Why the 2012 Apocalypse?

Updated April 2009
Why do people keep talking about an apocalypse in 2012? Why 2012? What kind of apocalypse?

This article provides background on many of the theories and prophecies that have contributed to the 2012 phenomenon from all walks of life.

This article also presents evidence that much of the 2012 hype plays into the desire for a new enlightenment, and a new age, or a new world order, and that such desires may lead us to adopt the very deceptive leaders and false prophets that may lead us into conflict in 2012. With a global economic crisis seeing calls for a new world order, and a new American president who is all too happy to oblige, the world is certainly changing.

Why 2012?

The year 2012 has become rather conspicuous across many different traditions and disciplines. In fact, the year 2012 comes at us from so many different places that it is strikingly uncanny.

The most commonly referenced prediction for our demise in 2012 is the Mayan calendar. The 13th Baktun of the Mayan Long Count calendar comes to an end on December 21st, 2012.

There are a host of new age, astrological, and metaphysical predictions that tie into the Mayan calendar and 2012, too many to cite here but we will touch on some later. Of concern in those theories is the fact that the sun will be in alignment with the galactic center on December 21st, 2012.

Some scholars of the 16th century prophet Nostradamus claim that a careful reading of his writing pins 2012 as the year. This belief was bolstered by the Discovery Channel’s Lost Book of Nostradamus special, which aired in the fall of 2007, and also suggested the 2012 winter solstice as the date.

Terrence McKenna entered the 2012 fray when he drew correlations between the King Wen sequence of I Ching hexagrams and events in world history. His complex theory illustrates a “timewave” throughout the structure of the temporal universe. His mathematical system allowed him to predict a future singularity where time stops, or at least stops behaving as we think it should. That date is once again December 21st, 2012.

In the world of science, astronomers are predicting the strongest output of solar activity from the sun in 50 years to occur in 2012.[1]

The International Food Policy Research Institute is predicting worldwide food riots, due to a depletion of food stocks, to break out as early as 2010.[2]

Experts who believe our oil supply has recently peaked believe widespread blackouts, and the start of our slip into new “post-industrial stone age” may begin around 2012.[3]

In the area of global warming the “hydrate hypothesis” claims that methane expelled during the melting of hydrates will cause runaway global warming and the death of 4.5 billion people by 2012.[4]

Some believe the earth’s poles will swap places in 2012, and the earth will spin backwards, thus unleashing untold natural disaster during the transition. While that may sound far-fetched, the poles of the earth do move over time.

2012 is also the next scheduled close-call between earth and the asteroid Toutatis. Is it a coincidence the Scandinavians have built a doomsday seed bank?

There are even those who beleive extraterretrials will arrive to save us before we kill ourselves in a global nuclear war.

And so on. Any time spent with a web browser will reveal a great deal of concern over 2012, much of it written by people, cultures, and traditions quite removed from our modern Internet-enabled world. And much of it written from a new age, globalist perspective that sees these coming catastrophes as necessary changes to bring about a new age.

And to perhaps finally underscore that we are living in times when all minds are on the apocalyptic, all three major religious traditions have ardent proponents that these indeed are the last days. Many Christians, both protestant and Catholic, see troubling signs. There are Jews who wish to rebuild the temple for they believe it will trigger the arrival of the messiah. And many in Islam, such as Shiite Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, believe that the arrival of the twelfth imam and the end of the world amid global turmoil and chaos is near. In 2007 Ahmadinejad gave a series of speeches in the United States opening each session with a prayer to God to hasten the arrival of this figure.

What Kind of Apocalypse?

As to what may befall us during the year 2012, the opinions are just as varied as the number of theories and traditions pointing to the year 2012.

Some think it will be the end of the world, literally with fire, explosions, boiling seas, you name it.

Others believe destruction will visit us from space in the form of a gamma ray burst or asteroid, or even that the poles of the earth will shift resulting in cataclysmic natural disasters.

Others believe we will move into a new plane of existence.

Still others think that we will hit a technological singularity, and artificial intelligence will rapidly outpace us and replace us as the dominant “lifeform” on the planet.

