Psychology

Human civilization has been roaming this world since the span of time.  Approximately about two hundred thousand (200,000) years ago, man has started building their society by building their own language, writing their literature, using the natural resources around them and most especially cultivating the land they own.  Centuries after, man has made large advancements since the era of farmers and hunters but despite those achievements he still has insecurities.  These insecurities have many forms but have a common point to them  fear of the unknown.  Man fears of the unknown date of the todays tomorrow that will never come  the judgment day or the apocalypse.  And yet despite the fear, he has been engrossed in studying this possibility.

Eschatology Death by the Notes
In starting with the understanding of death, however, we do not seem the dilemma for language. (Schwarz, 2009)

Due to mans passion to the predicament of the last days, a study with about the imminent ending of humanity and the world as it is have emerged  that is Eschatology.  It has long been present in civilization dating even back to the ancient world but the word eschatology has said to have been used in the mid -1500s.  Eschatology is widely acknowledged by different sectors worldwide.  In fact, each religion has their own stories of the apocalypse. The Muslims have Isa, as their Messiah (Savior) who shall come down to Earth before the End of Days.  On another note, the Jews have an almost similar plot line from the Muslims -  Messiah will come forth during the days of the end.  Meanwhile, the religion Buddhism never predicted that there should be such ending to the humanity.  They, along with their closely related religion Hinduism, firmly believe that samsara shall never cease. Samsara is the cycle of life and death  that one goes through everytime they have died.  After which the person is reincarnated into another life or will proceed to Nirvana.  (Nattier, 2008)   The most influential religion perhaps, to have touched this matter and have probably gained believers despite different faiths is Christianity.  Their massive number and highly advertised celebrations have reached many people of different religions even. One can probably ask anyone of any religion different from Christians about Christianitys apocalypse and most of them can answer accurately correct. 

Fascination of Apocalypse
Throughout the many centuries of predicting what-not predictions, eschatology has developed.  It is the official or non-official study of anything related to the ending of the world. This happened as a result of the humans very peculiar fascination with the death of itself and the world.    Today, many (most especially Christians) have joined this practice in the hopes of finding answers to the questions about humanitys end. As mentioned earlier in the introduction, man may only be insecure as to the tentativeness of the date this shall occur  it is only the fear of the unknown.  This fear takes control of the situation and drives us into setting the dates for our own assurance.  This is still not proven though but it is most likely how mans thinking is, whether it is consciously or subconsciously done.  By consciously, means the instigator of the predicament and by subconsciously means the man only follows. 
 
Regardless of faith, people will always believe for the best- should the day come, man shall be saved.  That duality of the mind only shows how complex and beautiful mans thinking is. 

Previous Predictions
The earliest prediction of the apocalypse date back from 2,800 BC  the prophecy was inscribed on an Assyrian clay tablet and goes as follows, Our earth is degenerate in these latter days. There are signs that the world is speedily coming to an end. Bribery and corruption are common. (Moran 2008)  In 1st century AD, Jesus has predicted the end to happen thousands of years after his death.  The prophecy goes as follows,  Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. (The Bibles Book of Matthew 1628) in 2nd century AD, the Montanus founded Montanism and established a base in Anatolia, Turkey where they have awaited the end.  The Montanists distinguished themselves from Christians  they clearly defined their movement as the New Prophecy not Christianism. (Butler, 2006) In March 25, 970 AD, Lotharingian (lower part of nobility) computists have predicted that the end would be on a Good Friday when the Annunciation fell on it.    This has troubled people for years after many Good Fridays have passed.  In 1284, Pope Innocent III predicted that the Messiah would come again on that same year although it never did happen.  In February 1, 1524, London Astrologers along with Johannes Stoeffler predicted that there would be a Great Flood (in reference to Noahs Ark) that will start in Thames river. In 1648, Sabbatai Zevi predicted the Messiah to return in the same year but recalculated it after a new year emerged. (Moran, 2008)  In 1666, many believed that the unlucky year with the imperfect-perfect number 666 was the end. In December 25, 1814, Joanna Southcott claimed that she bore Christ and that she would give birth on December 25 but rather than the end of the world, it became the end for her.  In 1836, the John Wesley of the Methodists predicted the Great Beast in the Bible to emerge on the same year.  In 1881, the Jehovahs Witnesses and pyramidologists predicted that the world would end that same year.  Another prediction by Mother Shipton in the 16th century stirred a commotion among the people - The world to an end shall come, in eighteen hundred and eighty one. In May 18, 1910, scientists have not predicted but have hypothesized the end of the world as Halleys Comet returned  the threat was the vapors from the comets tail. It was the first assumption based on a more scientifical view.  Decades later, on the 29th of April 1987, the Halleys Comet hypothesis was brought up once again. In March to May of the year 1997, Chuck Shramek made a statement about the end of the world and somehow found its way over the internet.  The Heavens Gate cult seized on these combined rumors as their signal to commit mass suicide in March of this year. (Moran, 2008) In the year 2000, many believed that it will be the year of Christs second coming.  The latest prediction of the end is the Mayans prophecy of the date December 21, 2012  they have predicted that at the stroke of midnight of the said date the world will take a new face.  (Burton, 2006)

