The Most Bizarre Thing About The $72 Million Organization Promoting The End Of The World

Business Insider ^ | 05/20/2011 | Gus Lubin

[SeekAndFind]

All of the talk about the world ending on May 21 comes from one organization run by one man: Harold Camping's Family Radio.

At first glance it would seem that 89-year-old Camping is running the biggest scam the world has ever seen -- racking up donations from terrified believers around the world right up until 6 PM on May 21 when... the world doesn't end... and Camping and all of those donations vanish into thin air.

But here's the surprising thing.

Most of Family Radio's revenue -- generated almost entirely by donations -- is put back into advertising and broadcasting costs.

Although Family Radio is valued at $72 million in its latest financial statements the company claims to have around $1.5 million in cash, according to an profile by CNN. It pays $56 million just in FCC broadcasting licenses.

If this is a scam, then it's far more clever than your average fire-and-brimstone hotline. Or maybe it isn't a scam at all.

There's nothing scammy about the website.

Except for a small "Donate Online" button in the corner of the screen, the site is focused entirely on educating you about the coming apocalypse. There's even a FAQ on the site where Camping responds to lots of big questions, like "Doesn't the Bible say no man will know the end of times"? and "Didn't you predict the end of the world in 1994?"

[SeekAndFind]

What happens if May 21 ends and nothing occurs? Camping doesn't acknowledge this possibility:

The Biblical evidence is too overwhelming and specific to be wrong. Christ's people can look with great confidence to this date because God promises His "beloved" He will not come upon them as a thief in the night. God in His mercy has revealed the vital information needed to know the day. Judgment Day on May 21, 2011 will occur because the bible declares it. Anyone whom God has not saved will arrive at that day with no hope for salvation. God warns simply the "door will be shut."

[GeronL]

If he was a huge leftist he’d be treated as a hero.

Paul Ehrlich, Al Gore et al have been promoting Doomsday Cultism forever

[Bulgaricus1]

Sadly, people like Camping give Christians a bad name. NO one knows when Jesus will return except the Father! It is silly & foolish to make predictions like this which will not come true. It is not a good thing.

[Vermont Lt]

I will post my real response on Sunday. If you don’t hear from me....well, there ya have it.

[PaleoBob]

I think Camping did all this before in the 1990s, if I recall correctly.

Just did a big “Never mind” afterwards.

[melsec]

It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!

I suppose if people keep guessing they will be right one of these days!

Mel

[basil]

I’m just tuning in to this....so guess I don’t have long to wait. Isn’t tomorrow May 21?

[Second Amendment First]

My wife was traveling on business this week and received a copy of USA Today at the hotel (trash, we read the WSJ). On Wednesday FamilyRadio had a full page ad all about “Judgement Day”. I just can’t fathom how many get suckered into such idiocy.

[SeekAndFind]

Harold Camping wrote a farewell letter to his staff and followers. You can read it here:

http://money.cnn.com/news/economy/storysupplement/harold_camping/?iid=EL

[agere_contra]

It’ll be pretty funny if the world ended today instead.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: Isn’t tomorrow May 21?

Yes, and it will already be tomorrow in some parts of the world in a few hours after this post.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

I think Camping is 100% wrong. Jesus did say he would come as a thief in the night, and did not promise his “Beloved” no such exemption.

That being said, the tone of the article is one of the big problems that the Western world faces. They don’t believe anyone “really” believes. They think everyone is running a scam. They think is anyone can make a dime off of religion... well, isn’t that what religion and belief has always been about?

[HereInTheHeartland]

Let’s just hope “Campy” doesn’t a gun or some pills to ensure that tomorrow is for sure his his last day.

[SeekAndFind]

Take a look at Family Radio’s IRS filings here :

http://money.cnn.com/news/economy/storysupplement/family_radio/?iid=EL

[jda]

There IS one good thing about this whole thing: After May 21, FamilyRadio (not to be confused with American Family Radio, which is a solid, fundamentalist Christian organization)) should cease to exist - their leader and all of their supporters will either be gone or too embarrassed to come into the daylight (although they should have ceased to exist in 1994 when his first prophecy proved to be false).

[theDentist]

I’m wearing running shoes, blue jeans, a comfy Hawaiian shirt, and taking cigars with me... just in case.

[FourPeas]

Yep, amassing money when you think the world will end soon is a sure sign of something being amiss.

[ctdonath2]

Their website goes into great detail about why the “as a thief in the night” verses don’t apply. ...just as every such end-of-the-world prediction does, and is wrong about.

[DManA]

from terrified believers

How can a guy wrote a story about them and have so little insight into what they believe?

[Jim from C-Town]

I hope the World doesn't end tomorrow. I have tickets for the Ballgame with my oldest son and his preschool class. I would hate to miss it.