2012 and Other Cultures

[EternalSearch]

Other than the Mayan culture there seem to be many, many cultures that have end of times scenarios. But are there any others that quite specifically point to the year 2012 or there abouts?

[liowkc]

To mn, these predictions of the world coming to end in 2012 are sheer nonsense. The world can come to an end any time either by man-made or natural disasters. Look at the cyclone in Burma and earthquake in China!

[Jonas1]

Originally Posted by liowkc

To mn, these predictions of the world coming to end in 2012 are sheer nonsense. The world can come to an end any time either by man-made or natural disasters. Look at the cyclone in Burma and earthquake in China!

Liowkc, I am not an expert on the Mayan Calendar but I know this much; the Mayan Calendar ENDS in 2012 (or rather a bit before, see this articles by Carl Johan Calleman; Mayan Calendar: Why the Creation Cycles do not end December 21, 2012, but October 28, 2011) it DO NOT predict a specific catastrophe!

The calendar is spanning over some 5 billion years, are describing cycles in great detail and it just happens to end 2012. It's like when you buy a Filofax for 2008; it is very detailed for that particular year and then it just suddenly ends January 14 2009. The difference with Mayan Calendar is that it starts from when the Mayans believed was the moment of creation, some 5 billion years ago (which of course is astonishingly close to the present view of western science), they are then describing cycles with painstaking detail until a certain date that happens to be 2012.

Another difference between Filofax and the Mayan Calendar is that the mayans didn't create the calendar for the purpose of keeping track of appointments, they was focusing on cycles they believed influenced consciousness.

The conclusion made by scholars like Carl Johan Calleman is that this "end of time", is the end of time for an old level of consciousness. It's the end of a certain perception of reality - not an end of the world in a physical meaning.

But as I said, It's better that Carl Johan gives input on this, I'm just a happy amateur . Carl Johan is at the moment writing on his new book and it can therefor be a time lag for his posting here, but be patient, he will give his input!

[Jonas1]

Originally Posted by EternalSearch

Other than the Mayan culture there seem to be many, many cultures that have end of times scenarios. But are there any others that quite specifically point to the year 2012 or there abouts?

I believe the Mayan Calendar is unique in being detailed, but as I mention in the post before, it doesn't predict a particular event happening at a particular date. Rather, it is detailed about how consciousness would change in longer and shorter cycles. With a change of consciousness a change of outcome would also happen.

Carl Johan or someone else here can give you much more info about how the Mayan calendar is compared to other cultures.

[liowkc]

I have lots of respect for Mayan culture but I am no expert at it. If indeed they predicted the world to end in 2012, they are wrong. Tolerance of other beliefs doesn't mean acceptance of such nonsense.

[Jonas1]

Originally Posted by liowkc

If indeed they predicted the world to end in 2012, they are wrong.

Well, as I said: they don't!

[EternalSearch]

Actually, the only other faith that I know much about their end of times beliefs also does not believe in an end of this world. The Bible states that the meek will inherit the Earth and live forever upon it (Psalms 37:29). If the Earth were to be in some way destroyed, then this would not be possible.

Instead it would seem that a shift would be approaching as you put it. Something such as the Earth perhaps returning to it's paradise state?

[Sabrina]

Thanks for the very informative post Jonas. I had always heard that the Mayans had determined that 2012 would be the end of the physical world, I guess I never even considered that it could be on a more metaphorical level. Interesting! I'm definitely going to be passing this information on.

[Serenity]

I have heard various things about the world ending in 2012 but most of the rumors and stories seemed pretty nonsensical. I've heard stories of an asteroid colliding with earth, the polar ice caps melting and flooding the world and of course, nuclear war. I didn't realize that the basis of these stories was from the Mayan calendar (with quite a bit added in, apparently). I will have to look into this further as it sounds fascinating.

[ShortOfTime]

Yes, on the whole people tend to grab hold of an idea and run with it. Some of it though I wonder if it is simply people getting a half truth, rumour almost and without understanding it fully it scares them. And so theories that are somewhat half cocked tend to result.