What Global Crisis is Coming?

Much of this speculation on 2012 could be more easily dismissed if it weren’t for very real, very widespread changes happening in our world.

It should be apparent to many people living in the United States that the nation of 100 years ago is gone, and by the looks of it, won’t be back anytime soon. And I’m not just referring to nostalgic notions of apple pie, church socials, and fresh farms. Those things are certainly a part of our cultural shift, but what is more important is how the very structure of our government has changed, how the notion of what the government’s responsibilities are fundamentally different, and how our foreign policy increasingly seems to be not in our nation’s interest as a whole, but rather at the whim of certain few who stuff money into the pockets of politicians, one way or another.

Perhaps there is still hope for change, but for many of the changes we’re seeing in the US, the hour to act has passed. Time is up.

And the world is not off the hook either, many of the cultural and economic changes taking place in America have also found root in Europe. India and China have seen portions of their population rise in economic prominence, and while good for them, has revealed strains in world resources. We find ourselves facing upcoming food and fuel shortages. Scientists are pushing ethical boundaries with genetic cloning and the creation of human-animal hybrids. Globalization is spreading around the world, and seems poised for domination. A new American president has hit the scene who is very much a proponent of human reproductive engineering and the new green totalitarianism that seeks to control how everyone lives to promote anti-human, deep-ecology ideals.

The world is headed for a potentially catastrophic realignment of geopolitical power. Getting there might be a rough ride and there will be casualties along the way. And where we end up might be a place that most of us don’t want to live in. And the reality is that this is exactly the place where proponents of a new world order and one world government would like us to be. It may be that 2012 is their year, and everything that happens before hand is to convince you to join them.

A New Assessment

We can take a moment to see where things stand in the world today. What I touch on here will talked about more thoroughly in subsequent sections, but here I present a brief assessment of items of concern.

Just in America, there is a growing sense of disenfranchisement as voters of every stripe feel their concerns are being marginalized.

In late 2007, the American public gave congress a dismal 18% approval rating.[5] President Bush didn’t fare much better with a 32% approval rating.[6] Perhaps no two issues underscore this as much as the Iraq war and the overwhelming number of illegal immigrants crossing the southern U.S. border unchecked.

Many Americans were troubled that the Democrat-controlled Congress did next to nothing about Iraq. Many Americans were also frustrated that President Bush did next to nothing to stem the tide of illegal immigrants.

There is an in increasing air of disconnection between the governed and the governing as politicians seem to speak popular partisan words on issues to get elected, but end up adopting the same platforms once in office. The impression is that Washington is really just an exclusive club, that money talks, and the concerns of voters don’t matter a dime, just their votes. The only dimes that matter are the ones from powerful lobbyists, think tanks, and others who hope to shape policy, or even score government contracts, for economic gain. To many, crafting law in Washington seems to be more about personal gain than national prosperity.

When 2008 Republican presidential candidate Duncan Hunter dropped out, many wondered who he would endorse. Hunter ran a campaign that focused dramatically on cutting illegal immigration and securing the homeland against terrorism. But after he left the race he shocked many by endorsing Mike Huckabee, a Republican well-known for his relaxed border stance and penchant for giving public assistance and amnesty to those here illegally. People scratched their heads. Some even ventured a theory that perhaps Huckabee promised Hunter a Cabinet position if elected.[7]

In addition to politicians who don’t seem to represent anyone who actually votes, there is also a sense that civil liberties, once America’s greatest pride, have taken a backseat to political whims. There seems to be no shortage of problems that can’t be solved through more government control of its people.

