End-of-the-world prophecy ends in parties, jokes

OAKLAND, California—Whew.

As the clock ran out on a much-hyped—and much-ridiculed—apocalyptic prediction, it appeared on Saturday that humankind had survived, with few if any signs of the end of the world.

Across America and around the globe, the deadline of the so-called “Rapture” arrived with little fanfare, and even fewer worthy souls ascending dramatically to heaven.

The prophecy by Harold Camping, an 89-year-old Christian radio entrepreneur, had gained traction in the popular imagination worldwide as a result of a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign, paid for and promoted by Family Radio International, a nonprofit network of more than 200 religious radio stations.

The media blitz included thousands of billboards and millions of pamphlets announcing in no uncertain terms that Judgment Day would start with powerful earthquakes at 6 p.m. on May 21, 2011, in each of the world’s regions.

Jokes percolate

As of late Saturday, however, planet Earth continued to spin in the cosmos as the jokes percolated through sports radio, comedy clubs and social networking sites.

At Family Radio’s headquarters near the Oakland airport, a crowd gathered at 6 p.m., mostly to party and poke fun.

Ed Holmes, who goes by Bishop Joey in the satirical group First Church of the Last Laugh, led several countdowns to Armageddon as revellers drank beer, danced and released helium balloons with blow-up dolls attached.

On the Internet, users also joked about creating a fake Rapture if Camping’s prediction did not pan out. On Twitter, nonbelievers suggested laying out old clothing and shoes on pavements and lawns to give the impression that someone had indeed been beamed up, or releasing inflatable dolls into the sky.

The Craigslist website ran tens of thousands of ads from nonbelievers offering to buy the worldly goods of those who think they were going to heaven.

The group American Atheists hosted Rapture parties around the country, but also warned of the danger of following Camping’s predictions.

“We’re hoping people look at this and learn to use their brains … so we don’t have an occurrence of this in 2012,” when some believe the Mayas predicted the Earth’s demise, said David Silverman, president of the US-based group.

No comment

Camping’s message has been broadcast in 61 languages. As Saturday drew nearer, followers reported that donations grew, allowing Family Radio to spend millions more on 5,000 additional billboards and 20 recreational vehicles plastered with the doomsday message.

Calls and e-mails to Camping and his group were not returned on Saturday.

Camping said he had calculated the exact day of the end of the world using a mathematical method involving various dates—and prophecies—derived from his reading of Scripture.

One of the first places to be hit, according to Camping, would be New Zealand—but 6 p.m. came and went with no earthquakes and little local media attention.

Test from God

Many followers, however, said the delay of Judgment Day was a further test from God to persevere in their faith.

“When you say something and it doesn’t happen, your pride is what’s hurt. But who needs pride? God said he resists the proud and gives grace to the humble,” said Family Radio’s special projects coordinator Michael Garcia, who spent Saturday morning praying and drinking two last cups of coffee with his wife at home in Alameda.

But Dave Nederhood, a pastor at Christian Reformed Church in Alameda, said he was particularly concerned about those who left their jobs and gave away their possessions in the days leading up to Saturday. Reports from New York Times News Service, AFP and AP