Apocalypse! (Dance Faster, It�s Almost Closing Time)

By James F. Cotter

We hear much these days about  planetary realignment, a pole shift, the beginning of a new age, even the end of the world, predictions of events that will allegedly coincide with the conclusion of the Mayan "long count" calendar--December 21, 2012. 

We've heard this sort of thing before.  The approach of the year 2000--Y2K--gave rise to a flood of fears and predictions.  Would computer clocks  be able to change  to 2000?  Good God, what if they couldn't?!  (As it happened, they could.)  Inevitably, the year 2000 inspired predictions of the end of the world and/or the second coming of Christ.  This was not the first year of a new millennium, by the way:  Because there was no Year Zero, 2001--not 2000-- was the first year of the 21st century.  Either way, there was no second coming, no end of the world. 

Still, people can be hard to dissuade.  In 1831, William Miller, a farmer and preacher from upstate New York, began proclaiming that the prophecies of Revelation were imminent.  Miller gained quite a large following.  In 1840 he announced  that Christ would return sometime between March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844.  Finally, March 21, 1844 arrived. But Jesus didn't.  This was disconcerting to Miller's followers, especially to the thousands of them who had given all their belongings away, thinking they had no further use for them.  (1)

Miller pondered the matter, concluded that he had miscalculated, and revised the date to April 18.  On that date, once again, nothing happened.  But the movement was not finished.  Samuel S. Snow, at a camp -meeting the following August in Exeter, New Hampshire, gave his own take on the situation and asserted that the real date for the Big Event was October 22, 1844.  More than 100,000  Millerites,  many  dressed in white robes, waited expectantly  on hills and housetops.  Guess what happened. 

The result of their misguided faith became known as the Great Disappointment of 1844.  (2)

In addition to that event, a certain religious group has erroneously predicted the imminent end of the "system of things" no fewer than nine times since the 19th century:  in 1874, 1878, 1881, 1910, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1975, and 1984.  (3)

Even scientists have been known to make wacko predictions.  Vladimir Sobolyovhas analyzed prophecies made by Nostradamus, various Russian saints, and others and announced in 1997 that within two years the earth's axis would tilt by about thirty degrees.  Scandinavia and Britain would

end up under water.  And the scenario doesn't end there.   Evil space aliens, too,  play a role in Sobolyovhas' declarations, but let's not even get into that part.  Suffice it to say that not everyone can be blessed with lucidity.  (3)

And the claims about  2012?  According to David Morrison, a senior scientist at NASA, "There is no planetary alignment in December 2012.  As to ‘alignment with the center of the Milky Way,' that is a meaningless phrase.  It may sound scientific, but it is devoid of content.  To put it bluntly, these claims...of alignments and catastrophe in December 2012 are lies."  (4)  (5)

So if you plan to spend The Big Day on a housetop, you might want to bring along some crossword puzzles,  or an Agatha Christie novel.

 

 

REFERENCES

• 1. http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/religion/william-miller/
• 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Disappointment
• 3. http://www.bible.ca/pre-date-setters.htm
• 4. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/research/2007/morrison.html
• 5. 2012news.com/?p=29

 

 

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Reviews

[Freder Fredersen (aka G..]

Very interesting and stiriking informative piece. The only bad thing is that I already packed a helmet and some stacks to take down in the bomb shelter with me on 1/1/2012. LOL! Way to lay it down man. I always like the TRUTH. And I think you put a bit more out there with this piece.

Cheers!
FF

[Babbette Francis]

I wouldn't believe anyone who said they knew when Jesus is coming back.

The Y2K thing was a joke to me. If the computers would have went down, you can bet your sweet a*s, the Trade Center was prepared. It wouldn't have taken long to have everyone up and running again.

Earth shifting? It's possible. By 2012? ...I don't think so
...but just in case it does happen, here in Louisiana� we would welcome the freeze, should the earth shift in our July humidity. We've already begun to sit on roof-tops, very few of us have any books at all, but those who don't have anything you might need to sweetly pass the time away. I guess in that case- we've been preparing for years ; )