On May 23, 10:23*pm, John T wrote:

Of course, as David Kaye mentioned in another thread, there remains
October 21st, so Camping seems to think that he can just pick up the
rhythm and march to it at least until then. We'll see.

What struck me from the news coverage was Camping's shrugging off any
responsibility for people who changed their economic position in
reliance on his prediction. "That's between them and God," he said.


Naturally, Camping blamed God for the failure, saying that Christ had
actually returned, but spiritually instead of physically. That sounds
quite familiar if you've ever studied the history of doomsday cults
and their failed predictions. In the face of contradicting reality,
they just say that it's spiritual, and you wouldn't understand unless
you take up their view of life and eternity. Done.

I remember reading a notable goalpost shift in a Martin Gardner book.
Here's the story from the Ontario (CA) Consultants on Religious
Tolerance:

"1914 was one of the more important estimates of the start of the war
of Armageddon by the Jehovah's Witnesses (Watchtower Bible and Tract
Society). They based their prophecy of 1914 from prophecy in the book
of Daniel, Chapter 4. The writings referred to "seven times". The WTS
interpreted each "time" as equal to 360 days, giving a total of 2520
days. This was further interpreted as representing 2520 years,
measured from the starting date of 607 BCE. This gave 1914 as the
target date. When 1914 passed, they changed their prediction; 1914
became the year that Jesus invisibly began his rule. "

Like Camping, the JW's were not deterred by their first failed
prediction: "1914, 1915, 1918, 1920, 1925, 1941, 1975 and 1994, etc.
were other dates that the Watchtower Society (WTS) or its members
predicted. "

A list of these and other failed EotW predictions is available he

http://www.religioustolerance.org/end_wrl2.htm