The End of the World is Nigh?

This Article attempts to explain how the Family Radio guys figured out that this Saturday is Rapture Day. This group believes the Bible puzzle is a big puzzle that awaits solving. And Mr. Camping- the leader- thinks he has done that....again. The question I have, then, is which translation should you use?

Camping disagrees with the "established" literalist date of 4004 BC (via Bishop James Ussher and also Gaiman and Pratchett in Good Omens) and puts the creation at 11013 BC (I'd use BCE, but that doesn't really apply here, does it?). This is primarily because he doesn't believe all the "begats" indicate direct parentage, but rather familial ties, perhaps through grand or great-grandsons.

Thus, the Great Flood happened in 4990BC, as opposed to 1440BC...or 2000BC. This appears to be key to the calculations and timeline, as then you can count that a day to God is 1000 years, because that's a clue that's given in 2 Peter 3:8 and 7000 years from the flood is taken from Genesis 7:4 and Genesis 7:11.
Consequently, we have only 7000 years from the flood until the end of the world. And that, according to Camping, corresponds with 21May, 2011. At 6pm. When earthquakes are going to shake the world.

Or you couls use this explanation (from The Washington Post):
"The number 5, . . . equals "atonement." Ten is "completeness." Seventeen means "heaven." Camping patiently explained how he reached his conclusion for May 21, 2011. "Christ hung on the cross April 1, 33 A.D.," he began. "Now go to April 1 of 2011 A.D., and that's 1,978 years." Camping then multiplied 1,978 by 365.2422 days - the number of days in each solar year, not to be confused with a calendar year. Next, Camping noted that April 1 to May 21 encompasses 51 days. Add 51 to the sum of previous multiplication total, and it equals 722,500. Camping realized that (5 x 10 x 17) x (5 x 10 x 17) = 722,500. Or put into words: (Atonement x Completeness x Heaven), squared. "Five times 10 times 17 is telling you a story," Camping said. "It's the story from the time Christ made payment for your sins until you're completely saved. "I tell ya, I just about fell off my chair when I realized that," Camping said.

I love math. I wonder if he used any Greek letters for the variables or if he drew little icons?
So we have until 6pm on 21May. But 6pm in which time zone? Is it going to travel around the world via GMT? Or perhaps from Bethlehem? Regardless, this is definitely the most publicized End of the World scenario in a long while. And what a waste of money it's been, especially as Camping believes that there is nothing to be done about it, and only God's Grace will save: and not just being a believer.
Therefore, as Edward Current says: I am converting to all religions...just in case.



Sources:
http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/05/16/by-the-numbers-how-may-21-2011-was-calculated-to-be-judgment-day/?iid=moreonnf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Camping
http://onfaith.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/undergod/2011/01/may_21_2011_harold_camping_says_the_end_is_near.html