So, one thing that I know is out there, but i was wondering more about, is how so many ancient religions predicted the end of the world. The Mayan's, for instance, believe that "the next katun, which the Popul Vuh describes as the catastrophic end of the world, will end on December 21, 2012." This is something that i have always found interesting. This website gives a list of upcoming dates which could be the end of the world. People have predicted the end of the world since the be
ginning of the world. The Mayans have their ending calendar. Christians have there second coming. Supernatural has the apocalypse. Everyone has something but why? Do religions need to have an ending? As we have seen, believing that the end of the world strongly affects many people. People sell all their belongings and release their hold on the earth only to find that it hasn't released its hold on them.
I believe that religions predict the end of the earth solely because people can't have infinite time to repent. Religion established a beginning to give people to beleive in, and it created an ending to give people something to fear. God's wrath is mightier then anything else as I have seen from reading the Psalms.
Now on to my main question. If the apocalypse is created to fear, wouldn't it only affect the generation in the timeline before it, but no one else? If the apocalypse is out of my lifetime, it means very little to me, and since everyone is predicting it, it's date is always known. Why then have it? If it only affects one generation, and if the prediction fails it alienates the future people of the religion, why would anyone want to say that the earth is going to end?
I don't have an answer at the moment for my question, but i do know something. The world will actually end in 2039. Computers score numbers using 32bits. This means there is a maximum number that they will store. Also, clocks are stored using a single integer by counting the number of seconds since January 1st, 1970. We are going to reach the maximum number in 2039 and all the integers will wrap around and become negative. This means that computers will crash. Calendars will think we are in the past. Computer events will get triggered that will result in a complete shutdown of most computers and databases which will lead to complete anarchy and the eventual extinction of the human race. Just thought you should know
this is a good point and one we haven't even discussed in class. it is an interesting by-product of religion, but i'm not sure that all religions do have it. some don't even believe in an afterlife, so the whole idea of "getting your just reward" is moot. personally, i think the mayans just got tired of writing their calendar down...2,000 years is a lot of numbers to write ;)
ReplyDeleteinteresting subject matter sam.... its definitely something once you think about seems like it has to happen if technology really works the way you describe it (i wouldn't be able to correct you or know for sure because i myself don't know how our technology operates). But another interesting point is although its impossible for us to comprehend a eternal life for this world its also just as hard for me at least to see it ending. I feel as though our species are smart enough that we think through those things but our primitive selfs are designed to think in the moment which religion helps us to understand a space beyond the present to prepare for.
ReplyDeleteIn 1999, there was a worldwide rumor and fear that the world was coming to an end. Thousands of people repented and thousand more associated themselves with various religious groups all in an attempt and hope of being saved. Others sold their all their properties and spent all their monies believing that December31st,1999 was going to mark the end of the world.Interestingly, its been 9yrs now and the world is still in existence.what happened to people who took both rational and irrational decisions and spent their entire life savings is something i wouldn't want to go into for now.
ReplyDeleteBack to issue of the world going to end,I believe human being since the Genesis of this world have done so much and gone thousand of extra miles to find meaning and understanding as well as interpretations to things in and around the universe.Man has been able to predict events that have come to pass but the issue of the world coming to an end is something that has a biblical or religious influence to it.No one knows when the world would come to and end not even Jesus the son of God says the bible. Therefore,it could be today,a moment from now, 2012 or 2039 as your computer calculations show or another thousand years from now.No one knows but no matter what your beliefs are they would surly be a time when all would account for how we lived as humans.
As Daniella says, not all religions have big predictions about the end of time. I think a lot depends upon overall conception of time.. linear or cyclical, etc. End time scenarios tend to mirror beginning of time imaginings..
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