It could all end tomorrow
and where would I be?
Does life go on
or will it be the end of me?’
The above lyrics are from an introspective song of the 70s entitled ‘Are you up there?’ The Osmonds who wrote the song are deeply religious with a profound belief in an afterlife and that is their choice but for those of us who choose to be Atheists or Agnostics, the current pro-Armageddon movement can be positively frightening.
Some doomsday cults actually want the world to end! Now, why should this be? Are such people so discontent with their lives that the prospect of doomsday is their only hope?
As far as we can gather our earthly home is the only place in the universe that can sustain life as we know it. Whether it was created by Mother Nature or an intelligent being with a decisive plan, we should all strive to preserve this beautiful planet for future generations and not hasten its end. Get off the Armageddon bandwagon and do something positive in your own small way to save the planet. Whether it is recycling rubbish or donating to a worthy cause each of us can help make our world a better place so even the pro-Armageddon fanatics will not be so eager to see the end of the world.
There was an amusing photo I spotted in a magazine once: A doom-monger with a sandwich board was standing in front of a department store and the message on his board served as a no-nonsense warning to passers-by:
THE END OF THE WORLD IS NIGH
In the window behind him was a poster which stated:
CLOSING DOWN SALE
A pure coincidence perhaps snapped up by a canny passing photographer but it demonstrates how people will always try to make a commercial venture out of anything sensationalist because they know it will sell books, newspapers, films and other money-spinning products. If you ask me, it’s more about profits than prophets. The whole thing becomes positively scary when Pro-Armageddon factions give further rise to sensationalism when they come up with their own particular doomsday itinerary, supposedly approved by God.
There are approximately over two hundred different predicted dates and still counting for the end of the world but the predictions for 2012 are fast becoming an opportunity for this type of hype which plays upon people’s deepest fears and sensitivities. Apparently, according to some so called very knowledgeable people with a lot of impressive letters after their names, the world is due to end during the winter solstice of 2012 (on December 21 at 11:11 to be precise). Many of these predictions are presented in such a manner that they are entirely believable until those of us with enquiring minds decide to delve a bit further and do some intelligent research into the matter.
Anyone familiar with the internet can now watch videos of the predicted end of the world from a safe distance of just under three years. Websites for the countdown to the end are growing almost daily and incredibly one site even has a ‘Survivors’ guide’ section… well, there’s nothing like being prepared as they say in the Girl Guides’ handbook.
And what on earth are we all going to do about Christmas that year if these scaremongers, both religious and secular are to be believed? Shall we be wary and postpone our Christmas shopping until we know for certain that the world has not ended? If the world doesn’t end on the 21st December there’s going to be one hell of a last-minute Christmas rush and I suspect that calendar and diary manufacturers will be the hardest hit if people are duped into believing there will be no 2013.
Although there has been the endless end of the world predictions throughout the ages, 2012 seems to have been earmarked with more than its fair share of predicted cataclysmic events ranging from the plausible to the positively outrageous, thus succeeding in alarming gullible people the world over even more.
Extreme religious cults are taking the opportunity to enlist more converts if any of these ends of the world predictions fit into their set of beliefs – and if the dates don’t fit they will make them fit. These fanatical religious and spiritual fringe groups never waste an opportunity to spring up and frighten others with their particular version of Armageddon, closely followed by their secret of salvation – which they will gladly reveal if we are willing to part with our money.
To name just one possible Armageddon there is supposedly an impending collision due in 2012 with Planet X, otherwise known as Nibiru, which if it existed at all and posed such a dire threat to our inoffensive little planet would now be clearly visible to all, but at the time of writing (December 2009) no respectable Astronomer has located it.. We have the telescopic capability to spot a galaxy far, far away so where is this elusive cosmic body which intends to smash us to smithereens? I can only conclude therefore that our nemesis will not happen in the form of Nibiru.
Many may be I-Ching to find out if Chinese predictions of the end of the world are correct but to be honest, Armageddon a bit fed up with the whole silly scenario. And I will now be so bold as to make my own prediction:
‘The world is no more or less likely to end in 2012 than at any other point in history’
Although this article has been written in a light-hearted vein, I cannot emphasize enough the potential seriousness in a situation where people become scared out of their wits on a grand scale. Already there have been reports of suicidal teenagers wondering if there is any point to continuing their education and frightened families deliberating whether to move to ‘Safer’ locations or stay put and stockpile food. In 2012 it seems there will be more of a problem with mass hysteria than the possibility of the end of the world. Whenever the world ends, each of us can only die once and I for one am not going to worry about something over which I have no control.
