Armageddon 2012

Abstract

This research seeks to investigate on the various speculations about a possible Armageddon in the year 2012. What are the truths behind all these speculations? Are they sustainable, or baseless? 2012 is just around the corner, so what will happen then? These are some of the questions that this study seeks to find answers to. While there are numerous versions of how the world will end, some appear to be possible while others are just rumors. There is no denying that an Armageddon in 2012 has received so much attention in the media. Perhaps it is because people are afraid of what will happen; will there be fire, or a nuclear holocaust? What do some of the spiritual books like the Bible and the Quran say about the Armageddon?  This study is very important because it takes a critical look at these speculations about the world coming to an end in 2012, and deduce from their contexts whether they are true or false. There have been various researches carried out by individuals and institutions about this topic. The scholars have more or less agreed about my topic, and my paper argues for a better interpretation. The possibility of the world coming to an end in 2012 surely raises concerns and tension in most peoples mind.

Methodology

As a methodology, this study has utilized the use of the comparative case study. There are benefits of using comparative case studies in the topic of discussion; a 2012 Armageddon. Information and speculations on the possibility of an Armageddon in 2012 are in abundance. By looking at previous researches and studies, this research ascertains whether some of the theories put forward about the Armageddon are true indeed.  Do they have some elements of truths in them? Or are they exaggerated?

Research findings

This research has established that, there have been a lot of campaigns globally about the possibility of a world coming to an end in 2012. These campaigners hold the belief that the world's time will be up by next year as Armageddon will end up destroying the world. There have been a number of prophecies put forward, for example the Mayan and Nostradamus prophecy. Some of the campaigners describe 2012 as a year of spiritual transformation; they claim that there will be an event that will change the world completely.

These doomsday theorists have quoted from the book touching on Mayan Prophecies. In this book, the Mayan calendar is linked to a long period of sunspot cycles (Miller & Karl 124). However, some Mayan elders have dismissed such allegations. This research has also established that, another book known as the Nostradamus Code puts into details a number of natural disasters that will happen courtesy of a comet (Voss 48-9). They claim that these series of events will then allow the third anti-Christ to marshal his troops around the world in preparing for a nuclear war. Moreover, there are numerous esoteric sources that interpret the end of the thirteenth cycle in the Mayan calendar to translate to a major occurrence in the world order and change it completely. However, it is important to note that, there is lack of evidence showing that the Mayans considered the end of 2012 as the end of the world (Houston & David 74-5). In addition to these speculations, numerous other new age philosophers and spiritualists hold the belief that the human population will get into an age of enlightment in the year 2012. What remains to be certain is that, the days are nearing and many people are eagerly and anxiously waiting to se what will happen.

One example of a scenario that will lead to an Armageddon is the earth colliding with another planet in its orbit. Notably, the one that has received widespread attention is that there will be a geomagnetic shift of the north and south poles, which will then change the way continents, are placed. The shift in the magnetic fields will result in a number of natural disasters such as massive earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. It will be the same with what happened long ago when the last magnetic shift occurred. A number of scientists have proved this fact and predict that there is a possibility of something happening in 2012. There are those who believe that it could be as a result of human activities, however, the majority think that nature will be the cause to a number of dramatic changes.

Another version of an Armageddon that this research has identified is the Earth, Sun, and Milky Way will be aligned at the galactic equator on the twelfth of December 2012. This is the shortest year and also when the Mayan Calendar comes to an abrupt end (Schele & David 43).  A planet referred to as Nibiru or X orbits around the sun for every 3600 years. In 2012, this planet will enter the earth's solar system and cross orbits with Jupiter, though at the end. When this happens, there is a possibility that the gaseous atmosphere present in Jupiter could be ignited and cause two suns to appear in the skies.

Many books have been written to try and decode the events that will happen next year, if it indeed happens. The book known as 2012: Mayan Year of Destiny claims that those who belonged to the Mayan civilization were given instructions from discarnate entities from the Pleiades and Orion (Houston 34-56). Notably, contacts were usually maintained through rituals performed by shamans according to the movements detected in planets and stars. On the other hand, The Bible Code claims that some kind of a comet will collide with the earth. They predict this by following certain algorithms aligned with the Bible Code (Voss 125).

