2012 prophecy: world events provoke debate

May 18, 2010  
Filed under Features

   Similar to how the yearly calendar ends with Dec. 31, the Mayan calendar ends Dec. 21, 2012, which is the end of the Mayan count period and the start of another, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

   Recent natural disasters have prompted talk that the events are foreshadowing the 2012 prediction. The Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti, ranked as the sixth most deadly, claimed more than 200,000 lives and left more than 1 million people homeless.

   Other recent natural disasters that have occurred this year include the 8.8 magnitude Chilean earthquake Feb. 27, the April earthquakes in China and Mexico, last month’s destructive tornadoes in Mississippi, and intense flooding in Tennessee. Also the Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajokul,

shut down some European airports for over six days according to the examiner.com.

   The end of the world predictions, according to the Mayan calendar, were supposed to occur in May of 2003, but since no catastrophic event occurred that day, it was moved to December 2012. Theories such as a planet Nibiru, Planet X, or Eris crashing into Earth, a reversal in the rotation of the Earth, or planetary alignment are all supported by insufficient evidence to conclude that the world will end, according to NASA.

   ”All of these 2012 ideas about the end of the world according to the Mayan calendar cannot be taken too seriously,” said theology teacher Mr. Tom Mar. “My advice is not to fear because Jesus Christ himself did not know when the end of time would be, so why should we?”

   The disaster picture 2012’s November debut, starring John Cusack, Amanda Peet and Woody Harrelson, fueled discussion of the Mayan prophecy.

    Senior Lauren Marzullo said, “The movie 2012 was disappointing. It was very unrealistic and predictable.”

   Senior Vince Fratantoni said he believes, “We should live for today and not tomorrow. All of the 2012 hype is overrated and people need to realize that people have been making end of the world assumptions for many years and nothing has occurred yet.”

   With a scientific approach, NASA has reported that “nothing bad will happen to Earth in 2012. Our planet has been getting along just fine for more than 4 billion years, and credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012.”

   This thought is supported by students around the NDP campus. Freshman Katy Leinweber said, “I think the theory of 2012 is not a big deal and everyone needs to stop worrying about it because it will not happen.”

   Campus Chaplain Rev. Michael Goodyear said, “I haven’t even heard anything about the end of the world. I guess that topic comes up every so often though, or other predictions like Y2K or the earthquake that was supposed to have rocked St. Louis a few years ago and had folks hiding out with food supplies and schools cancelled. Nothing ever happened!”

   He added, “The Church does not encourage us to try to unveil the future. The Catechism says the following in number 2116: All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to “unveil” the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomenon of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers.”

   “In Mass, we say, ‘Protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.’ We do not need to be anxious for the end of time,” Mr. Mar said.

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