven, signaling the beginning of the end of the world. Camping, founder of Family Radio, a religious broadcasting network, used a complex set of numerological calculations based on biblical texts to arrive at the date. His prediction gained significant attention in the months leading up to May 21, with billboards, radio programs, and even caravans spreading the message that Judgment Day was imminent. Many of his followers sold their possessions, quit their jobs, and prepared for the world’s end, convinced that Camping's interpretation of Scripture was accurate.
When May 21 came and went without incident, the world watched as Camping and his followers faced widespread ridicule and disappointment. Initially, Camping claimed that a "spiritual" judgment had occurred on that date and that the physical destruction of the world would happen later, on October 21, 2011. However, that date also passed uneventfully. The failed prophecy damaged Camping’s credibility and sparked broader discussions about the dangers of date-setting in religious movements. He eventually acknowledged that he had been wrong and ceased making further predictions. The 2011 doomsday prediction remains a prominent example of how apocalyptic beliefs, fueled by media and charismatic leaders, can deeply affect the lives of believers and capture the public’s imagination.
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