Radio network reviews: Family Radio
Family Radio, a nonprofit, non-commercial Christian radio network, was founded in 1959 by Harold Camping. It began on FM radio station KEAR in San Francisco. It owns several stations around the country and produces programming that is broadcast in 40 different languages. It’s only source of income is listener donations.
Harold Camping was a member of the Christian Reformed Church. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1942 with a degree in Civil Engineering. He originally owned a construction firm, but he sold in the 1950′s. He now serves as Family Radio’s unpaid President and General Manager, and he lives off the money from that sale. In 1961, he became host of the Open Forum radio program, where listeners call in with questions about the Holy Scriptures.
He’s been studying the Bible for over 70 years. He studies it six to seven hours a day, and he will study it again for another hour or two right after his Open Forum program. He also uses mathematical equations to interpret the Scriptures.
Besides Open Forum, other programs aired on Family Radio are Family Bible Reading Fellowship, Story Time with Uncle Charlie (another Saturday morning childrens’ radio program produced by The Childrens’ Bible Hour up in Michigan), Family Bible Study, and Nightwatch. Previous programs aired on Family Radio have been Unshackled (a dramatized program produced at Chicago’s Pacific Garden Mission), Focus on the Family with Dr. James Dobson, Adventure Pals, a childrens’ radio program hosted by Miss Jean, and Danger is the Password, another Saturday morning childrens’ radio program. And of course they feature old-time hymns as well.
Even though I’m a Catholic, I first listened to Family Radio back in late 1995 and into part of 1996. I was mourning the death of my very favorite actress, Eva Gabor (who passed away on Fourth of July of ’95) at the time, and I was listening to these religious programs on the radio. I mainly listened to Unshackled because it dramatizes real people who’s lives have been destroyed by either drugs, alcohol, or have been in trouble with the law. They give their lives to God, their lives are completely changed, and they finally find true happiness.
I recently found out that this Harold Camping is nothing but a false prophet, a liar, and a false teacher. I switched on the Family Radio Saturday morning childrens’ radio program, Treasures from the Bible, and it mentioned May 21, 2011. A few weeks later on the same program, May 21, 2011 was mentioned again. Treasures from the Bible is hosted by Gunther Von Harringa (or affectionately known as “Mr. G.”) and is produced by Bible Ministries International of Delaware, Ohio.
He has said that the Rapture of the Church will take place on May 21, 2011, and that the world will come to an end exactly five months later on October 21. In 1992, he said that the world would end on September 6, 1994. Well that day came and went and nothing ever happened!
Besides predicting the end of the world in 2011, he has also said that:
The church age ended in 1988 or 1994.
The churches are now under the control of Satan.
He wants Christians to leave their churches.
Only Christians who leave their churches will be saved.
Nobody was saved between 1988 and 1994.
The Holy Spirit is no longer working in the churches.
None of this true. Jesus clearly told the Apostles that no one knows the day nor the hour of His return, nor do the angels in heaven. Nor do we know when the end of the world and the judgment will take place. We know it’s going to happen, but when, we don’t know. Only God knows.
Harold Camping needs to stop setting dates on when the world’s going to end, when Jesus is going to come again, and when the Judgment will happen. Contact Family Radio at www.familyradio.com and let them know that you will not support them and their false teachings. Pray that they will become true to the Scriptures. May 21, 2011 will come and go just like any other day. Don’t listen to Harold Camping.
Learn more about this author, Lisa Fagan.
