Why did Harold Camping Say He Was Wrong About May 21?

The recent "I was wrong" letter from Harold Camping is indeed an encouraging development. I think though that perhaps the above picture is part of the reason for its motivation. There is a group of Camping's followers that are still at it, predicting the end of this world March 2012, coinciding with Purim (which began March 7, and ends March 8). The main voice from this group is Chris McCann. He was actually a featured speaker on Family Radio previously when the world ended, closely connected with Mr. Camping during the whole thing. Chris has stated the following about Mr. Camping's letter:

From: chris
Subject: [TimeandJudgment_May212011] Mr. Camping's letter
To: TimeandJudgment_May212011@yahoogroups.com
Date: Saturday, March 3, 2012, 12:07 PM

 Dear Time and Judgment,

Some of you may have heard, or certainly soon will hear that Mr.Camping has written a letter in which he makes the statement that he now believes 'no man knows' the day or hour of Christ's return.

The Time and Judgment group will not post this letter in this group, as we do not wish to partake in spreading this type of message which the Bible does not support.

Please allow me to make a suggestion regarding how we should react to this information: I believe we should listen to see if there are any Bible verses being offered as proof texts to this. The note itself just quoted the same verses we have been hearing for years which state 'no man knows the day or hour'. Since we have been addressing these very same verses for years and explaining to people (in the churches mostly) that you must compare these statements with all that the Bible has to say about the matter, the quoting of the very same verses as proof texts is simply not good enough.

So far, nothing new has been presented to prove 'no man knows'. Therefore the letter (as it stands)carries no weight with the child of God.

I would like to suggest that God has allowed (and fostered) this situation intentionally for His own purposes. I believe that the Lord has certainly heard over the years the many accusations against God's people that we follow a man (Mr.Camping)and not the Bible. Of course, this was never true for the elect. Mr. Camping followed the Word of God in a most faithful way for years, and as Mr. Camping followed the Word of God and taught it, the elect followed him (but really the faithful teaching of the Word of God). This is a difficult thing to draw a distinction between, therefore the accusations that God's people were following a man were often made. Once again, I think that God has developed this present situation in order to test His people and at the same time demonstrate to all the critics out there that God's people have always followed the Word of God and not man. What a better way to do it than to have the very same man, a man that has been more faithful and diligent than anyone alive, a man beloved by the people of God, and a man that taught himself all sorts of wonderful things never before understood from the Bible including the timeline of history, to have this same man make a statement contrary to the Bible in order to prove that the people of God have never really followed the man himself, by himself. But rather, have always followed the man as he had followed the Bible.

May the Lord grant us His Wisdom,
Chris

I'm only speculating about this new date being the possible reason for Mr. Camping's letter. I've been following this group for a bit. Perhaps this sort of connection might appear to take away some of the sincerity behind Mr. Camping's apology. That is, the shenanigans of this group provoked Mr. Camping and Family Radio to once and for all distance themselves from date setting. Perhaps. Personally, it doesn't really bother me if indeed this was one of the reasons. Sometimes people need to be pushed a little bit to do the right thing.