Originally posted by another user
A BARMY Californian preacher has revised his apocalyptic prophecy — saying he was off by five months and the Earth actually will be obliterated on October 21.
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Blunder... Harold Camping
Harold Camping had predicted that 200 million Christians would be taken to heaven on May 21 — last Saturday — and a massive earthquake would mean the end of the world and mankind.
But as millions across the world might have noticed, his prediction did not come true.
Now he says he felt so terrible when his doomsday message proved false that he left home and took refuge in a motel with his wife.
Camping apologised for not having the dates "worked out as accurately as I could have".
He said that after chatting with a pal over the weekend it dawned on him that May 21 had been a day on which the whole world is judged.
The world will be completely destroyed in five months' time when the apocalypse comes, is his latest prediction.
He said: "We've always said May 21 was the day, but we didn't understand altogether the spiritual meaning.
"The fact is there is only one kind of people who will ascend into heaven ... if God has saved them they're going to be caught up."
The news did not go down well with his followers with many fuming that the end of the world did not take place.
Follower Jeff Hopkins spent a good deal of his own retirement savings on gas money to power his car so people would see its ominous lighted sign showcasing the May 21 warning.
As the day drew nearer, Hopkins made the 100-mile round trip from Long Island to New York City twice a day, spending at least £10 on gas each trip.
Hopkins, 52, said: "I've been mocked and scoffed and cursed at and I've been through a lot with this lighted sign on top of my car."
The former television producer said: "I was doing what I've been instructed to do through the Bible, but now I've been stymied.
"It's like getting slapped in the face."
It's not the first time the 89-year-old retired civil engineer has been dismissed by the Christian mainstream and forced to explain when his prediction didn't come to pass.
Camping also prophesied the Apocalypse would come in 1994, but said later that didn't happen then because of a mathematical error.