Does Harold Camping Have Alzheimer's?
The American public has questioned Christian broadcaster Harold Camping's mental stability as Oct. 21, the date of his fourth Rapture prediction approaches.
Harold Camping, 89, claims that the world will end in ten days. He originally declared May 21 to be doomsday, but retracted the statement when the Rapture did not occur.
He argued that May 21 was God’s spiritual judgment and that October would mark the physical end of the world.
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"God brought Judgment Day to the whole world. The whole world is on Judgment Day. It will continue to Oct. 21, 2011 and at that time the whole world will be destroyed," Camping said in a public address after the May 21 disappointment.
Opinions are abuzz in online chat forums. Camping’s fickle predictions have caused critics to wonder if perhaps, in his old age, Camping has started to lose his grip on reality.
WikiAnswers, YahooAnswers, and Twitter have all questioned the possible deterioration of Camping’s current mental state.
“Should Harold Camping be the poster child for Alzheimer’s and Dementia?" asked the Yahoo questions forum.
“Perhaps he has a touch of Alzheimer’s,” contended a CNN blogger.
“I don't think he is senile. He may have some mild paranoia or something, but he has been functioning with it for many years. I don't see him as a victim. Of course, he is feeling bad now. That is natural,” wrote one blogger on YahooAnswers.
Camping has been on American public radio since 1961.
After his May 21st failure, Camping told reporters he was “flabbergasted,” and remained secluded in his Alameda, Calif., home until May 23, when he held a press conference.
“Are you ready to shoot yourself or go on booze trip or whatever?" Camping said of people's questions to him during the press conference.
After his May 21 flub, Camping suffered a stroke in June, which many believe was a result of the immense amount of stress and pressure he endured due to the public reaction to his misjudgment.
“After a stroke, it is known that there is an increase in the production of the toxic amyloid beta peptides that are believed to cause Alzheimer’s disease,” wrote ScienceDaily.
“Family Radio,” Camping’s $70 million national radio show, told The Christian Post that they are not commenting on the new predicted Rapture date.
Critics remain skeptical of Camping, especially because he did not take responsibility for those who sold their possessions and savings based on his May 21 prediction.
“I don't have any responsibility. I don't have any responsibility of anybody's life. I'm only teaching the Bible. I'm simply saying, ‘This is what the Bible says,'" Camping announced.
"We at Family Radio never tell anyone what [to] do with their possessions. That's totally between them and God," he added.
Camping originally predicted the end of the world will include a Rapture of 200 million and natural disasters for multiple days, including fires, earthquakes, and plagues, before God destroys the world.
He has now changed his tune, predicting that the Oct. 21 Rapture will be quick and there will be “no pain” for non-believers.
