Well, as the Mayan calendar counts down and we reach the date (21/12/2012) that some think will herald apocalyptic events it can only be a matter of time before the world explodes in some sort of catastrophe.....
....or then again - not!
However, a few of us have got together to have a
- sort of a 'winding-down-to-the-end' party - check out the others via that link!
-oOo-
So, are we about to be attacked by an inter-galactic death-ray from some hitherto unnoticed alien race, or will the hole in the ozone layer finally admit enough solar energy to fricassee us to a nice crisp? Perhaps the polar caps will melt overnight and submerge the world....is all that banging and hammering coming from over next door's fence in fact the result of ark-building? (nah, that's been done before!)
Personally, I don't think this date has any particular significance as regards unleashing global disasters.
Despite the best efforts of the Doomsday Preppers, when the 'end' eventually comes there probably won't be anything they can do - which begs the question, why on earth are they so obsessed in the here-and-now with using every minute to stockpile food and weapons? Seriously, they spend every waking moment keeping their own panic at bay by canning, bottling and building ever-bigger storage systems in case of impending doomsday scenarios and learning how to 'defend' themselves from the poor unfortunates who were not as enlightened as themselves to prepare for Armageddon - they have no 'life' now, but they have no guarantee of a life in the future, either!
As a Christian, I believe the 'end' will be heralded by the return of Christ, together with the events described in the book of Revelation in the Bible. Exactly how that will play out is anyone's guess - the writer (the apostle, John) witnessed this in a vision; some of it is difficult to comprehend, but then exactly how would a 1st century writer describe the concept of something far into the future? Imagine someone from that time being confronted with even our modern-day technology like the internet, for instance - given the global accessibility of the 'web' it could be theoretically possible that Rev. 1:8, which says "...everyone will see Him..." could be describing the event witnessed worldwide, instantly, via the internet or TV.
Regardless - if we are to be hit by a giant meteor, or zapped by sunflares, or irradiated by global weapons of mass destruction, or the Biblical second-coming, we puny humans will be powerless to stop it!
I have a feeling that if the Mayan Calendar stopping at this date indicates anything, it is more likely to be that we have reached the end of a cycle of consumerism and that we will be re-evaluating what is important to us. Already, there has been the collapse of financial systems which has lead some to reconsider the wisdom of financial security; more people are wanting the comfort of spiritual experiences, rather than the amassing of 'things'.
I fully expect to wake on 22nd December, 2012, none the worse for wear. I don't believe the world will blow up the day before and if Jesus chooses to appear, well - none of us will be concerned with the internet or apocalypse blog-fests anyway!
In the mean time - by way of entertaining you all, I'm reminded of a flash-fiction challenge I took part in a while ago. Kick back and have a read of 'THE LAST DAY' .....and if the world doesn't end on the 21st, feel free to leave a comment! ;-)
Well since you have crossed over into the "Last Day" and appear to be doing fine that kind of makes my Doomsday party pointless. Bummer, I can't take any of the food I bought back.
ReplyDeleteBB - don't be so quick to cancel your plans - it's only 6.43 here - we have nearly 19 hours of 21/12/12 to go yet...... who knows what the next hours hold ! ;-p
DeleteSue, thanks for participating and your post and Last Day are thought-provoking reads. See you on the 22nd!!
ReplyDeleteChuck - I'll be interested to read what othe 'apocalypses' others have thought up! ;-)
DeleteDoomsday preppers are fun, but don't make much sense, do they? After all, very few possible global endings leave room for people with fully stocked pantries and arsenals.
ReplyDeleteThanks for participating!
Shannon at The Warrior Muse
;-) Your comment gave me an image of a gun-toting survivalist clutching a jar of pickled onions!
DeleteI think that the number of people believing in this proves, rather than stupidity, a general unhappiness of where the human race has ended up. A new era of enlightenment is just what this planet needs!
ReplyDeleteAngekine - I agree, we need to be looking at ways to enrich each others lives, rather than trampling over everyone else to get ahead!
DeleteThank you for stopping by and taking time to leave a comment. :-)
This is the second religious based post I've come across during this hop. Like I said at the first one, I'm not a Fundamentalist Christian, so I'll reserve further comment.
ReplyDeleteJust for the record - I don't consider myself a 'fundamentalist', not in the negative sense you seem to indicate anyway, Jolie! But thanks for dropping by, all the same. :-)
DeleteHi Sue .. you'll be here tomorrow as I will - you and I might be swimming - haven't we had enough rain to last a lifetime?!
ReplyDeleteThe Mayans had a few calendars - very clever peoples ... pity we wiped them out ..
