Throughout its history, mankind has been thinking about the end of the world. In all world religions there are various scenarios of this catastrophe. There are many prophecies on this subject, scientific and pseudo-scientific theories. How much is left until the end of the world and what must be done to prevent this from happening? These questions are eternal. Although, when it comes to the end of the world, talking about eternity is wrong. The end of the world in different interpretations is understood differently. This is either the cessation of life on Earth, or the disappearance of our planet, or even the end of our universe. To study this question, eschatology arose.
Eschatology
This science studies ideas about the end of the world in various religions, about the possibility of atonement for sins and the afterlife. As a branch of theology, she explores the process within the framework of a particular doctrine. Regardless of what happens at the end of the world, this is understood as a cardinal change in the familiar world. The world will either move to a new level inaccessible to humanity, or completely disappear.
The end of the world in various religions
The scenarios of the end of the world in different religions are completely different. Even within the framework of one creed, there are variants of this event. So, even in the Bible, theologians speak differently about what will happen.
One version says that everything on Earth will be destroyed, another assumes that most of humanity will perish, and those who are righteous who will remain are waiting for paradise. In some Christian teachings, the Doomsday theme arises. At the last trial, the fate of each of us will be decided. Sinners will be plunged into the abyss of suffering, and eternal bliss awaits the righteous.
In Buddhism, there is a concept of the Mach-Kalpa cycles. When the cycle ends, the destruction of all worlds occurs. Then the worlds begin to unfold. There is an eternal pulsation of the universe.
Abrahamic creeds speak of Armageddon (Megido Hill in Israel). There should be a sacred battle between Good and Evil. Daniil Andreev believed that this battle would take place in Siberia, and Islam supporters thought it would be in Damascus.
The Scandinavian Ragnarok is a battle between underground monsters and gods, as a result of which the gods and the world will perish. But some gods and two people survive - Liv and Livtasir, who will revive life.
All these tales have one thing in common - after a disaster, life reappears. People tried to determine how much time was left until the end of the world, how to be among the lucky ones who survive it.
How to survive the end of the world?
In the history of mankind there have been so many predictions about the end of the world that its expectation has already become a habit. There is a funny joke on this subject:
- How much is left until the end of the world?
- To what account?
Cemeteries in medieval cities were located next to the churches, so that during the Last Judgment the risen dead would be closer to go. So, one of the ends of the world people expected in 1492. This year the Easter calendar ended at that time. In anticipation of the end of the world in Spain, the peasants did not begin to sow the fields, as a result of which a terrible famine erupted. But in 1492, Columbus discovered America, and the end of the world was postponed indefinitely.
Many religious sects speculated on people's fear of the end of the world. Sometimes this led to real tragedies. So, in 1900, in Russia, members of the Red Death sect committed self-immolation in the hope of cleansing from sins. Killed about 100 people. In 1995, in Uganda, as a result of an act of self-sacrifice, several hundred people of the Ten Movement Revival Movement sect were killed. How many are left until the end of the world, those who died no longer care.
Shelters
To survive the end of the world, people built a variety of shelters. These were underground caves and various bunkers. Sometimes it came to a funny point. So, in 1914, at the next visit of Halley's comet, when studying the spectrum of her tail, traces of cyanides were discovered. Then in Russia they seriously tried to calculate how much Moscow time remained until the end of the world. And people were afraid of death when the Earth passed through the tail of a comet. Then even anti-comet umbrellas appeared on sale.
In 2008, the followers of Peter Kuznetsov, waiting for the end of the world, locked themselves in a cave in the Penza region and did not leave for more than a year.
In 2012, the world was expecting the end of the world according to the Mayan calendar. Scientists explained that this is simply the end of the next Mayan calendar cycle, which lasts 52 years. But this did not reassure many of our contemporaries. The whole world counted how many days were left until the end of the world.
The opinion of scientists
Astrophysicists also add fuel to the fire of speculation about the end of the world. The theory of a pulsating universe, where the current expansion will be replaced by contraction and final collapse, is very scary for some. But this is only a theory so far, and we are talking about billions of years. The launch of the large hadron collider at CERN gave rise to the theory of the death of the planet from black holes that would arise when using the giant energy of the accelerator.
The options for the death of our planet from the fall of a giant asteroid or in a collision with an unknown cosmic body are constantly being considered. Books and films are made on this subject. A whole genre has arisen - post-apocalyptic. These books and films talk about different versions of the end of the world. This is a nuclear war, epidemics, a space or environmental disaster, the punishment for human sins, and much more.
The question of how much is left until the end of the world will worry mankind constantly. This is a property of human nature. By the way, another doomsday is predicted to us in 2036. Earth will die from a collision with the asteroid Apophis.