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Will the World End in 2012?: A Christian Guide to the Question Everyone's Asking

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2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I've enjoyed reading a new book which discusses, and debunks, some of the major catastrophic events predicted to occur in 2012. The book, Will the World End in 2012?, was prompted by the movie "2012" which presented some of the most outrageous disaster scenes not seen since the movie The Day After Tomorrow (same director).

Its author, Dr. Raymond C. Hundley, a pastor and professor, takes on the top ten 2012 claims which includes:

1. The Mayan Long Count Calendar: They actually predict a new era, not destruction.

2. Solar storms: It could mess up your radio reception and blow out a few computers, but I hope we get a terrific evening light show like the Aurora Borealis.

3. CERN and the Large Hadron Collider: This one reminds of a StarGate SG-1 episode

4. Nostradamus: I'm so tired of this guy. If you make 50,000 predictions you might get a couple right.

5. Reversal of the poles: Huh? Do we have replace all the compasses?

6. Planetary collisions: Not in the cards at this time.

7. Galactic planetary alignment: This goes on all the time somewhere in the universe.

8. Eruption of a super-volcano: O.K., after seeing this Iceland volcano blast, this sort of worries me.

9. The WebBot project: The geeks answer to Armageddon!

10. Religious predictions: I can't find an actually date in the Bible.

Hundley's book takes you through each prediction and provides rational explanations why each one has little or no substance to it. It's a quick read and enjoyable.

Over the course of ten chapters, Hundley outlines 10 theories held to by so-called "2012 Doomsday theorists". Providing their main point, occasionally with a counterpoint, and a summary. The summary of this book itself sets you up to believe that Hundley "analyzes the predictions...", "investigates the claims...", and "takes a close look..." at each of these theories.

My contention? The book is full of crazy theories (they are what they are...nothing Hundley can co about that) fleshed out by half-baked research.

At one point, a theory is outlined and Hundley writes that it is "confirmed by [...]". I checked out the site - it's some random blogger's Web site that hasn't been updated in a year and a half. This is what we would consider to be analytical investigation?

The subtitle to this book is "A Christian guide to the question everyone's asking". I was pleased to note that for a "Christian guide", we finally got to see some Scripture buried in Chapter 10 -- only alongside other religious predictions held by Hindus, Muslims, Hopi Indians, and others. And, quite frankly, this section simply outlined the verses of end-times prophecy we all read in our Bibles anyway. No additional analysis or understanding provided.

The last two chapters, I think, try to sum up the point that Hundley wants to make. Here, he provides his "Final Evaluations" and "Preparation for the End of the World". His final summary:

So the answer to the question in the title of this book, Will the World End in 2012?, is: it could but it might not. (p. 133)

Well, thank you Dr. Hundley. He continues here to flesh out his personal opinions based on the previous ten chapters. And, of course, ends up with the exact same point that we all knew from the beginning -- it could, but it might not.

Hundley rightfully points out the fact that Jesus Himself said He didn't know the day or the hour, and follows up with providing a mediocre outline of the gospel and a challenge to be prepared for this time. But even here, his attempt to substantiate and verify the truths of Scripture and the gospel message are par-baked and fall flat.

While I leave this book feeling like I understand a few of the points that doomsday theorists hold on to, I'm most grateful that it was a quick read. Now I can get back to living my life -- living passionately as if the world will end on May 25, 2010 - but preparing that it might not end until 2013...or later. After all, if Jesus Himself didn't know when the end would come, why would I spend any time trying to figure it out?

Think the world is going to end soon? You aren't the only one. Think the world is ending in December 2012? We'll see about that...

I'm a huge "fan" of eschatology and a couple of my favorite books are all about the End Times. So it was with great anticipation that I obtained a free copy of "Will the World End in 2012?" from the publisher in return for a review. The book analyzed various different hypotheses about how the world will end and when. Whether it's the Mayan calendar predictions around December 12, 2012, the second coming of Christ, or Old Faithful erupting, Hundley summarizes various possibilities and then comes to his own conclusion as to whether the hypothesis is conceivable.

It's a quick read - at least 1/4 of the book is just NOTES in the back. Because of that, I also found this book to be very superficial. Given the weighty topic he has chosen to write about, I was surprised that Hundley treats each one very quickly and doesn't go into great detail at all. For example, I don't know much about the Large Hadron Collider experiments and would have thoroughly enjoyed reading more - much more - about these machines and what scientists are trying to do with them. Instead, Hundley spent 6-7 pages giving a summary background, providing a few pithy quotes, and then offering a quick conclusion as to whether the Collider can cause Armegeddon.

It's like Hundley wrote a primer for another, better book. Yes, the content was interesting, but the delivery was poorly executed and left me frustrated by it's supreme brevity.

I'm sure the author's heart was in the right place (he mentions at the beginning that he is a Christian). The goal of his book is to show that despite how the world does end, the importance is to be in a right relationship with God when the time does come. But I think the book could have been executed much better in order to have a bigger impact on his larger message.

