Here I am, 22 years old, and it's December 2012, two and a half weeks from The End...or is it? This semester I am taking a class called Ancient Mysteries. The purpose of this class is to A: Explain archaeology and how it works. B: Know what is Pseudo archaeology and why it is garbage. C: To learn about false claims and cults and who dunnit. D: To examine ancient wonders and learn their meaning. E: And lastly to be able to identify the truths about ancient wonders, to be able to spot and tear apart bogus claims, and to avoid at all costs being tricked by false science.
This class has covered topics ranging from Atlantis, to Erik von Deinaken, to aliens, to ancient civilizations, to the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world, and to the claims of 2012. Is was fitting that the last classes of the semester focused on the claims the that Mayan calender ends in 12/21/12, so therefore the world will end. Let's take a look at what this is all about.
First, most (if not all) people or websites that claim the Mayan calender for-tells doom use this image here, or something similar to it.
Mistake number one. This is NOT the Mayan calender. This is the AZTEC calendar. So any website using this as the Mayan calendar, you can throw out.
Second, what many people don't understand about the Mayan calendar is that it doesn't end. It resets. Now you may be thinking "what the heck...?" Let me explain. Our modern culture looks at time as being linear with a beginning and an end. The ancient Maya did not. They saw time as cylindrical, meaning it runs in cycles. Their cycles consist of 5,125 years. On December 21, 2012, the current cycle it's on will end and another will begin. Matter of fact, their calendar predicts many future dates through many future cycles. The largest known cycle goes to 28+ OCTILLION years! And for your pleasure, the exact date of that cycle is 28,285,204,060,444,579,908,002,421,998 years! And here is a picture of the Mayan calendar
Third, out of thousands upon tens of thousands of recovered and decoded Maya text, there is only ONE mention of the date 12/21/12. And it talks about a new cycle...not about The End. One would think that if something important as the end of the world was predicted, it would be mentioned more than once.
Lastly, the people who believe this never thought to ask the Maya of today what their thoughts are one this. My professor has spent a great deal of his life studying the Ancient Maya and is friends with Mayans of today. They don't bat an eyelash at all this...now that you have the facts...hogwash. They are upset that people are jumping to wild conclusions without even asking them, the people who know it best, what all this actually means.
One side note is that for those who have other beliefs such as Christianity, Islam, Hindu, etc, why would they believe this if it were true? This isn't their culture or beliefs. People are funny sometimes.
But then again, even though most of us may laugh at this...it is serious and dangerous. There are many children terrified that the world is going to end and their lives are messed up because of it. There are many teachers who have heard (legitiment or jokingly) from their students that "If the world's going to end in a couple of weeks, then why should I be hear? I'm not going to need any of this." This also poses a large threat for suicidal teens and other people without hope. Sometimes jokes go to far. Just today, Kate Middleton's hospital nurse, was the receiver of a prank by some radio DJs. She must have thought it was legit because she was found dead of apparent suicide this morning.
(http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/08/world/europe/nurses-death-stirs-sharp-criticism-of-royal-prank-call.html).
So why are these predictions out there? What's the point of causing mass pandemonium? Money. Billions of dollars have been made off of vulnerable people. Survival supplies, kits, instructions, movies, books, entertainments, even real bunkers, all for that green gold. For example, the movie 2012 grossed $770 million worldwide, not counting DVD sales and other promotional items, therefore making well over a billion dollars. There are even Silos turned doomsday shelter selling for $1.5 million for half a room inside!
So now that I've talked about the end of the world and the Maya, here's the truth. We should not have to worry about when or how the world ends because we know exactly how that will happen. Just read the entire book of Revelation. It's not entirely a pretty picture, but in the true end, there is peace, rejoicing, victory, life, and eternity. Most importantly, there's Jesus Christ. His words are true and they hold hope, promise, and peace. We need not worry about when the world is going to end. "He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."~Acts 1:7-8
Jesus also said in Matthew 28:20 "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
You may now think that I am throwing junk at you and that you can prove there is no God or Jesus, and the truth is I can't prove that they exist, other than I have experienced His presence, power, and love for myself and that's the only way you'll be able to believe is if you open your heart and turn to the true and living God. People need hope, people need something to live for; humans have a purpose and that purpose is to praise and give thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ for all things he has done and is going to do.
Let me leave you with these final words: "Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”
7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”~Revelation 22:1-7
Repent, turn, and believe that Jesus exists and he wants you and loves you more than you'll ever know. Believe that you're forgiven for all the wrong you've done, that you can be saved, healed, and made new.
Your debt is paid, your chains are gone and you are free. Jesus loves YOU.
