It's the end of the world, December 2012?

Question

The Mayan Long Count ends on December 21st, 2012.

If you have no idea what that means, please don't answer this question.

This was predicted thousands of years ago, but still given credit by occult theorists today. If you know or understand what I am talking about, what do you think the Mayans expected to happen on December 21st, 2012? Is it as simple as Galactic precession? Is this a New Age of the universe? Will we be passing into a portion of the universe subject to different basic physical laws? Tell me your thoughts, but don't be flippant. I don't need a one-line crack or joke, I want to know what people think who already know about and understand this subject matter.

Figaro, as a scientist you should be aware of the "super universe" theory that suggests that our observable universe may be one of many rapidly inflating bubbles of the universe which, while physically connected to the rest of the universe, has potentially unique starting parameters and therefore different basic physical laws. Scientists use this theory to explain the excessively "flat" nature of space time, i.e. we do NOT see the curvature that Einstein predicted and that you so blithely referenced.

Esero,

Jesus said that no one would know the "hour" of his return. So, maybe the Mayans knew the day and not the hour? That's the problem with the bible, you never know when it's being literal.

Conradmex,

Do you think that "New Jerusalem" is the paradise of the 5th Mayan Age? Perhaps the Mayans were aware of more details than the early Christians. If the tribulation occurs, what about the 1000 year period following it? How would that fit the the Mayan calendar?

masterdeath01,

It interesting, isn't it, that an advanced culture should die out long before the product of it's science. The people might be gone, but the legacy of their scientists lives on, and that's pretty powerful. Look at us, thousands of years later using the absurdly complex architecture of the internet and personal computers to discuss their works. Perhaps some future race of man will look back on our remnants with the same sense of curiosity and wonder.

Misty and Bri,

So what was last week's reason for the world ending supposed to be?

Answer 1

the mayan long count states that a great event will occur in 2012 but the end of time will be much later. take a look.
End of the world?
The end of the 13th b'ak'tun is conjectured to have been of great significance to the Maya, but does not mark the end of the world. According to the Popol Vuh, a book compiling details of creation accounts known to the Quiché Maya of the colonial-era highlands, we are living in the fourth world. The Popol Vuh describes the first three creations that the gods failed in making and the creation of the successful fourth world where men were placed. The Maya believed that the fourth world would end in catastrophe and the fifth and final world would be created that would signal the end of mankind.

The last creation ended on a long count of 13.0.0.0.0. Another 13.0.0.0.0 will occur on December 21, 2012, and it has been discussed in many New Age articles and books that this will be the end of this creation or something else entirely. However, the Maya abbreviated their long counts to just the last five vigesimal places. There were an infinite number of larger units that were usually not shown. When the larger units were shown (notably on a monument from Coba), the end of the last creation is expressed as 13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.0.0.0.0, where the units are obviously supposed to be 13s in all larger places. In this age we are only approaching 0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.13.0.0.0.0, and the larger places are nowhere near the 13s that would match the end of the last creation. (Schele and Friedel 1990: 430)

This is confirmed by a date from Palenque, which projects forward in time to 1.0.0.0.0.0, which will occur on 13 October, 4772. The Classic Period Maya obviously did not believe that the end of this age would occur in 2012. According to the Maya, there will be a baktun ending in 2012, a significant event being the end of a 13th 400 year period, but not the end of the world.

Answer 2

The Mayans were very advanced people. They positioned pyramidian sculptures and natural buldings according to the stars. The Long Count was probably an extended almanac-ish sort of calendar probably used to discern when the next solstices and equinoxes would occur.

Check this out: I just looked up the Winter Solstice and it showed that in the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice is on December 21/22. Maybe the Long Count was just a WAY extended almanac of future solstices...?

I think so. I don't really believe the world will end. It's probably not a New Age of the universe... as it's pretty much impossible to find out if it is. We live on Earth, which is in the Solar System... which is in the far outer portion of the swirling galaxy we call the "Milky Way." The Milky Way, is estimated to be near left-middle part of the Universe. The Universe is capable of sustaining life elsewhere... after all, there are trillions more galaxies out there other than ours... and there are trillions of stars within our own galaxy... there are quadrillions of THINGS circling those stars... what if they're planets full of other life-forms?

