Many of us "believers" separate ourselves from Camping's camp because we don't believe that knowing the day is doable. I wonder, though, whether unbelievers see our often comedic approach to separating ourselves as simply the nuts turning on other nuts.
The truth is, we've been happy with our kingdom concept that separation is a good thing. After all, 300 denominations give room for people to choose a group with which they are comfortable. Three hundred splinters (sometimes called branches) can more effectively reach a diverse unbelieving culture. Do you remember that number: 300? That was the number of denominations in existence in the Handbook of Denominations book that I read in 1984. The book was probably pretty old then. That estimate is majorly old now. According to a recent Christianity Today blurb, there are now 42,000 denominations.
Are we happy with that? Is that a good thing? I don't think so. If I were an unbeliever with little knowledge of the splintering of the church, this prediction of the coming would confirm one thing for me: All Christians are fruitcakes.
And if I were an unbeliever who had some extended knowledge of the splintering of the church, this prediction and the reaction of other believers to it would confirm one thing for me: Christ is divided.
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