This could be my last blog if..

This could will be my last blog ... IF the world is ending on 21st May, 2011 (tomorrow). Atleast that's what is being said, proved and published by a certain someone called "Harold Egbert Camping". There are many billboards across America stating the same. And he apparantly has calculated the date based on Biblical verses.

Surprisingly, he had previously predicted the end of the world in the year 1994, which as you are already aware, didn't happen. He explained the 'continuation' of the world citing mathematical mistake on his part. He has also been part of many other controversies. He goes on to say that he will be watching the end of the world on his TV !! A huge claim.

Harold Camping's Calculation: 

1. Its written in the Bible that there will be 7000 years gap between the flood that happened during Noah's time and the end of the world. God told Noah that he will destroy Earth in seven days. The flood, during Noah's time, destroyed everything on the Earth except for Noah and his family and 2 animals of each type since they were in protected in the Ark. 
2. In 2 Peter 3:8, it is written that one year is like a thousand years and thousand years are like one year for the LORD.
3. He claims that the first destructive flood happened in BC 4990.
4. Destroying Earth in 7 days and one day equivalent to a thousand years gave Camping the number 7000. And 7000 years later would be: -4990 + 7000 + 1 (to count the year 0) = 2011.
5. Also, the date May 21 has been calculated using various verses in the Bible.

Repercussions:

All this is adding fuel to the ever growing group of Atheists. They will definitely take this and prove it to the "religiously confused lot" that there is no God and no heaven / hell / after-life. Quite a sorry state of affair, I would say personally. There are billions of people in the world believing in God. They don't deserve such a bad publicity of their religion.

What I feel:

Image: www.christiannewstoday.com

I am not an expert, but I do read Bible regularly and try to understand to the best of my potential. I have my reasons not to believe what Harold Camping is claiming:

1. Bible never mentions any date regarding the end of the world. There will be an end eventually but when is to going to happen, no one knows. And no one is expected to know either. Not even Camping. Infact, in Mathew 24:3-4, Jesus told his disciples not to be misled when they asked him about the end of this world. Also, in Mathew 25:13, its clearly written that no one will know the date or hour of his return.
2. Camping uses the phrase from 2 Peter 3:8 to prove his theory. In the verse, an year is 'LIKE' a thousand years and thousand years are 'LIKE' a year for the LORD. The word used is ''LIKE', which means a year and a thousand years are similar, not the same, thereby proving this theory wrong !!
3. During Noah's time, floods happened in the year "BC 4990". I am not sure how did he, or for that matter, any historian calculated the exact year. Atleast, I have't heard of it.
4. After the devastating flood, God promised that there won't be a flood of such a magnitude. Genesis 9:8-11: I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.

I don't want to challenge Harold Camping. I don't have anything against him. I don't want to term it as rubbish, but just the way he proved that the world will end tomorrow, others, including me, are proving that he is incorrect.

However, if the world is actually ending tomorrow, let this be my last blog. Else, I will be back soon !!