There are also other apopolyptic writings and hypothesis for the year 2012. The mathematical novelty theory put forward by Terence McKenna suggests that there will be a point where all humanity will experience a single, great shift in their consciousness. Secondly, there is a prophecy of the popes put forward by Saint Malachy. It speculates that during the beginning of the tribulations spoken by Jesus, Pope Benedict XVI would reign. A future prophet known as Peter the Roman will later appear, and with him there will be destruction and last judgment. 

Those who believe that humanity will enter an age of enlightment in 2012 state that, a social shift and age of peace will make people psychic, and connected as well, by an evolution of humanity into non-corporeal beings with lots of spiritual energy. The other version put forward by this group is that people all over the world will start realizing their true selves.

 There have also been a number of speculations about alien raid on earth. This group of speculators believe that in 2012, there will be a return of alien watchers who had helped the first generation of humans to get civilized. They may have been waiting for the current population of humanity to reach the peak of social and technological advancement. They also believe that these extra-terrestrials have benevolent purposes. They would want to enslave mankind or manipulate them as experiments.

The followers of Buddha have not been left behind too. The ascetic Buddhist monk known as Bahadur Bomjon is thought to have told his followers that, come 2012, he is going to come back. In addition to all these, there have been several studies that have estimated a peak in the production of oil to happen in 2012. This will be the start of the Olduvai cliff which will then trigger permanent black outs in the world.

With current trends of natural calamities happening all over the world, the question is, are the humans prepared for any disaster in case anything happens? In my view, with these widespread speculations of an apocalypse or Armageddon in 2012, it seems that humanity has given in into an overarching pessimism about their future and that of their planet. However, facts and figures will prove that the environment has been greatly affected by various human activities. During the last decade, most people speculated the end of the world to be brought about by a third nuclear war, although it has not yet happened.

While most of these speculations point to the fact that there will be destruction, a few are different and predict a hopeful future. A good example is that which predicts that humans will become smarter in time to save the earth, and hence manage to survive the Apocalypse. Notably, all these speculations point to the fact that humans are concerned about their future. There are a number of questions that arise. How will the human population get to this Armageddon or apocalypse? And what happens afterwards if we get to the Apocalypse? While gloom tends to gain more popularity, with current trends, the end seems to be a dangerous one. The media has taken on this hype and come out with a number of movies and books. All of them have a common ground; there will be a cataclysmic change to the world that will be radical in nature.

What happens after the Armageddon or Apocalypse? There have been suggestions that humanity will enter a new dark age. Novelists like J.B. Priestly have been contemplating about such an idea. He did forecast that the industrial civilization will end one day. However, there seems to be hope even in this Dark Age. Equilibrium can be reestablished in time and life can continue once again. If humanity is not wiped out totally, then there will be an emergence of a brand new culture. Having this mind, the question is while the earth has a possibility of surviving, can human beings fit in it.

This research has also ascertained that a number of people have started preparing themselves for the possible outcomes in 2012. For example, there has been an underground nuclear bunker built in Britain to shield people from any catastrophe. Speculation has it that another Noah's Ark is being built somewhere in China. 

Conclusion

There have been numerous speculations on the world coming to an end in 2012, or something catastrophic will happen that will have adverse effects on planet earth along with its inhabitants. This research has established that, the events predicted to happen in 2012 basically draw from the ending date of the Mayan Calendar. It is thought that it ends on the 21^st of December next year (Finley 34). Most of the predictions point to the fact that there be devastation and destruction of a high magnitude. This has led many people into preparing for the doomsday arrival. The end of the Mayan Calendar is translated to something happening to the world that will adversely affect it together with the life in it. However, there is lack of enough evidence to show that with the end of the calendar, the Mayans predicted an end to the world. Most researchers equate the end of it to that which happened millions of years ago.

While these remain to be speculations, I believe people should just wait for what will happen. There have been other speculation of the world ending but they never manifested. However, the current magnitude of the 2012 speculation has kept people on their toes. Many of these versions depicting the end of the world in 2012 are only prophecies and beliefs. While scientists have proved that is a possibility in the North and South Pole shifting, it will not happen in an instance but rather gradually. Other campaigners hold the belief that the world time will be up by that year as Armageddon will end up destroying the world. A number of other prophecies include the Mayan and Nostradamus prophecy. Some of the campaigners describe it as a year of spiritual transformation; eclectic authors have claimed that there will be an event that will change the world completely.