Cheers and have a very happy Christmas and New Year .. Hilary
You're right, Hilary - Dec 22nd and we're still here! We're also a bit soggier, up here in the Midlands but hopefully the rain will stop......soon! ;-)
DeleteIf only the Mayans had known about leap year...
ReplyDeleteMilo - now there's a thing I never thought of?
DeleteSo, factoring that in, had we already reached the appointed date some time ago (and survived!), or does it work the other way (maths is not my strongest subject!) and the Mayan apocalypse is yet to arrive....! :-o
I like your outlook on the situation. And how about those preppers, huh? Did a month long series about it just because it's so fascinating, you know, the paranoia of it all. :)
ReplyDeleteDavid - I think it's a shame they spend so much time preparing for a future based on fear rather than just getting on with their lives right now! (I find there's also an element of 'I'm alright, Jack' smugness about them, too!)
DeleteThanks for dropping in to see my blog!
the Mayan Calendar is OK but the one we use has been moved about once or twice through history to make certain things line up. So the end of the world will sneak up on us. Sort of Oooooooo look what is that up there with the huge tentacles and three big eyes holding a axe...
ReplyDeleteRob - I think I'd rather it did just sneak up on us instead of spending too much time in fear of what might happen!
DeleteI think our internal clock... will predict when we end, each of us... not the world.
ReplyDeleteDid we make it?
My link is dead, I ask again did we make it?
[Visit my post for that to make sense]
Great end of the world post!!
Jeremy [Retro]
Oh No, Let's Go... Crazy
Jeremy - very true! None of us really knows when we wake up in the morning that we will return safely to our beds that night!
DeleteAmen!!
ReplyDeleteWe don't know when the Rapture and seven years will occur - only God knows.
Alex - all the more reason to enjoy the life He's created for us in the here and now!
DeletePerhaps the calendar's end heralds a new beginning. A new hope. I like that thought!
ReplyDeleteMonti
Mary Montague Sikes
Monti - it doesn't hurt us to reflect on how society has reached the state it's in and work out how we can improve on things!
DeleteIf nothing else, this 'prediction' gives us pause for thought!
I think the Mayans just ran out of room. My prediction is more like yours, though mine is more Rapture-like.
ReplyDeleteNancy - I did see a TV documentary that suggested the Mayan carving was broken off from a larger item, suggesting the portion that has been studied was incomplete.
DeleteWhatever, I think the calendar just represents cycles of time - not apocalyptic events! ;-)
I like your take, religious or otherwise (I'm not a believer myself). I agree that this "end" is merely the end of a cycle, much like the conventional (and arbitrary) way our calendar ends on Dec 31, our week ends (or starts, depending where in the world you are) on Sunday. Like every end, it is also a beginning. Of what--that's up to us. I love your idea of an end to the consumer-driven life. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGullie - I think the state of the global economy is forcing a shift; the age of consumerism is drawing to a close and it may be a rough ride for some of us!
DeleteThe day is almost done here and everything is still intact. Thank you for your excellent submission to the blog event. It's heartening to know the believers out there.
ReplyDeleteLee
Tossing It Out
Lee - if you read the signs of the times there are indeed interesting parallels to be drawn with the Bible!
DeleteWell, now it's the 22nd, and I'm doing what I usually do when it comes to blog fests- getting to as many as I couldn't get to yesterday. Thankful that I have another day to read and spend with my family. I liked your post and really want to check out the Knitting Assassin- I'm a knitter!
ReplyDeleteA2Z Mommy and What’s In Between
Tracy - thanks for stopping by! Please do take a look at the Knitting Assassin :-)
Delete(which reminds me, I need to update some projects on there....!)
Glad that we have a road map to follow. Though I can't imagine being the apostle John and writing about airplanes and such
ReplyDeleteHave a very Merry Christmas Sue
Thanks for that comment! (Then again - Ezekiel also has some rather odd mentions of 'wheels with wheels' - wonder what he was describing there?)
DeleteSo, wait. Are you saying I can stop stockpiling Twinkies now?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if some of the doomsday types aren't a bit disappointed that the end didn't come yesterday. I honestly can't imagine putting that kind of time, money and energy to prepare for something that that is out of anyone's control.
ReplyDeleteI think the Mayan calendar ended because the slaves preparing it pleaded "we're a thousand years out...can we go back to the salt mines?"
ReplyDeleteLarry
Revelations is how I see it really happening, too. Everything else in the Bible has come true.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that when the end of the world is finally here, we won't have time to be reading blog posts. haha
ReplyDelete