In the 2008 presidential campaign former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani ran a Republican campaign largely focused on security and terrorism. He was considered by many to be a front-runner, even though he was a Republican who supported gun control. But that wasn’t the only time Rudy put the constitution on the backburner. During the MSNBC GOP Debate Rudy claimed one of his answers to securing America was issuing a secure federal ID card. Once obtained, this federal ID card could be used to pay taxes, get a job, or most surprisingly, go online.[8]

In late 2008 as an economic crisis took hold, the government blazenly proposed an economic bailout package–not for everyday citizens–but to the billionaire bankers whose schemes, along with those of the Federal Reserve system, had architected the crisis to begin with. The unprecedented trillion dollars in bailout was placed, without any strings attached, under the control of the Federal Reserve. The new American president, Obama, continued the precedent by passing another trillion dollar bill consisting mainly of pork projects to the friends of politicians. Americans responded with protests–even tea parties harkening back America’s founding–but the media and political elite largely ignored the phenomenon.

In addition to the projected food riots by 2010 cited earlier, world food stocks have suffered a setback for the first time in years. One culprit is the rise in prosperity of previously developing nations, but perhaps a bigger culprit is the repurposing of food stock for the creation of biofuels. The machinations of Monsanto and the drive to convert all food sources to corporate intellectual property will only exacerbate the problem. Yet, many will follow Monsanto as they promise to fix things.

In England, the notion of a human being has arguably gone downhill. As we’ll learn more in later sections, England has become home to some troubling developments. First, the country has one of the most extensive public surveillance systems on the planet. New speech laws have made it a crime to criticize certain religions. School girls, as early as 11, may obtain abortifacient contraception without parental knowledge. The government has tacitly approved the creation of genetic human-animal hybrids by rejecting measures that sought to control the technology. In the world of in vitro fertilization the concept of fatherhood has been removed completely as the procedure is now the normal way for homosexual couples to obtain children. And finally, England is first to look into creating human offspring by combining the genetic material of two men, or two women, or any other combination. Given the new work on human-animal hybrids, one doesn’t have to delve into too much absurdity to imagine what might come next. A lonely man and his dog might want to have children, and now it’s possible through science.

The powers of globalization have also contributed to the new precarious position. In America alone, the collapse of the US dollar, the derailment of US manufacturing jobs, the influx of cheap Mexican labor that fails to pay taxes yet taxes public assistance programs, are all problems exacerbated by those with global business interests who see these things as necessary steps to more personal profits. As we’ll learn later, many of the most controversial positions today’s modern governments take are often backed by the hands of those with global business interests. Again, with the world’s problems coming to a head, 2012 may be the year we finally get a new world order with teeth.

A New Geopolitical World Order

If you’ve not been living in a cave since the millennium you may have noticed that the world economic picture is changing. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as everyone has the right to pursue, and hopefully obtain, prosperity. But it is often changing at the hands of hidden power brokers who game the world economy to their own advantage.

Countries such as India and China are rising in prominence. The Gulf states, long rich on oil, are increasingly becoming a world center of business. Just look at Dubai, along with China, they’ve invested billions into America’s financial institutions. This was made easier and cheaper by America’s subprime mortgage collapse.

At the 2008 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, billionaire George Soros claimed the United States is at the end of a cycle and its currency will be dumped around the world. Soros said we’re at “the end of a 60-year period of continuing credit expansion based on the dollar as the reserve currency.” The recent global economic downturn has only fanned the flames.

The result? The world is ready for a new economic order, and according to Nouriel Roubini, America looks like an emerging market, not an economic leader. Further sentiment was expressed by the head of Kuwait’s national bank that America needs to get used to being bought up by foreign sovereign wealth funds, in other words, foreign governments.[9]

To further complicate the world stage, as if in anticipation or in a test of US dominance, Russia and China have both announced preemptive nuclear strike policies. For Russia, this may very well entail creating mobile units with nuclear strike capabilities distributed throughout the country.

Perhaps in a time of peace this would just seem like bluster, but both Russia and China are aligned in direct opposition to the west in key hair-trigger geopolitical situations.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been going since time immemorial. On one side you have the secular nation of Israel, carved out of the British Mandate after World War II, and home to many diverse groups throughout history, and home to some of the holiest sites in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. On the other side you have the Palestinians, many of which are unwilling to accept the existence of the state of Israel. It is a widely held, but false belief, that prior to Israel a sovereign nation of Palestine existed, and therefore modern Palestinians have a right to it, while Israel is squatting, but no such nation has ever existed. The name Palestine was given to a broad swath of territory within the British Mandate.

