There has obviously been a lot of talk lately about the world ending and the group at Family Radio who traveled the country to warn people of the event that was scheduled to occur on May 21, 2011. I’m not here to give you all of the facts about the group, because chances are, you have already heard them. I do, however, want to talk about the dangers in spreading a message like this one and associating all Christians to it. Predictions like this can negatively impact Christianity and Christian causes more than people might realize.
For some that do not agree with the Biblical precepts of Christianity, the people at Family Radio might have given them more of a reason to think that Christian beliefs are all skewed. For others who do believe in Christianity, this might feel like an embarrassment. The reason for Family Radio’s massive amount of media coverage over the last few months was more likely the result of mockery, and less likely to be because of the media’s desire to spread a serious religious message.
We need to be careful about how we interpret the Bible’s messages. If Christianity loses its voice of credibility, why would anyone want to pay attention anymore? Jesus tells us, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father,” (Matthew: 36). “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him,” (Matthew: 44).
The story is not getting any better, either. The leader of this group, Harold Camping, is still saying that the world will end on October 21, 2011 and that it is too late for the nonbelievers.