End of world 21st December 2012?

[commonsense]

Watched a program on Mayan Prophecy and heard that on this date the planets will allign and the Earth will be destroyed (judgement day), apparently astrologers have confirmed it. Any thoughts?

[Lonnie]

I couldn't really care less, the worlds going to end sometime, my only hope is that its sudden,

Take a look at this lot, and take your pick.

http://www.lifepositive.com/mind/paranormal/do omsday/doomsday-predictions.asp

[jenstar]

Oh well, if astrologers have confirmed it then it must be true because they're NEVER wrong...

That's sarcasm, by the way.

[Clanad]

Here in the U.S., astrologers all have a second job... weather forecasters...

[naomi24]

Astrologers may have confirmed the planets will align, but I've had a quick look and I can't find any evidence to suggest that science confirms it. Does anyone know?

Some legends say that in 2012 the ancient gods, all of whom promised to return, will gather at Tiahuanaco, and a new era of peace will begin. Other legends say 2012 will bring the end of the world.

No one knows so we'll just have to wait and see, won't we - but I think I'll carry on paying the mortgage anyway - just to be on the safe side!

[jackthehat]

Well that's good news for us last minute Christmas shoppers at any rate !

Weren't the planets in alignment not long ago...........?

Isn't this just one of those "The earth will end on this day...............oh, erm it must be this day, then............no ? oh it'll be this day and if it's not then it'll be that day." ?

* I'm trying out my emphasis skills and hope I've got it right this time. Apologies if this message comes through looking very odd.

[jackthehat]

Doh !
Well, I'm not going to do very well if I don't read things properly, am I ?
I promise to try harder in future :o)

[WaldoMcFroog]

Planets have aligned time and time again and depressingly predicatably, various parties have declared that these events will see God arrive/ disasters occur/ Intelligent Design to start using facts or some other hooey.

Have a guess how many times any of these predictions have come to pass?

More: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec =technology&res=9D0CE4D9163EF934A25751C1A96795 8260&n=Top%2fNews%2fScience%2fTopics%2fPlanet

[Whickerman]

astrologers or astronomers? There's a big difference!

There was also a major alignment in the 90s, and Patrick Moore summed it up well by saying it would have the same impact on gravity as a double decker bus passing two miles away.

[naomi24]

My point precisely Whicker. Astrology and Astronomy are two very different things. I wonder how many planets have to align before it's considered to be a 'major' alignment?

[jollygreen]

Absolute *****.

[jollygreen]

That last post said "absolute 5hite" by the way.

Astrology is beyond crap. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a flat-earther and deserving of epic contempt.

[Teddio]

There is no significant planetary alignment in 2012. Even if all the planets lined up on the opposite side of the Sun, the effect on the Earth would be negligible. By far the most influential body, from a gravitational perspective, is the Moon.
The most likely date for terrestrial Armageddon will occur some 5 to 8 billion years in the future when the Sun swells up to become a Red Giant. However that time scale isn't scary. An optimum time scale for maximum panic seems to be between 3 and 8 years. Some people live in hope for the Great Chastisement but are invariably let down.

[Llamatron]

I remember one of the Louis Theroux Weird Weekend programmes where he visited a cult commune thing - House of Jahweh or something I think. They were totally convinced that judgement day would come in 2004. Louis asked what would happen if 2004 arrived and nothing happened but they just refused to even acknowledge the possibility. And we're still here.

The point is that people have predicted the end of the world for as long as we've been able to talk and it still hasn't happened.

The only thing we can be sure of is that people are gullible and easily fooled.

[saxy_jag]

The end of the world had better be on that date - I've got a fiver on it down at Ladbrokes.

[naomi24]

That made me laugh Llamatron. I remember as a schoolgirl the day for the predicted end of the world had arrived (can't remember the date), and I spent my lunch break out on the tennis courts watching the clouds skimming across the sky, and waiting - and nothing happened!

Saxy - sorry, but I hope your bet goes down!

[luna-tic]

I don't want to sound like a doomy-gloomy person but I'm surprised we've got this far the way things are going in the world so I just count my blessings.
So far,so good.

[paddywak]

The first time I heard the world was going to I was still at school (when that was I'm not going to say but the Return to Sender was No 1in the charts). Since then the end of world must have been announced a hundred times. Still I suppose the "end of the worlders" will be right eventually.

[spanner7853]

Havent we been here before. 1984 06/06/2006 etc?

[commonsense]

jenstar obviously missed the APPARENTLY, I was after opinions not sarcasm I already have that skill myself.

[commonsense]

also thought it was strange that a the Mayans could have known that 3000 years ahead there would be a planetary allignment on that date, as astrologers have confirmed. I am not saying its gonna happen. Think u people just like to sit on your high horses and take the p*** out of others who are not neccessarily as learned as you.