The British Mandate itself was carved from the Ottoman Empire following World War I. Under the Ottoman Empire the region was home to diverse groups, living in largely tribal communities. Jews and Arabs have lived in the area for ages.

So what we have is an area home to diverse groups, historically living in tribes, and subject to various world powers, now reacting, and fighting, over areas of individual sovereignty.

The situation is not going to improve anytime soon. Unfortunately, forces aligned against the existence of the nation of Israel include Syria and Iran. Pro-Syrian factions in Lebanon aren’t helping things either. Iran is backed by the Russians, and to some degree, the Chinese. Israel is backed by the United States, and to some extent, the nations of Europe.

The entire region is a powder keg. Iran has repeatedly stated that Israel should be wiped off the map, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad routinely declares that the “Zionist regime” will come to an end.

Iran has promised a massive retaliation if Israel or the United States attempts to bomb away its nuclear capability. Russia has stated that it would use nuclear weapons to defend itself and its allies.

Taiwan has proved itself to be a hair-trigger as well. China has repeatedly warned the United States about getting involved if a conflict breaks out over Taiwan. In fact, in 2005 a top Chinese general warned that if US weapons targeted Chinese territory or military assets, they would have no choice but to respond with nuclear weapons.[10]

A World Ripe for Conflict

So we have a world that seems ripe for conflict, and not by accident. As a species we are meeting and crossing ethical boundaries that were perhaps unimaginable in times of old. Millions of babies are murdered in the womb for convenience in the West, or population design in the East. Human and animal DNA is combined in laboratories resulting in living embryos that are neither fully human nor fully animal. Sexual behaviors once thought to be abnormalities are now mainstreamed and taught to schoolchildren; they are told gender is a choice. And in today’s medical world, it very well is.

There also seems to be a heightened apocalyptic mindset in the modern world. Apart from 2012, the three major religious traditions have increasing numbers of adherents whispering that the end is certainly near.

And the world is watching the decline of the Western empire. What started as an economic crisis in late 2008 is turning into a complete and total economic collapse in 2009.

And in the chaos that will emerge slowly, and soon, we may see wars and horrors of biblical proportions. The end may be near, for many of us. And before we get there, there will be great deceptions and calls for a new world order, for a new age of enlightenment, and the evolution of humanity.

The Possibilities of 2012

With the world situation as it is, we can explore the many traditions, prophecies, and predictions that point to 2012 as a potential end or turning point in human history. It is our position that all of these mystical predictions are incorrect, and in fact, could very well be dangerous in conditioning people to accept the New Age worldview, and embrace the new world order, or even worse, embrace a false prophet who claims to have the answers the world is looking for.

The End of the Mayan Long Count Calendar

The most famous of the 2012 predictions is the end of the Mayan Long Count calendar. The Mayan calendar can be pictured as a series of interlocking, concentric rotating gears. When the smallest gear completes its cycle (1 day) the next outermost gear turns. The largest “gear” in the system, the baktun, is about to complete its final tick. It is well-established by historians that the 13th baktun is to end on December 21st, 2012. There is slightly more disagreement as to whether or not this baktun is in fact the final one. Before we address that final controversy, it is important to understand when the Mayan calendar began, and how it is mapped onto our calendar.

The start date of the Mayan calendar is established through astronomical and historical sources, as well as correlating established dates of the arrival of Spanish conquistadors and the existing native Long Count dates. The start date is widely accepted to be August 11th, 3114 BC. The end date of the 13th baktun, after ticking through all the smaller “gears", is none other than December 21st, AD 2012.

Time ticks by on the Mayan calendar through a series of five units of measurement, or the five “gears” alluded to earlier. The basic element is the kin, or 1 day. From there we tick up the other levels:

• 1 Kin = 1 day
• 1 Uinal = 20 Kin (20 days)
• 1 Tun = 18 Uinal (360 days)
• 1 Katun = 20 Tuns (about 19 years)
• 1 Baktun = 20 Katuns (about 394 years)

To take a random date, such as February 5th,1983, the Mayan date would be 12.18.9.12.8, with baktuns on the left and kins on the far right. December 21st, 2012, would be written as 13.0.0.0.0.

