Jesus Returning May 21? No Worries, Locals Say

 warning that Jesus Christ will return to earth Saturday seems to have had little, if any, impact on residents in the west metro.

No one Patch talked to gave credence to Harold Camping’s prediction that the rapture will take place beginning 7 p.m. (CST) May 21.

“I certainly am not taking this seriously,” said Gary Bush of St. Louis Park. “I have other things to worry about.

“However, if these few people are so convinced this will happen, then I will gladly accept their turning over their valuables and property to me.”

Camping and his followers—including Raleigh, NC-based WeCanKnow.com, which put up the billboards—are convinced that clearly predicts Christ's return Saturday. The “saved” (both living and dead) will then ascend to heaven with him and live out eternity. Everyone else will spend from May 21 to Oct. 21 going through the nightmare, war, natural disasters and the end of the world.

Camping, an 89-year-old former engineer turned preacher and radio evangelist, has taken a crack at this once before. The Oakland, CA-based man of the cloth predicted the end back in 1994.

“I wasn’t even aware that this was supposed to take place,” said Monica Meyers of Hopkins with a chuckle. “I suppose since the world is supposed to end in just a few days, I probably won’t make any plans.”

Joe Roberts, also of Hopkins, said he would probably go out in style—if this were all true: “I’d probably ingest a lot of bourbon and cigarettes.”

Susan Ayers of Minnetonka looked at the return of Christ from a totally different perspective: “Christ was a nice Jewish boy and, since they did not take place back in his time, I think he might just be coming back to partake in the Bar Mitzvah he missed as a child.”

Ayers said she will enjoy the event because it brings family and friends together.

“It will be a nice catered lunch with tuna salad and kugel (a noodle pudding), and he will also receive gifts and checks, which is always a good thing,” she said.