This book only gets 2 stars out of five. The two stars are for what the book DOES provide - some basic information about the end of the world and how it could happen. But had the author spent more time (and pages) on actual content, this book easily could have gotten a higher rating.

I got this book for free from [...] and was asked to read and review the book. The opinions expressed in this review are wholly my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

I found this book rather boring in that its basically the same as every other book in this genre.

There simply are no books available that look at the question of prophecy and the "end times" in a scholarly way. Why is this? Because the moment you begin to try and actually speculate on, let alone forecast, biblical prophetic events, you enter a territory of totally baseless assertions.

The Bible gives us very little to go on when it comes to the question of when the rapture, the end, or the Second Coming will happen.

In fact, the only clear words in the Bible are from Jesus when He says "No one shall know the hour or the day".

So, if you say that you know when the end is coming, are you not then directly contradicting Jesus Himself?

Furthermore, I think you could go back to ANY year in history, and looking at the world at that time through the lens of prophecy you could see how end time events are unfolding.

Don't you think people in 1939 must have thought for sure that the end was near? What about 1999?

2012 is no different. Its just a lot of pipe dreaming, if not foolishness.

But I guess it can be fun. The subject of prophecy certainly gets the mental gears going and is really exciting. But the downside is, as we just saw with Harold Caming's followers, is that it becimes and all consuming focus and it gets in the way of really doing Christ's work here on Earth.

I received Will the World End in 2012? by Raymond C. Hundley as a free perusal copy from the blogger network at [...]. Of course, I didn't have any high expectations, since I think all the 2012 hysteria is a total crock. But this book actually was worse than my low expectations. I can sum it up in three words: waste of time. The book purports to be a "Christian" guide "to the questions everyone's asking." So how's that work? I'll tell you. The author starts with a summary of the 2012 "theory," makes a few references to the recent Roland Emmerich film about based on said theory, and then proceeds to write a book that attempts to cover a bunch of unrelated end times scenarios. These include, among others, odd planetary alignments, the "super volcano" under Yellowstone National Park, the Hadron Collider, and the writings of Nostradamus. Yes, Nostradamus. Towards the end, he gives a few of the most popular religious stories about the end of the world, including those in the Bible. By this time, I had completely lost any interest in the subject, so I was only mildly surprised by the time I reached p.132, where Hundlyey refers to Jack Van Impe as a "respected Bible teacher." Huh? The author only talks about Van Impe's most recent predictions of the Rapture, which project the end of the world in, you guessed it, 2012. This is funny, because I sat and watched Jack Van Impe on TV once, back in 1998, when he told the viewing audience that he was almost completely sure that the Rapture was going to happen in 1999 or 2000. (As you may recall, it didn't.)

Really, everything in this book could easily have been condensed into a twelve-page pamphlet. Hundley beefs up his page count with little scenarios at the beginning of each chapter, written in a corny dramatic style. He repeats his facts often, and his "Christian" analysis comes towards the very end of the book, when he says, in a nutshell, "Well, the world may very well end in 2012. Or it may not. But have you accepted Jesus as your Savior?" Then he lays out a little Plan of Salvation, a call to holiness for those who are already Christians, and thank you ladies and gentlemen, he's done. Really, really lame. He gives more space to crackpot alien-revealed Planet X theories and the meanderings of Michel Nostradamus than he does to the Bible. Sure, he says in a few places that some of these predictions are bunk, but he gives credence to several more "scientific" sounding theories that are most likely just as ridiculous. And he calls Jack Van Impe a respected Bible teacher, did I mention that? Of course I did. I'm repeating myself for emphasis, just as this author did in his remarkably lame book. My basic verdict: do not waste any of your precious time reading this dreck.

The world will end!!! We're all going to die!!! Ack! Panic in the streets, cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria!!

If you listen to certain circles in the world right now, you'll hear many things of this sort. It's the current end of the world prediction. The last time I recall such a widespread cataclysmic prediction was when we were approaching Y2K, although there was some in 2006-2008.

Upon the panicked public and curious Christian then is thrust this book: Will the World End in 2012? by Raymond C. Hundley, Ph.D.

Some thoughts on the book:

1. It's a paperback. Which makes sense, because if we live past 2012, it will have no lasting value.

2. Dr. Hundley spends a chapter on each of 10 topics that people have suggested as either reasons the world will soon end or how it will happen.

These chapters are, by need, short. As such, there isn't a lot of information in them. It's more than a summary statement, but it's not really a lot of detail.

3. There are a couple of concluding chapters that address how to respond to the idea that 2012 could be the end of the world.

A few things that this book lacks:

1. A clear explanation of Dr. Hundley's qualification to speak to this issue. While being as fair to his education as possible, he does not report having specialized in end-of-the-world studies or the specific astronomical or physics studies referenced in a few chapters.