The Mayans count from zero, so the first thirteen baktuns would be denoted in the digits 0 through 12.

Using the five digit arrangement shown above, time ticks by on the Mayan calendar from right to left, starting with individual kins, which after ticking by 20 times would tick one Uinal and then reset to zero. These two cycles would continue and after 18 Uinals one Tun would click by. The iterations would continue with completions of each smaller cycle resulting in a tick of the next larger cycle up.

Some say that the baktun cycle actually ends at 19, and thus the December 2012 date is just the end of one great cycle, and the beginning of another, the 13th baktun. This is contradicted by the existence of creation myths, and the Mayan belief that the previous creation cycles lasted precisely 13 baktuns. John Major Jenkins, perhaps one of the most well-known students of the Mayan tradition, has the following to say about the thirteen versus twenty baktun cycle in his book Maya Cosmogenesis 2012:

Schele’s argument that a twenty-baktun cycle had precedence over the thirteen-baktun cycle is not well founded, confusing what one seventh-century Maya ruler said about the nature of the Long Count with what the original creators of it intended. A repeating thirteen-baktun cycle is implied wherever Creation monuments have been found-for example, at Coba and Quirigua. Rather than looking at Classic Period examples to define the nature of the Long Count, we need to look carefully at who created the Long Count system, and where and when it arose.

Jenkins refers to ancient Mayan creation monuments as existence of the 13 baktun creation cycle. There have been four previous creation cycles according to the Maya, and we are nearing the end of the fifth. The total length of time for all five is roughly 25,000 years.

Jenkins also points out some more seemingly spooky astronomical synchronicities. The earth, as it rotates on its axis, has a distinct wobble. The wobble slowly changes and completes a cycle over a period of about 25,000 years. This wobble changes the angular alignment of the earth with the galactic plane. At the end of this cycle, from the perspective of Earth, the solstice sun will align exactly with the galactic center. The end of the Mayan calendar, and the fifth cycle, and the date of galactic alignment with the solstice sun is Decmeber 21st, 2012.

In his article “The World Age Cosmology of the Maya Calendar End-Date in AD 2012″[11] he states:

The end-date of the 13-baktun cycle of the Long Count marks the precession-caused alignment of the solstice sun with the Milky Way, and based upon evidence in other Maya traditions including the Maya ballgame, king accession rituals, and the Maya creation mythology, there is every reason to believe that this was intentional.

So to many observers of the Mayan calendar, its end date perfectly coincides with an extremely rare astrological event. Jenkins goes on in the same article to state that other civilizations have associated the solstice-galaxy alignment with major earth events:

Egyptian cosmology describes a Zero Time, or Zep Tepi, of 10,800 B.C. during which the gods reigned supreme and the foundations of Egyptian civilization were laid. This period indicates the previous time that the solstice axis was lining up with the galaxy. The ancient Vedic material with its World Age doctrine of the Yugas also points to a time some 13,000 years ago that was a Golden Age of light. Specifically, Vedic astronomy describes the cycling of the sun around a celestial origin point called Vishnunahbi (this would be the apparent motion of the sun around the zodiac resulting from precession), and implies that we are now approaching a turnaround point.

Many of the Mayan scholars believe catastrophe won’t strike the earth, but enlightenment. This is the new age view of 2012. But the Mayan scholars aren’t the only ones portending great change in 2012.

Did Nostradamus Predict Doom in 2012?

Several respected Nostradamus scholars believe that the famous seer did in fact predict World War III around this time.

One of the more active proponents of a Nostradamus-predicted World War III in 2012 is Dr. Michael Rathford, author of the book The Nostradamus Code: World War III 2008-2012.

In his book, Dr. Rathford claims the between the years 2008 and 2012, World War III will erupt and transform the world forever. Nuclear bombs will be dropped, the Catholic Church will be ravaged and destroyed and the antichrist will arise.

