End of the World Coming Friday? Doubtful...

So this Friday may be the end of the world, if you buy into the predictions of radio evangelist Harold Camping. That's what he's said, that the end of the whole physical world will be on Oct. 21.

No problems so far. And even Camping, who wrongly predicted that Judgment Day would come on May 21 with earthquakes and global chaos, is apparently shying away from his otherwise bold prediction.

According to Inside Bay Area Camping's phone has been disconnected, and a visitor to his Family Radio station in Alameda, California was rejected with no comment.

The 90-year-old Camping, who suffered a stroke after his May 21 prediction didn't occur, has treaded more lightly with this prediction, suggesting it may happen, or it may not -- God is unpredictable. Yet Camping has still been determined to do just that -- predict.

Camping's daughter, Susan Espinoa, responded to an e-mail from The Associated Press, according to a report, saying: I'm sorry to disappoint you, but we at Family Radio have been directed to not talk to the media or the press.

And that seems like a problem, since some might actually buy into Camping's theory. Seems that might deserve some insight, since today is the forecast day. That's a lot to throw on followers, if Camping has any.

Recently, Camping said in an announcement on his Family Radio Network Web site that he stands by his present prediction that the end of the world will come on Friday. By making calculations based on numerical codes from the Bible, Camping has computed the date for the end of the world in its totality as Oct. 21.

He also tried to explain his wrong prediction of the May 21 Judgment Day, saying that instead of physically shaking the Earth God shook mankind with fear.

All of mankind was shaken with fear. Indeed the Earth (or mankind) did quake in a way it had never before been shaken. God had come spiritually to bring judgment upon the whole world, Camping wrote on his Web site.

Camping also noted that since Judgment Day has passed, God is no longer saving souls. He -- not God but Camping -- suggests it's too late to do anything now, but wait for the end of the world. He said, however, that some, without their knowledge, may have become saved before May 21.

What really happened this past May 21? Camping wrote. What really happened is that God accomplished exactly what He wanted to happen. That was to warn the whole world that on May 21 God's salvation program would be finished on that day. For the next five months, except for the elect (the true believers), the whole world is under God's final judgment.

To accomplish this goal God withheld from the true believers the way in which two phrases were to be understood. Had He not done so, the world would never have been shaken in fear as it was.

But Friday, Camping said, the world will come to an end -- maybe.

Thus we can be sure that the whole world, with the exception of those who are presently saved (the elect), are under the judgment of God, and will be annihilated together with the whole physical world on October 21, 2011, on the last day of the present five months period, Camping writes. On that day the true believers (the elect) will be raptured. We must remember that only God knows who His elect are that He saved prior to May 21.

Here's a safe bet, however, that Camping is wrong, again. So far so good, anyway.