November 22, 2024, 03:46:51 PM
collapse

Author Topic: May 21 End of the World: Harold Camping's $72M business  (Read 886 times)

Offline Jhanda_Amli

  • PJ love this Member
  • ******
  • Like
  • -Given: 344
  • -Receive: 408
  • Posts: 13292
  • Tohar: 1
    • View Profile
  • Love Status: Single / Talaashi Wich
By now, you've probably heard of the religious group that's predicting the end of the world starts this weekend.

Harold Camping and his devoted followers claim a massive earthquake will mark the second coming of Jesus, or so-called Judgment Day on Saturday, May 21, ushering in a five month period of catastrophes before the world comes to a complete end in October.

At the center of it all, Camping's organization, Family Radio, is perfectly happy to take your money -- and in fact, received $80 million in contributions between 2005 and 2009. Camping founded Family Radio, a nonprofit Christian radio network based in Oakland, Calif. with about 65 stations across the country, in 1958.

But not even all of his own employees are convinced that the world is ending on Saturday.

In fact, many still plan on showing up at work on Monday.

"I don't believe in any of this stuff that's going on, and I plan on being here next week," a receptionist at their Oakland headquarters told CNNMoney.

A program producer in Illinois told us, "We're going to continue doing what we're doing."

According to their most recent IRS filings, Family Radio is almost entirely funded by donations, and brought in $18 million in contributions in 2009 alone.

According to those financial documents, accountants put the total worth of Family Radio (referred to as Family Stations on its official forms) at $72 million.

With those kind of financials -- and controversial beliefs -- it's no wonder skeptics have accused the group of running a scam.

Camping first inaccurately predicted the world would end in 1994. Even so, he has gathered even more followers -- some who have given up their homes, entire life savings and their jobs because they believe the world is ending.

Esther, the receptionist in the Oakland office, said some of her most extreme coworkers have recently driven up in fancy cars or taken their families on nice vacations as a last hurrah.

But overall, she estimates about 80% of her coworkers don't even agree with Camping's May 21 forecast. She has stuck to her work as usual, booking appointments and filling up calendars for her coworkers well beyond the May 21 date.

Meanwhile, some employees are questioning the meaning of Harold Camping's goodbye letter sent to the Family Radio mailing list last week. While he says farewell, he encourages employees to "steadfastly continue to stand with us to proclaim the Gospel through Family Radio."

Could that mean he plans on disappearing, but the company should still go about its business as usual?

The producer in Illinois said, "We're trying to guess what it means for the company. Our producers have programs done through the end of the month, so we're not looking at that having any effect on the work." Also curious is why Family Radio requested an extension to file their nonprofit paperwork. The group is required to submit financial documents in many of the states where they solicit donations, and in Minnesota they requested an extension from their July 15 deadline to November 15.

July 15th was already well past their Judgment Day prediction -- when they say believers will ascend to heaven -- so why bother requesting an extension to November?

But Family Radio's financial filings otherwise look hardly unusual for a religious nonprofit.

"At first glance, it looks like they have a lot of assets, but they actually don't have a lot of cash that they're stockpiling," said Laurie Styron, analyst with the American Institute of Philanthropy.

Most of the group's net worth is tied up in FCC broadcasting licenses, valued at $56 million. Family Radio claimed it held only $1.5 million in cash on its books at the end of 2009.

The paperwork shows Camping has so far, never taken a penny for his own salary, but Family Radio has plenty of other paid employees.

The nonprofit employed about 350 people and paid them a collective $8.3 million -- or roughly $23,000 per person -- in 2009.

What the 2009 IRS filings don't show, is how the organization's donations and expenses may have changed during 2010 and leading up to the May 21 Judgment Day prediction.

In the last few months, Family Radio billboards have popped up across the country. And the group purchased RVs to drive around the country on its evangelizing missions.

Those expenses could have changed their financial picture, but since Family Radio doesn't have to turn in their next IRS filing until November, it may not even matter.

"If people donating to this group think the world is ending on Saturday, then I'm not sure that they care," Styron said.

Database Error

Please try again. If you come back to this error screen, report the error to an administrator.

* Who's Online

  • Dot Guests: 3810
  • Dot Hidden: 0
  • Dot Users: 0

There aren't any users online.

* Recent Posts

fix site pleae orrrr by ☬🅰🅳🅼🅸🅽☬
[November 01, 2024, 12:04:55 AM]


your MOOD now by Gujjar NO1
[October 09, 2024, 12:31:28 PM]


Best DP of the Week by Gujjar NO1
[October 08, 2024, 05:24:20 AM]


PJ te kinnu dekhan nu jii karda tuhada ??? by mundaxrisky
[September 15, 2024, 05:45:10 PM]


~~say 1 truth abt the person above ya~~ by mundaxrisky
[September 15, 2024, 05:41:15 PM]


This Site Need Fix/Update by mundaxrisky
[August 20, 2024, 04:41:58 PM]


Request Video Of The Day by mundaxrisky
[July 09, 2024, 04:24:48 PM]


Majh on sale by Gujjar NO1
[April 07, 2024, 03:08:25 PM]


Hello Old Friends/Friendaynaz by Gujjar NO1
[March 14, 2024, 03:42:51 AM]


Test, just a test by Gujjar NO1
[March 11, 2024, 12:32:30 PM]


Good morning (first word ki keha) by Gujjar NO1
[February 27, 2024, 01:10:20 AM]


Throw something at the user above u by Gujjar NO1
[February 26, 2024, 01:13:56 PM]


Just two line shayari ... by Gujjar NO1
[February 15, 2024, 10:46:34 AM]


which pj member do u miss ryt now? by ❀¢ιм Gяєωʌℓ ❀
[August 30, 2023, 03:26:27 AM]


Hello Old Friends/Friendayna by ☬🅰🅳🅼🅸🅽☬
[July 07, 2023, 08:01:42 AM]


ਚਿੱਟਾ ਤੇ ਕਾਲ਼ਾ ਆਊਡੀਓਬੂਕ by ਰੂਪ ਢਿੱਲੋਂ
[March 30, 2023, 07:50:56 PM]


What is the first thing you do, when you wake up in the morning? by Cutter
[January 12, 2023, 08:23:23 AM]


Chita Te Kala Novel Latest Review by ਰੂਪ ਢਿੱਲੋਂ
[September 14, 2022, 07:03:31 PM]


Book Review by ਰੂਪ ਢਿੱਲੋਂ
[May 19, 2022, 05:25:18 PM]


Books, Novels & Stories by ਰੂਪ ਢਿੱਲੋਂ
[May 19, 2022, 05:20:16 PM]


New Book Release: Chita Te Kala Novel by ਰੂਪ ਢਿੱਲੋਂ
[May 19, 2022, 05:06:16 PM]


What Is the Best Compliment You've Ever Received? by mundaxrisky
[October 15, 2018, 07:24:41 PM]


Last textmessage that u received by mundaxrisky
[October 15, 2018, 07:12:26 PM]


name one thing you can't live without ? by mundaxrisky
[October 15, 2018, 07:09:02 PM]


ONE thing you wish you could do RIGHT NOW... by mundaxrisky
[October 15, 2018, 07:03:57 PM]