Depart Out • Harold Camping • End of the world • church age • Family Radio • View topic

Joined: 31 Dec 2009 Posts: 506

A pastor by the name of John S. Torell has written an 8-page expose on Harold Camping. In it, he states:

Quote

Torell: In talking to people who are still work at Family Radio
headquarters in Oakland and to those who have quit, they
all tell the same story, Camping is a dictator who doesn’t
allow dissent. Anyone not in agreement with him is fired.

This got me thinking about David Hoff, a Family Radio board member and on-air teacher who has come out of the closet to oppose Harold Camping's teaching on annihilation. Hoff apparently has Camping's blessing to oppose him, but I don't think he is able to use Camping's forum to do so. Has Hoff been preaching eternal torment over the FR airwaves? Of course, the Camping-ites are using this situation to deny that they are following a dictator. David Hoff is giving Camping credence to those who can't yet see the wizard behind the curtain.

The eternal torment vs. annihilation debate is a peripheral topic that hardly impacts Harold's big enchilada: 'The Biblical Timeline of the History of the World". It is the timeline that attracts HC's followers. Just look at the way they ignore all of the glaring perversions that surround the false date prediction (i.e., the "latter rain harvest" and the "first shall be last" lies, not to mention the cross as a "demonstration", etc., etc.). Of course, Harold is clever enough to allow Hoff's teaching on this side issue that doesn't impact his date prediction. However, most people never hear about the employees of Family Radio who disagree with Camping but have no access to the Family Radio microphone.

The big question is: Would David Hoff still be a star in Camping's universe if he openly denied Camping's timeline which holds a big "wow" factor for church members, as well as full-fledged Camping-ites?

The writer seems to think that Harold should be making his personal information known to everyone, including how long he is married, etc. There is no good reason for Harold to make his personal life public. His teaching, alone, provides us with more than enough evidence to know that he is a heretic of the worst kind. Finding fault with his personal life would only further prove that he is human. Leave his family out of it.

I don't share the same complaints about Harold Camping which the good Reverend cites, but I think his expose is worth a google search: "Harold Camping: A Man With No Shame".

Joined: 10 Feb 2008 Posts: 656

Quite interesting FH!

Good for ya.

Joined: 31 Dec 2009 Posts: 506

I checked out the pastor who wrote the expose on Harold Camping and it looks like he is in need of a serious expose, himself. His website is littered with a lot of worldly issues such as warnings about the swine flu and an open letter to Tiger Woods. According to his biography, he believes that the Lord speaks to him:

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From 1975-1977, John served as pastor for Christian Life Center in Lodi, California and from 1978-1984; he served as pastor for Christian Life Ministries in Carmichael, California. In 1986, the Lord spoke to John while he and his wife were in an airliner over Texas and told him to go to Sacramento, California, and begin another church and call it Resurrection Life of Jesus Church. RLJC is located in the Sacramento area. The Lord is prospering and giving the increase. Revival and awakening have already begun.

IMO, this little one paragraph completely nullifies all 8 pages of his expose against Mr. C.

Joined: 31 Dec 2009 Posts: 506

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Would David Hoff still be a star in Camping's universe if he openly denied Camping's timeline?

I think that the "don't ask, don't tell" policy is all Harold needs for his employees who have no sphere of influence compared with his own. As long as the message being taped comes from Harold's mind, that's all that matters. I believe HC would even give Pastor Torell a microphone, as long as his taped messages stuck to the script. Harold couldn't care less what his Voices truly believe. What influence do their little websites on the side have on HC's vast audience?

If I was in Harold's shoes, I would expect opposition on every level. As they say in show buisness, "the show must go on" and certain people are necessary as props. Harold Camping is a solo act. The situtation for employees of FR who are backstage are probably much different than David Hoff's. The image that many of HC's fans have of him, as a loving, tolerant grandfatherly type, is not the real "Brother Camping". One doesn't become a world-wide hoaxster by being Mr. Nice Guy.

Joined: 10 Feb 2008 Posts: 656

One of Family Radio's ex employees told me in an e-mail a few years ago that Camping was "very sly."

I would think that describes him well.

Joined: 31 Dec 2009 Posts: 506

I met Mr. and Mrs. Camping several times. I was seated at his table at Tuscarora and at one of the FR banquets. He isn't a warm fellow at all. There is nothing underneath the plastic smile and occasional quip. He did not initiate conversation with anyone. I remember asking him if he had been fishing. He seemed surprised by the question, as if he never expected to hear ordinary dinner conversation. For the most part, he sat and ate statue-like, giving the impression that he is very heavily burdened with deep, spiritual thoughts. As I think back in retrospect, it was pretty clear that he thought he was on a higher plane and that everyone else were satellites revolving around his orbit. That is exactly what we were. I was too.

* How come when I type the word "Camping-ites" (without the hypen), it is published as "Camping Friends"? They are both the same thing, although "Camping-ites" is more fluent. I would like to know why this is happening.

Joined: 18 Aug 2009 Posts: 169

I came across same article in my "Harold Camping" google hit. One of the things I noticed from his site:

"Born in Sweden in 1939. He entered an Engineering College at Jonkoping, Sweden where he graduated in 1963 with a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering."

Just a curiosity. Rolling Eyes

Joined: 31 Dec 2009 Posts: 506

Another curiosity is his name is Torell. His assistant pastor is named Thorell.