Specifically, in Dr. Rathford’s analysis[12], war erupts in the middle east, ostensibly after Iran, or a similar nation, decides to drop a nuclear bomb on Israel. Israel responds in kind. Europe then interferes to protect precious oil supplies in this era when resources and food are so critical. This causes Iran, or the middle-eastern nation, to attack Europe with nuclear weapons, most of which land in Italy. The Catholic church is ravaged, and the Pope is forced to flee into hiding. The stage is set for the rise of the antichrist.

Rathford continues his depiction of the height of the war with volcanoes, earthquakes, floods and droughts, especially affecting the United States, which will bankrupt itself during this time.

The antichrist rises to power in the middle east, taking over Iran.

Rathford completes his cataclysmic war with a helping of the following, in chronological order:

• A communication breakdown between two superpowers leads to cataclysmic consequences.
• A third world leader causes significant problems.
• A war simulation in England backfires and results in real-world action.
• The US electorate system fails to produce a president, and civil war is narrowly averted through a new election.
• Rathford eventually wraps up his analysis of Nostradamus by stating that the current world will fall away, and a new enlightened world will take its place.

Again, we have the promise of an age of enlightenment, and this might be the most dangerous aspect of the new age 2012 predictions. The substance of his predictions, that of war, US bankruptcy, and a new world order, may all come to pass. But the driving power behind it is likely not benevolent nor enlightened.

Rathford is just one interpretation of the predictions of Nostradamus. Other students of the famed seer, such as John Hogue, don’t predict such a detailed turn of events. Hogue, however, has been on record saying that a third world war is predicted for the next decade.[13]

In October of 2007 The History Channel aired a program entitled “The Lost Book of Nostradamus."[14] In this two hour documentary the idea is put forth that a lost book has been discovered, and the illustrations depicted therein warn of great cataclysm, even the end of the world, for the winter solstice in 2012.

The show follows both the history and content of an obscure collection of illustrations, long hidden in the National Library of Rome. The book was inscribed with Michel de Notredame, or Nostradamus.

Within the book were several watercolor illustrations depicting strange events, and often symbolic objects.

The show claims the book was tucked away within the Vatican until such time as it should be discovered, and its secrets revealed.

The show interprets one picture toward the end of the book as showing the alignment between the solstice sun and the galactic center, scheduled for December 21st, 2012.

Ultimately, the show cannot, with certainty, attribute the book to Nostradamus, and ultimately, their interpretations of the images are just speculation.

Did Nostradamus predict the end in 2012? It is hard to say he did. But with all things Nostradamus, until the event happens, the prescience of his knowledge won’t be revealed.

Timewave Zero

Timewave Zero is a theory that suggests time, or rather the novelty of existence within time, follows a series of self-similar patterns, or a fractal. This timewave, so to speak, has exhibited a fractal series of peaks and valleys, and through calculation, reaches a singularity in 2012.

Terrence McKenna is credited with forming the Timewave Zero theory based on his correlations between the King Wen sequence of I Ching hexagrams and events in world history.

The theory is somewhat difficult to grasp, but the key points are that the I Ching, when graphed, displays an uncanny similarity to the novelty of events throughout human history. Furthermore, this pattern shows up again and again when applied to smaller sections of time, such as the history of a civilization, or even the events of your day.

McKenna himself did not predict doomsday in 2012, but rather thought that some monumental event would forever transform humanity. Again, we have the new age transformative theme predicted for 2012.

Christian Prophecy

The world of Christian Prophecy has grown very crowded over the last two thousand years ago. Early Christians looked to the Apocalypse of the Apostle John, written in his exile on the Island of Patmos after divine revelation. This mysterious book is the most comprehensive biblical treatment on matters of the end, but additional prophecies appear in several books of the old testament, and also in the eschatological discourse of Jesus in the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

No prominent Christian groups predict with any sort of certainty the return of Christ in 2012. But nearly all traditions look around the world today, behold the abominations therein, and wonder if we are nearing the end.

