That's the point of all this publicity, to discredit Christianity.
It doesn't matter. The pagans like to laugh at us, this is for their benefit. True Christians know better.

I saw the Camping-sponsored billboards around town long before I heard the so-called publicity. So I respectfully disagree with you js, I think the wingnuts have to own this one.

Or are you saying Camping is a crypto-secular humanist?

Personally I admire millenarian religions that have the guts to stake it all on a particular date: Camping, the Mayans, Jim Jones, those tennis shoe comet guys. Far better than to gull people with the endless promise of some celestial rapture date that's always just around the corner...

Never mind that the whole idea of a rapture is nowhere to be found in the Bible. Given enough time even the biggest howlers become gospel. In a century the Tim Lahaye novels will be sacred texts.

Uh, I'm not in your town, Percy. Never heard of the guy til I saw him on CNN.

I still don't get your penchant for categorizing everyone who is not some degree of commie as a "wingnut". This guy sounds like a religious nut to me, not real political.

I can't buy into the Rapture either. Think about it: God sends His Son to die a horrible death to atone for US and we are just going to be whisked away, no suffering, no pain because we are just so darn good? Nope. The truth is, the greatest saints suffered horribly. That Joel Osteen "prosperity gospel" is so sad, so shallow. We should try to emulate Christ because He is Righteous and we should love righteousness, love and truth (GOD!). Emulating Christ or praying to get material prosperity, get into heaven or to get Raptured will have you floating around Purgatory for awhile (I do believe in Purgatory).

Percy,

My policy is not to debate God's word with non-believers. But, for the benefit of others reading this I want to mention that the rapture (harpazo, "calling up," in the New Testament) is clearly stated in scripture.

Furthermore, there are many events throughout God's word where the rapture is illustrated via the use of "types" that all point prophetically to the eventual actual event where Christ returns to call up his faithful.

But, please, the point of my post was only to ask that people not accuse true, Bible-believing Christians of believing the nonsense that Harold Camping puts out.

Dave