By Chris Brantner

 Lots of people are predicting the end of the world in just two short years. Having survived a few apocalypse predictions myself, I can’t help but wonder how the modern day Christian should respond to this large-scale apocalyptic prophecy. While I’m generally skeptical of doomsday prophecies, the sheer magnitude of this one deserves a close examination.

How is the rest of society handling the “impending doom?” Well, as is the American way, people are cashing in on the trend. A mega-blockbuster film called “2012” came out recently, starring John Cusack. The film grossed over $750 million dollars, capitalizing on our fascination with the apocalypse. One company has even created a 2012 beer. Why am I not surprised?

Some people are responding in fear, stocking up supplies, ammunition, and whatever else could aid in survival. A man named James B. Birkhead recently got arrested for possessing bomb building materials in his home. His excuse? He was preparing for the end of the world in 2012, of course.  

Others respond in apathy or skepticism. Either they don’t really care or they think it’s all a big sham. Either way, they aren’t going to get worked up about it. As far as they’re concerned, after 2012 comes and goes, they’ll still be here on Earth doing whatever it is they were doing before.

Why all the hype?

Here’s the short answer. Many people think the world will either end or drastically change in the year 2012 due to a handful of sensationalized predictions. For the long answer, we’ll break it down by the sources of 2012 apocalyptic predictions:

1. The Mayans- If you know anything about the 2012 predictions, you’re probably aware that it’s connected to the ancient Mayan tribe. The Mayan’s calendar provides 2012 believers with their primary source. Plainly speaking, the Mayan calendar resets to zero after December  21, 2012. However, this did not signify the end of the world to Mayans, but rather the end of an age. That said, at some point the resetting of the Mayan calendar morphed into the end of the world. The question is- why?
2.  Winter Solstice- Since the beginning of time, humans have searched for answer in the heavens. It just so happens that the Winter Solstice occurs on the December 21, 2012; the same day the Mayan Calendar ends. On this particular Winter Solstice, the Sun will align perfectly with the center of our galaxy, supposedly producing energy altering effects.  What exactly does that mean? Who knows! 
3.  Nostradamus- Chances are you’ve heard this name before if you know anything about doomsday predictions. Nostradamus was a French prophet from the 1500’s. For whatever reason, his prophecies have gained resurgence in popularity in the last couple of decades. The funny thing is, none of them worth mentioning have ever come true. However, like anything dealing with the apocalypse, people love to dwell on it. So when Nostradamus predicted a giant comet would fall from the sky and destroy the Earth, the masses took notice. However, few seemed to notice that the year for the comet to hit was 1999. Strangely enough, 1999 came and went, and the comet prophecy got applied to 2012 instead. How convenient.
   
4. The Bible?- You may have heard people claiming that the Bible predicts the end of the world in 2012. But does it really? I think this answer deserves its own section…

What does the Bible really say in relation to the apocalypse?

Let’s be clear about this- the Bible never specifically mentions the year 2012. Some proponents of the Bible Code claim they’ve found lots of 2012 references hidden, but the actual Biblical text never mentions a date for the end.  However, the Bible does hold plenty of prophecies about the end of the Earth.

In Matthew 24, Jesus speaks specifically about the end times. He makes perfectly clear that people won’t see it coming. Comparing it to the Great Flood, Jesus says men and women will be eating and drinking and then BOOM! It will happen. Does this sound like 2012 to you?

What is going on in our world right now that could signify the end times?

Well, here’s where it actually starts getting scary. Looking back on the last 2 years, our world has seen disaster after disaster. While large natural disasters occur fairly often throughout history, the first half of 2010 has seen disasters affecting humans more than usual. Here’s a quick list that’s resulted in the loss of over a quarter million lives and massive interruption of human activity.

• Haiti Earthquake- This earthquake hit one of the poorest areas in the world, destroying the poorly built homes and causing a loss of approximately 250,000 lives.  Completely heart-breaking.
• Chili Earthquake- While this earthquake was 500 times stronger than Haiti’s, it only killed about 1000 people, since Chili is a more affluent country with stronger buildings.
• China Earthquake- This earthquake struck a sparsely populated area, killing at least 675 people.
• Iceland Volcano- While the death toll wasn’t huge, a massive cloud of steam and ash blanketed nearly an entire continent, resulting in hundreds of thousands of airplane passengers getting stranded for about a week. The giant plume of smoke also caused the already-reeling airline industry to lose millions of dollars.

The list is staggering, and after a close look, even a cynic such as myself has to at least consider the possibility that we are nearing the end.

What’s the bottom line?

When it comes to predicting the future, no one can prove anything. All you can do is what I’ve done- offer your thoughts, opinions, and hopefully some logic to back them up. But when it comes right down to it, you’re just speculating. So while the jury’s still out on whether or not 2012 will really bring along the apocalypse, how should we deal with it as Christians?

First of all, save yourself the time and respectfully decline to engage in arguments about 2012. Instead, consider engaging in meditation and conversation on the following question: what should your life look like if 2012 really was the end? Imagine the impact Christians would have on this planet if we all put aside our petty differences and treated life as if it really would end in 2 years.

I know what you’re thinking- the church is too far gone, too separated. There’s no way we can all learn to get along and put others before ourselves. And maybe you’re right.

But, what if it started with you?