The Bibles Prediction
The Christians Bible is one of the widely known sources of text which talks of the end of the world.  Christians worldwide uphold what is written in the Bible to be absolute as such, they are one of the most devoted believers in the worlds coming to an end.  The bible has been quoted numerous times of which the second coming or the end has been mentioned.  These are present in several books and the most common quoted are from the Book of Mark, Matthew, James, Peter, John and Revelations.

Jesus Christs prediction
Jesus Christ, the Christians Messiah, have been stating of the end even before the world is in no shape to have been predicting the horrible thought.  He said to his disciples, Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away before all these things take place.  (The Bibles Book of Mark 1330) Jesus told his disciples of the signs that the end is near the presence of false prophets rumors of famine and war shall surface his followers will be persecuted and the antichrist shall take hold of the Holy Land.  By false prophets, he meant that many will claim to be him and those prophets shall delude people into following them thus, tripping the people to the right faith.  Centuries after his death, many people did and are still impersonating as him.  The rumors Jesus have stated are far from the whispers he said they would be  - famine and wars are already happening in the current world.  Many of his men and those followers who spread the true word of God will be condemned by the people believing in the anti-christ.   And this antichrist is pointed out to be someone, whom the Apostle Paul described in the Book of Thesalonians, Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 

The Four Horsemen
In the book of revelation, the end is just as Jesus has described in the Book of Mark although more symbolic figures are involved in the foretelling it.  In the nearing of the end, four horsemen with significant missions will come to earth  the white, the red, the black and the pale horsemen.  The white rider stands for those who rise to power and fame much like the anti-christ and the false prophets earlier stated.  This rider shall bring forth the next  the red rider.  This horseman brings war and bloodshed like what Jesus has stated in the Book of Mark.  The red horseman shall bring forth the black rider who brings famine and hunger. Lastly, the pale rider shall appear and bring forth death.  The exact passage goes as follows

And I saw, and behold a white horse and he that sat on him had a bow and a crown was given unto him and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.And there went out another horse that was red and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another and there was given unto him a great sword. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say,A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. (Book of Revelations 62-8)

2012 Mayans Calendar Prediction
As the Mayans are very fascinated by time, they often made calculations to make calendars for them regardless of the less equipment they have.  They have at least twenty (20) calendars with fifteen (15) published worldwide and all of those derived from the celestial bodies  such as the Sun, the Moon and the other planets. Throughout the years of making long calendars, their astronomers have calculated the exact date of the end of the world  that is in the 13  baktun cycle in the Winter solstice. Today, the date is marked as the twelfth of December of the year 2012.  They believe it to be the completion of the world cycle.  Joseph (2007), the author of the book Apocalypse 2012, met Mayan Guatelema and found out that their prediction werent only from mere calendars.  These control their life and people have different calendars for every type of person  for example, there is a separate calendar for preganant women.  And so, when the astronomers of the Mayan civilization have predicted this date more than a thousand years ago, they have marked it well like a personal organizer on will open up until when the date is near.

Optimism despite the end
Man continues to be enticed by the darkness of the future - that is by nightmares of death and despair the abyss of sins and tales of world abolition.  But believe it or not, this is not mans true wish.   Man naturally seeks the brighter side of the road.  He always has a positive knack for things that surround him.  His natural color is blue  Of the cheerful sea and sky.  He shall alwaysalways turn to the light.  That is, despite the catastrophes that have come or will come, man will always see things through.  He shall hope and in that tiny speck of faith, the Lord shall shelter him. 

The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem the earth and the sky will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. (Joel 316 New International Version)

It is not much of a deal should apocalypse come in a few years or so. Just keep on living the way youd want and obediently listen to His words.  He shall protect you everyday up until the last of days