If the Universe is sustaining a lot of life... and this life happens to find each other and share each other's secrets... then, in my opinion, we'll enter a New Age of the Universe. The physical laws don't change... our understanding of them does.

The Long Count ends on Dec. 21, 2012 because it denotes another age of creation at hand. I believe it's just the end of a long period of time maked by the last Winter Solstice. Think of it this way: we use the system of centuries. The century, for us, started at 1901 and ended at 2000. The next one started at 2001 and will end on 2100. Maybe the long count was just a system of dates which, at it's end, denoted a new start... kinda like a new century. Instead of us ending our century at New Year's Eve... they ended their "century" on the Winter Solstice... essentially a few days earlier. It seems fairly logical, if you ask me... :-p

But I think that's all it is... just a really, really, REALLY long calendar of future solstices. Maybe they assumed they'd survive that long into the future... It's sad that they didn't. :-(

Answer 3

It's not really that difficult to understand, as a scientist, that what you're talking about is little more than end-of-the-world hypocrisy. The Mayans?! Sure they were an advanced peoples, but they didn't know squat about the end of the universe any more than you or I would.

And this business of the portion of the universe subject to different basic physical laws? I'm sorry, but the laws of physics in the universe are the same, regardless of any inertial frame of reference. You can thank Mr. Einstein for that little bit of trivia.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people think the world is going to end on XX/YY/ZZZZ. And that year always happens to be right around the corner. What is it with people's facination with this rubbish?

Answer 4

that's ideas is depending off a Mayan calendar (it quite is the 12 months the calendar stops). i do no longer understand why or how the Mayans got here to the conlusion that that's at the same time as the earth would end. i do no longer take it that heavily. actually everyone idea the international would bring about 2000 or at the same time as the planets very last all aligned up. truth is, there isn't any understanding at the same time as the earth will end. And im seeing way too many questions in this date on right here.

Answer 5

The end of the long count was supposed to signify the end of an age for the Mayans, the sun is going to be in conjunction with another star and part of the Milky Way that it almost never comes close to and they must have thought that significant. I also think they were planning on still being alive in 2012 and starting another "long count".
BTW the world was supposed to end last week also, instead a few hundred thousand people went to the movies. Go figure...

Answer 6

It is not the end of the world, but the Great Tribulation that we are waiting for. 2012 could be close. It looks very close.
I personally think that it will start before 2018 sometime.
It is also prophesied that the next Pope is the last one, so that fits too. Gasoline is running out. Lots of things point to an end of life as we know it. But the time is the great tribulation..
For instance your 2012 is a very interesting point and only one of many that point the same way..

Answer 7

It depends on who you ask. Some occultists believe that the "Ahriman Gate" will open at this time. Interdimensional beings will reveal themselves to mankind. Mankind shall enter what is called the "New Aeon" or New World Order. These beings will supposedly teach mankind technologies relating to free energy, thus destroying the power industrial complex, a new utopia on earth; the death of the Old World Order, and the birth of the New. There are many variants in this question. However, if you do your research, what I've given is the boiled down version.

Answer 8

No hon, it doesn't mean the end of the world, just the start of a new 'phase'. I can't remember exactly, but I believe the Mayan calendar goes up to something like 2550, or something. Plenty of time yet!
Like you postulated, it could be called a 'New Age', but nothing major as in the changing of physical laws or anything. We will have to just wait and see!

4772...THAT was the date! (tut to me, why didn't I think of Wikipedia! lol)

:)

Answer 9

well if you are christian, jesus said that no one will no the end, besides God the Father. I think that the Mayans predicted a "NEW Age". Like that man would grow substantionally in knowledge, wisdom, etc.--A higher understanding of ourselves and our world. I would trust the bible though. peace.

Answer 10

Right now is the time of the awakening,and in 2012 will be time of transition to a higher spiritual level...