In the world of Catholic eschatology, there are varying interpretations as to what will occur near the end of time, just as there are differences in protestant and evnagelical interpretations.

Generally, it is believed that there will be a great deception amid troubling times, and the rise of the antichrist. This may be followed by the defeat of the antichrist and a period of peace. But at the end of this period will come the final battle between God and Satan, and the second coming of Jesus.

In more recent time the notion of a rapture, a seven-year tribulation, and a thousand year reign of Christ on earth has become popular.

This idea has been expanded by many evangelicals, with some discerning very specific predictions based on the Scriptures in Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation. For example, Joel Rosenberg, author of The Ezekiel Option, believes the war of Gog and Magog, as spoke of in Ezekiel, will come to fruition as Russia and Iran attacking Israel.

There has been debate of whether or not Christ will phsyically reign in this world during the “1000 year” era of peace. The idea of a physical reign in Jerusalem could lead some to embrace the antichrist. Part of the coming deception could be a figure portraying himself as Christ, setting himself up in Jerusalem, and claiming to start a thousand year reign. Of course, being a false prophet and setting yourself up in Jerusalem as God is precisely what the antichrist may do. Legitimate believers hold varying opinions on these topics.

Despite the differences between Christian eschatology perspectives, there are several consistencies within all Christian traditions, namely a great deception caused by the Antichrist that leads many souls astray, a trial of ultimate evil, and the return of Christ.

An excellent treatment of the end times is achieved in the novel Father Elijah by Michael D. O’Brien. The novel follows a Catholic priest who is a convert from Judaism, and his role in the final days. It is a beautiful work of literature.

2012: What do I do?

2012 may come and go like any other year, but odds are the amount of turmoil in the world will continue to increase. Joining a cult, freaking out, or selling all of your worldly posessions is probably a rash and paranoid move. However, being calm, smart, and prepared is a good idea. Without regard to 2012, or any of the possibilities listed here, every family should be prepared for natural disasters, extended power outages, and a lack of government services.

Notes

[1] “Solar Storm Warning” by Dr. Tony Phillips, March 10th 2006, NASA Release
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/10mar_stormwarning.htm

[2] “Food Riots of the 21st Century", January 6th 2008, Mail & Guardian Online
http://www.mg.co.za/articledirect.aspx?articleid=328941

[3] “Peak Oil: Life After the Oil Crash” by Matt Savinar
http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/Index.html

[4] “Over 4.5 Billion people could die from Global Warming-related causes by 2012″ by John Stokes, The Canadian
http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/home/Frontpage/2007/01/08/01291.html

[5] “Congress Approval Rating Matches Historical Low” by Jeffery M. Jones, August 21st, 2007, Gallup.com

[6] “No Improvement in Job Scores for Bush or Congress” by Lydia Sadd, January 10th, 2008, Gallup.com

[7] “Hunter endorses Huck…heads explode” by Michelle Malkin, January 23rd, 2008, MichelleMalkin.com
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/01/23/hunter-endorses-huckheads-explode/

[8] Rudy Giuliani on the MSNBC GOP Debate, January 24th, 2008, in Florida

[9] style=’mso-spacerun:yes’> “US in role of wounded giant at Davos” by Mark Landler, January 23rd, 2008, International Herald Tribune

[10] “Top Chinese general warns US over attack” by Alexandra Harney, July 14th, 2005, FT.com

[11] “The World Age Cosmology of the Maya Calendar End-Date in AD 2012 and its Basis in a Rare Astronomical Alignment of the Solstice Sun with the Milky Way Galaxy", by John Major Jenkins, June 1999
http://www.grahamhancock.com/forum/JenkinsJM2-p1.htm

[12] The Nostradamus Code: World War III 2008 – 2012, by Dr. Michael Rathford, 2006, Truth Revealed

[13] “Alliances of the Third World’s War", by John Hogue, February 1st, 2002, Hogue Prophecy Bulletin
http://www.hogueprophecy.com/prophecy/axisofevil.htm

[14] “The Lost Book of Nostradamus", October 2007, The History Channel
http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=mini_home&mini_id=56121