2. I was hoping for more information about other seasons in history that have been overloaded with end-of-the-world predictions. There's a brief reference in the introduction to over 149 end of the world predictions in the last 2000 years, but that's all there is there.

3. A definite statement. There's no definite take whether the author accepts the 2012 concept. This is certainly due to a reticence on the part of Biblical interpreters to fix dates. If you fix one and miss it, your credibility is shot, but if you dismiss one, you risk being sidelined until it has passed.

In all, the book's conclusion, though, of how we ought to live our lives realizing the temporary nature of life on this earth and the brevity of life. That without the hope of Christ, we'll be unprepared for the end of the world, whenever it may come.

If you miss out on this book, you won't be miss out on much. It's not a waste of your time, but it's not something to go to much trouble to add to your library.

By the way, per the FCC, you should know this book was provided free from Booksneeze in exchange for a free book. If you need more info than that, check Disclosures! for the information.

Doug

A Good Overview

While some folks criticize the author of Will the World End in 2012?, when taken as an overview to a variety of predictions being made on this subject, there's a lot of merit in Dr. Hundley's text. It's a quick read. It offers resources and notes to help you further research the various predictions. And it offers what I consider a wake-up call, which is designed to bring readers to a thoughtful consideration of what would happen to them, personally and individually, if the world should end in 2012 as many predict.

The discussion questions make the book ideal for a Sunday School class or study group who want a springboard for discussion. And while some don't like the "sci-fi-esqe" introductions, I think they help you better understand what it might feel like if the individual predictions did come true.

Obviously, with a book this short, it's impossible for the author to cover each of the 10 main predictions in detail, but again, when taken as an overview of the subject matter, the book offers readers a basic understanding of what's purported to be true with each one. And by inviting readers to ensure they're ready for the end of the world, regardless of how, or when it comes, (by committing their hearts to Jesus Christ), the author has created a thought-provoking read that - hopefully - will help readers make that determination sure in their hearts.

NOTE: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

In what he calls "a Christian guide to the question everyone's asking," Raymond Hundley addresses ten arguments supporting an imminent end of the world: Mayan prophecies, solar storms, the Large Hadron Collider experiments, Nostradamus' predictions, reversal of magnetic poles, collision with Planet X, alignment with the sun and other planets, a super volcano, the Web Bot project, and religious predictions. In each chapter, Hundley attempts "to let them [the arguments] speak for themselves and present the most compelling arguments possible for their point of view," rather than dismiss them merely because of his Christian perspectives.

The book is a very educational and interesting read, as Hundley provides very extensive background information on each theory. If nothing else, readers can at least walk away with more knowledge of the world's history. I started reading the book expecting not to be at all convinced about anything, and I assumed that each theory would be summarily dismissed as ridiculous and impossible because they are nonbiblical. I was pleasantly surprised however, to discover Hundley admits that some of these theories do have merit. Hundley does indeed approach these theories from a viewpoint of science and logic, and this impressed me.

Hundley also provides a epilogue addressing what this means to us as Christians, and this final note was very satisfying. He writes: "He could come in 2012 or He could come tomorrow, but the question is, are you ready to receive Him and be received by Him?" He ends with a call to remain hopeful and joyful amidst all these end times theories. I agree with Hundley that this is an opportunity to minister to the nonbelievers around us and to give them hope. It is refreshing to see a work that acknowledges science and logic while giving honor to God.

I recently got a copy of the book Will The World End In 2012? by Dr. Raymon Hundley. Will the world really end on December 21, 2012? The book analyzes the circumstances and theories behind the predictions by studying the claims of scientists, theologians, technologists, and others. Dr. Hundley listed the arguments circulating right now regarding the coming doomsday.

Ok. . .will the world end in 2012, where to begin. First off might I just say that the cover of the book is really pretty which was one of the reasons it attracted me (wow- the graphics impressed me more than the world ending- I think I need to reprioritize ^^)

This is a nice book for those of you who are really interested in doomsday theories, it goes through around ten different possibilities and then elaborates on each one in each chapter- pretty straight forward. The writing style was fine, but it did drag on a bit. The intro to the title of this book is "A Christian Guide" but apart from the scripture in chapter 10, there really wasn't much christianity in it- which was totally fine with me because I'm athiest, but depends on the person- you might want that feature so keep that in mind. Personally I just felt like it dragged on a bit and got bored; also the ideas just don't seem very well backed-up I read online about one of his sources and it's some random guy's blog that he hadn't updated in half a year...that's a little too sketchy of a source for me. Honesty I've been putting off this review for a while because this book is just so blah, not too much fun, and more than a couple pages already becomes a chore. Even though I gained a bit more insight into what sort of things doomsday theorists dream about at night and spell with their alphabet soup, I was glad it was a thin book that could be read moderatly fast. (not that you would know considering how long it's taken me to get around to writing about it!) A lot of this book is Hundley fleshing out personal opinions- I would give this book one or two stars out of 5, not my cup of tea at all. Unless you're super super interested in this specific subject, I'm suggesting- don't buy this one.