2012

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I went with my son, George, and my son-in-law, Andrew to see the movie 2012.

The special effects were phenomenal. At times, you literally sat on the edge of your seat as people were trying to survive disaster after disaster - that was bringing on the end of the world.

(A disclaimer here: the rest of the movie was fairly horrendous. The acting was poor, the plot basically non-existent, outside of trying to survive. They tried to combine character development with a disaster flic theme. Tough to do.)

The movie is based on the premise that the end of the world will come on December 21, 2012 - which comes from the Mayan calendar predictions of years ago.

I sense a little uneasiness in our culture with this. Whether or not it is true or not (which I don't believe it is - many things have to happen according to biblical prophecy for it to happen that quickly) it is causing some to think about the end, about life and about death.

So much so that (and I quote):

"The studio (that made the movie 2012) also launched a viral marketing website operated by the fictional Institute for Human Continuity, where film goers could register for a lottery number to be part of a small population that would be rescued from the global destruction.

The fictitious website lists the Nibiru collision, a galactic alignment, and increased solar activity among its possible doomsday scenarios. David Morrison of NASA has received over 1000 inquiries from people who thought the website was genuine and has condemned it, saying "I've even had cases of teenagers writing to me saying they are contemplating suicide because they don't want to see the world end. I think when you lie on the Internet and scare children in order to make a buck, that is ethically wrong."

People have always been particularly entranced by end-of-the-world scenarios - especially we Americans!

Perhaps that is because our own national history is so relatively short - or, perhaps it is because our roots are less deeply planted, making uprooting less intimidating - witness the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Coming, a Protestant religious society commonly known as the Shakers; the Ebenezer Society, a group of seven (7) villages known as the "Amana Colonies" - consisting of radical German pietists who settled in the state of Iowa - also known as the "Community of True Inspiration;" and, the Millerites - followers of the American Baptist preacher, William Miller (1782 - 1849), credited with beginning the Advent Movement in North America, who publicly shared his belief that Jesus, the Christ, would return in 1843 - all of whom lived their entire lives preparing for the end!

Those individuals that jumped on the apocalyptic bandwagon were those who had the least to lose in the event of a widespread materialistic meltdown!

Recent immigrants, already uprooted, sometimes decided to send their hopes heavenward instead of seeking roots earthward! The poorest, the disenfranchised, those individuals pushed to the edges and margins of life because of their race, their education, their disabilities; or, just plain poverty have always been rich soil for the germination of apocalyptic angst - the feeling of anxiety, especially that accompanied by unhappiness!

From the ancient Mayans to the late Michel de Nostradame (1503 - 1566), better known as Nostradamus, to "Y2K" and now "2012," there has never been any shortage of end-of-the-world scenarios!

The predictions of a "nuclear winter" have been replaced by "global warming;" and, there is still a debate over whether the devastating climate changes will bring drought or floods to vast regions of the earth - however, the general agreement among all of these scenarios is "it’s gonna be bad!"

The grimness of our environmental condition is relentlessly apocalyptic! Technological breakthroughs - unaccompanied by spiritual breakthroughs - can be apologetic - however, their is no such thing as a happy ending apocalyptically speaking!

Apocalypticism is all about attitudes - and, it’s a bad attitude! That was the message from the "Sermon on the Mount," that Jesus, the Christ, preached - don’t dwell on the unknowable - don’t dwell on the uncontrollable - don’t dwell on the unfathomable!

As a follower of Jesus Christ, these kinds of predictions don't disconcert me at all.

I believe in life after death. Eternal life. Whenever I die, I live with God - forever.

I believe in the Bible. I believe that before the end of the world comes that Jesus Christ will come back for his church in what is called the "rapture."

As Christians, we will be caught up to be with the Lord - and then the end will come. 7 years of tribulation. Armageddon. The Second Coming.

Jesus himself said in Matthew 24:36, “But of that day and hour knows no man, neither angels of Heaven nor the Son, but my Father.”

No one knows when the "end of the world" will come.

December 21, 2012 will definitely be an interesting day...and so will December 22, 2012 when the sun will rise and sat - just as it has being doing for over six billion years - give or take a few centuries.