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Friday, November 13 2009 - 07:07 PM
The “End of the World”(as we know it)?
With today’s release of the new film “2012”, I’m reminded of a question I’ve long wondered about, why our fascination, in some cases longing, for the end of the world? What is it in the dark corners of our collective unconscious that is both fearful of and fascinated by visions of the apocalypse?
In many religions, doomsday is a central theme of their message of both fear and redemption as old as the religions themselves. Some fundamentalist Christian sects have been telling their congregations for many years that these are the “end times” and to get right with (their) God in time for the “rapture” in which believers (of their religion only) will be carried to heaven while all others will be cast into a fiery hell when the apocalypse arrives. This has been the realm of true believers, mystics and charlatans alike.
So far, the dire predictions of the prophets of doom have been wrong. The day of destruction came and went without incident and the would-be Elijah’s scurried back to their ancient texts for the next signs of Armageddon.
16th Century seer Michel de Nostradamus in his quatrain 74, so obtuse that it can be translated any number of ways, is often cited as predicting the rise of the anti-Christ in 1999, followed thereafter by bloody wars and natural disasters that would decimate the Earth in short order. Others (like the new film) point to the Mayan calendar which ends in 2012, although Mayan scholars insist that it is merely the end of a natural “cycle”. Still others point to the mythologies of the Hopi Indians or ancient Hindus.
In more recent times the Millerites, followers of New England farmer William Miller, after exhaustive study of scripture, predicted the world would end in 1843. Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon church, said Jesus told him he would return in 1891 and “wind up the scene”. Some scientists predicted that the return of Halley’s comet in 1910 would bathe the planet in toxic gas and extinguish all life. Televangelist Pat Robertson told his audience that there would be a “judgment on the world” in 1982. Doomsday cults such as David Koresh and his Branch Dividians and San Diego’s Heaven’s Gate UFO cult all, for different reasons, preached that “the end is nigh”.
Audiences for the new film “2012” are likely to be faced with a dilemma. While cheering at the eye-popping special effects, it is likely to occur to them that they are vicariously witnessing the slaughter of billions of their fellow human beings – surrogates for themselves – and ultimately find the spectacle less than entertaining.
Or maybe not.
Ray Cunneff says...
What are your thoughts about “the end of the world”?
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roxi says...
What a great post/blog, Ray – thanks very much – and I can’t wait to see the movie!
It’s amazing how even NASA has felt the urge to respond to this movie – sounds like an Oscar to me.
Yes, there’s been people predicting the end of the world for eons, our latest with pilgramages to Israel, for the second coming before it all blows up to nothing. I remember walking on the sts of NYC yrs ago – ‘The End Is Near’ signs on every street corner, mostly uptown – and the “Viking”!! Singing in the halls of the caverns of tall buildings in the empty streets early Sunday morning, before the churches opened for services; in his skins and robes – and predicting the end of the world – or perhaps his. From the 8th Ave. Y – he sounded better than any choir I’d ever heard.
Then New England in the 80’s – everyone was staking claim on any cave they could find – because the end was sure to come – soon.
imho, the end comes – when our lives end -but our souls live forever.
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whomeye says...
i hear it’s very muslim friendly. lol
only the christians get killed in it.
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Ray Cunneff says...
From Variety:
Sony’s Roland Emmerich disaster pic “2012” was a global tidal wave at the worldwide box office, flooding screens to the tune of $225 million in its opening weekend. Pic wreaked far more destruction overseas, where it grossed $160 million, compared to $65 million domestically.
Emmerich’s film saw the fifth best international opening of all time, and the best foreign launch ever for a nonsequel, if the estimates hold.
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PKShaw says...
My husband saw it yesterday and said it was the most action packed film he’s ever seen.
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Ray Cunneff says...
Although I have not yet seen the film, the reason I’m most interested in it is that John Cusack chose to do it. He’s one of the best actors working today and doesn’t usually go for the blockbusters. There must have been something in this script that appealed to him, since most disaster pics are short on character (or intelligence).
One of my favorite films is “Runaway Jury”. You get to see John Cusack, Rachel Weisz, Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman all at the top of their games. If you’ve never seen it, run do not walk, to the video store.
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Ray Cunneff says...
There are only a handful of films that I consider truly satisfying. One of the best endings I’ve ever seen is an Australian film called “Ground Zero”. It’s hard to find but well worth the effort.
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Ray Cunneff says...
I put “Runaway Jury” in that same category.
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Ray Cunneff says...
Many cite “Citizen Kane” as the greatest movie ever made. While I appreciate that film in a number of ways, I think “2001:A Space Odyssey” is the greatest film ever made.
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PKShaw says...
My husband would agree with you on the “2001” movie but I thought it was the most boring movie I’ve ever tried to watch, but then I don’t appreciate sci-fi anyway.
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Ray Cunneff says...
Stanley Kubrick is one of my heroes. “Paths of Glory”, “Dr. Strangelove”, A Clockwork Orange", “The Shining” and “Full Metal Jacket” are among the best films ever made. I was also one of the few who Liked “Barry Lyndon”.
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PKShaw says...
“Schindler’s List” was a very powerful movie as was “The Color Purple” and “The Great Debaters”.
But my favorite all time movie was a Cary Grant movie made in the 40’s called “People Will Talk” followed closely by “A Letter to Three Wives” made in the same time period.
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Randy Hall says...
District 9 is well worth seeing. 2012 was awesome till you realized eight billion people died.
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roxi says...
Cusack was great in the film, nice to see Amanda Peet without her lips pumped up, and Woody Harrelson was a crack-up with a similar role Jeff Bridges has in “Men who stare at goats”. All casting seemed to be right on. Special effects were awsum, especially the sunamis – amazing. Destruction of LA was craaazy —and quite frightening.
It’s basically a formula Hollywood disaster flick – was a bit long and dull in places, especially with the moralistic blather – but overall a really fun movie.
“Citizen Kane” was at that time the ultimate bad boy movie-one of the first to question the status quo of both politics & media. “A Touch of Evil” & “The 3rd Man” are my favorites of Welles.
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CMGINAV says...
Some fundamentalist Christian sects have been telling their congregations for many years that these are the “end times” and to get right with (their) God in time for the “rapture” in which believers (of their religion only) will be carried to heaven while all others will be cast into a fiery hell when the apocalypse arrives.
Small correction Ray: Bible believing AND reading Christians know there is no pre-tribulation rapture. The word rapture is not even found in the Bible. This is a doctrine that was started around the time the book “The Late Great Planet Earth” was published. The Bible is very clear that many Christian brothers and sisters will be martyrd for refusing to take a mark(RFID?) or an oath. Basically we will reject the system of the world and the lies being told to the public.
As for the “end of the world”, welcome to the birth pangs of it as described in prophecy.
Prophecy = world government in end times.
Today = implementation of global governance(world government).
Prophecy = he causes all to receive a mark in order to buy or sell.
Today = talk of RFID implanted chips and a cashless society.
Prophecy = increasing natural disasters and earthquakes in “divers places”.
Today = daily earthquakes all over the world, including the ocean. Increasing natural disasters.
Prophecy = "You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. "For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes, "But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
Today = well you know of all the wars and rumors of more wars, and we all know about famines in places like Africa and China.
Then Jesus told them a parable: "Behold the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. "So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near. "Truly I say to you, that this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
God Bless you all and have a happy Thanksgiving!
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Ray Cunneff says...
One of my favorite cartoons from the 1960’s was of a man standing on a street corner wearing a sandwich-board that said, “The World Ended Yesterday”.
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