Page 36 - 200911 - The 'X' Chronicles newspaper - November 2009

november2009_june_july_2009.qxd 23/11/2009 4:37 PM Page 36 36 More 2012 Stories In The News 36 More 2012 Stories In The News 2012: Doomsday or 2012: Doomsday or blockbuster? blockbuster? Continued from Page 35 Continued from Page 35 The predictions related to 2012 are decorated with scientific theories, but it is not the first time that scientific theories were used to support eschatological predictions. Astrologers claimed that the planets of the solar system would form a “grand cross,” which is mentioned in a prophecy of Nostradamus, centering on the sun in July 1999, and it would result in a big change in the magnetic field of the Earth. But nothing actually happened, of course. However plausible the movie may sound, it is obvious that the members of 2012’s production team are not the least concerned with the predictions about doomsday in 2012. After all, if they were convinced that what is have," he said. "They are nervous about what's has posted answers to frequently asked described in the film would take place in reality, going on in the world." questions debunking the 2012 predictions on its when do they think they can spend the money Global warming. Pandemics and health Web site. they earned from the movie? [] scares. War in the Middle East. End-timers like "Nothing bad will happen to the Earth in McGriff say these are signs that we are living in 2012," the site says. "Our planet has been the last days. "Look at the Bible," he said. "It's getting along just fine for more than 4 billion Mark your calendars: predicted." years, and credible scientists worldwide know Mark your calendars: On his site, www.the-tribulation- The world will end on network.com, he examines a recent of no threat associated with 2012." The world will end on Mayan scholars have also said the Dec. 21, 2012 -- or will announcement from Federal Reserve Chairman ancient civilization did not predict the end of the Dec. 21, 2012 -- or will world. Ben Bernanke that the recession is over and it? concludes that "the current world economic Instead, they said that date symbolizes it? system … (opens) the way for something far an end of an important era and would be a By Jennifer Garza more sinister as we see in the prophetic reason to celebrate. By Jennifer Garza Scriptures." "It's much like the way we celebrated Dene McGriff wants to make sense out The end of the world has come and gone the end of a century," said Sandra Noble, of the last days – the end of times. He has turned before. Believers have parsed the messages executive director of the Foundation for the to the Bible. Others have turned to ancient from Nostradamus to the Bible Code, have Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies in calendars, prophecies and even movies. circled dates on their doomsday calendars, and Crystal River, Fla. "To say that it's an end of the All see the same message: The end is they are are still here to mark another. world is simply not true." near. "Nobody wants the world to end, but Some have compared the 2012 hype to McGriff, a retired Carmichael everyone wants to know when its going to the Y2K scenarios a decade ago. "When nothing businessman, runs a Web site called Tribulation happen," said Phil Hotsenpiller, the pastor of happened, they found another date," said Network, which is devoted to Bible prophecies Yorba Linda Friends Church, a Southern Hotsenpiller. about the end of the world as we know it. California megachurch. The movie "2012" now helps generate "People are looking for answers, there's Hotsenpiller is the author of the hype. The film starring John Cusack retells a lot of anxiety right now," said McGriff, 67. "Armageddon Now," a series of seven graphic the biblical story of the great flood. There's a They have browsed for answers in an novels showing how the biblical prophecies worldwide catastrophe, a prophet in the array of books on the subject, with titles such as play out. He also hosts an annual prophecy wilderness, arks and a boy named Noah. as "The Mystery of 2012," "Time Storm 2012" conference. Religious beliefs drive some of the and "2012: The War for Souls." They have He believes these are the last days. He interest in the end-of-the-world scenarios. But watched for them in the movie "2012," which would not predict the date. The only prediction Christians do not believe the world will end in opened this month and earned more than $200 he would make was that the end of times would 2012. "The Bible said we will not know the million worldwide in its first week. And they "be good for Hollywood and they'll probably date," said Hotsenpiller. have perused the proliferation of Web sites like make a lot of money." But, McGriff said, the Scriptures do McGriff's. Many credit, or blame, the current end- emphasize the end. "The apocalypse is about There's more to come. "The Road," of-the-world interest in the examination of one one quarter of the Bible," he said. based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by ancient Mayan calendar – and there are three – McGriff said he has been writing about Cormac McCarthy about a post-apocalyptic that some have interpreted to say that the world the Bible's message of the upcoming apocalypse world, opens Wednesday. will end on Dec. 21, 2012. for 15 years. "If we're living in the last days," he "We're in an apocalypse bubble," said On that date, the Mayan "long count" said "don't you think it's in our benefit to find John Hall, a sociologist at the University of calendar marks the end of a 5,126-year era. The out what's going to happen?" [] California, Davis, "in the same way that there day is also the winter solstice. The Mayan was a real estate bubble and a dot-com bubble." calendar is so well known that it has spurred its Hall has studied apocalyptic movements own cottage industry. MISSED ANY ’X’ ZONE RADIO since the 1970s and is the author of "There is also an incredible alignment of SHOWS LATELY? "Apocalypse: From Antiquity to the Empire of the stars on that day," said Colin Andrews, who Modernity." He does not believe the end is near, has written about end-times prophecies in "The NOW YOU CAN GO TO A NEW SITE echoing the sentiments of other observers who Complete Idiot's Guide to 2012." "I do think we THAT WILL ALLOW YOU THE either dismiss the interpretations or debunk are entering another cycle, that we are going to PLEASURE OF LISTENING AT WILL! them as scientifically unsound. have a major realignment of some sort." "But I think all this reflects fears people NASA, in response to 2012 inquiries, WWW.XZONEPODCAST.COM