The failure of Wednesday's start-up of the biggest-ever atom smasher in Switzerland to destroy the world per some people's predictions reminds us that doomsday prophecies have always been with us; and they've always been wrong.
The Daily Telegraph offers a sampler of 10 fizzled doomsdays, including the one supposedly heralded by the appearance of the Hale-Bopp Comet in 1997. Thirty-eight members of a California cult known as Heaven's Gate committed suicide in preparation for a UFO rapture that never came.
A much, much longer list of Apocalypse Nots dating back to utterances of Jesus Christ Himself can be found, where else, at Armageddon Online.
And PBS offers a scholarly examination of the history of Apocalypticism in western culture (it seems you can't have one without the other).
Looking ahead, the world will absolutely, without question, no doubt about it, quite definitely come to an end for sure on December 21, 2012, and there's a thriving cottage industry to prove it.
The Daily Telegraph offers a sampler of 10 fizzled doomsdays, including the one supposedly heralded by the appearance of the Hale-Bopp Comet in 1997. Thirty-eight members of a California cult known as Heaven's Gate committed suicide in preparation for a UFO rapture that never came.
A much, much longer list of Apocalypse Nots dating back to utterances of Jesus Christ Himself can be found, where else, at Armageddon Online.
And PBS offers a scholarly examination of the history of Apocalypticism in western culture (it seems you can't have one without the other).
Looking ahead, the world will absolutely, without question, no doubt about it, quite definitely come to an end for sure on December 21, 2012, and there's a thriving cottage industry to prove it.
Comments
wow…people take this stuff too far, i beleive that yes, the apocolypse will happen, but people claiming to be great theologins(sp?) that can prophecy when the last day of earth will be are full of it because the bible they claim to know so well says no one will know the day or time….
Ammy,
I totally agree with you. This stuff totally used to creep me out,but it really doesn’t anymore. It’ll happen when it happens. You can’t live life worrying about something that may or may not happen anytime soon.
its nuts how far some peps will take the hole doomsday thing i think they have way to much time on there hands and to start up with it at x mas time cant they just let the rest of us have a good time and not have to hear and read about it my 11 year old son came to me balling because of some load of crap he saw online im sick of it
Ammy, I know it you wrote over four years ago, but here goes: Though apologists find ways to explain it away, the basis for your confidence may not be as solid as you’d like to think, Biblically speaking, at least:
“It is pointed out that in I Thessalonians Paul declares that the Day is coming without any warning at all; it will be like a thief in the night. Everyone will be saying “What peace and safety!” when suddenly destruction will be upon them. All anyone can do is to be vigilant and composed. But now, in II Thessalonians, he declares that there will be some warning, in the coming of the Antichrist with his pretended signs and wonders and his claim of being God himself.”
[Edgar J. Goodspeed, Introduction to the New Testament (Chicago, 1937), p. 19. Find it here: http://www.bible-researcher.com/goodspeed.html#note1
Dr. Goodspeed has an explanation, but nothing that would please today’s Evangelicals. Since his day we’ve learned that there are a number of ways the human race can destroy itself, and some believe we’ve already done it and will eventually dwindle away into extinction. Then there are volcanoes, earthquakes, weather disturbances of every extreme, and, of course, people willing to cultivate and profit from other people’s fears of any or all of these possibilities.
Relax and enjoy life. Try to encourage knowledge rather than ignorance and superstition. If you must believe in an apocalypse, try at least to ignore anyone who claims he knows exactly when it will come.
its us who will destroy the mother earth if we will not protect…so we must take care and protect the mother earth from so much pollution…..be warned enough..!