May 21: Doomsday?
For followers of radio preacher Harold Camping (pictured in December 2002), doomsday is expected to arrive tomorrow, May 21, 2011. The end-of-the-world prediction is just the latest in a line that stretches back centuries.
During the so-called rapture on May 21—said to be Judgment Day—Jesus Christ is predicted to return to Earth to gather the faithful into heaven, according to Camping, the founder of the independent ministry Family Radio Worldwide.
(Related: "2012: Six End-of-the-World Myths Debunked.")
The 89-year-old retired civil engineer has broadcast prophecies of the May 21 doomsday around the world, and his loosely organized flock has taken to the streets to spread the word. However, many in the Christian mainstream don't buy it, according to the Associated Press.
May 21 Doomsday Pictures: 11 End-of-the-World Predictions
Preacher Harold Camping isn't first to forecast the end of the world. His prophecy—that May 21 is doomsday—is part of an age-old tradition.
