The Fast of Ṭeveth and the non-end of the World

Jewish date:  10 Ṭeveth 5773 (Parashath Wayḥi).

Today’s holidays:  Fast of Ṭeveth (Judaism), Fourth Sunday of Advent (Roman Catholicism), Saturnalia and Larentalia (Roman religion), Feast Day of St. John Belushi (Church of the SubGenius), HumanLight (Secular Humanism).

Greetings.

1) Today is the Fast of Ṭeveth, which commemorates the siege on Yerushalayim.  More information can be found in “Asara B'Tevet” and “Fast of 10th of Tevet Marks Siege of Jerusalem”.  Needless to say, because of the fast, I am not particularly active today and will not wax poetic on anything.

2) Friday was supposed to be the end of the World according to various New Agers and a Christian sect known as “Almighty God”.  Also needless to say, these people were wrong.  The articles on the “Mayan apocalypse” did not stop, so today you get a followup.

• “'Mayan day of apocalypse' arrives”
• “Celebrations in Mexico as world survives Maya "end of days"”:  Not everyone who believed that Friday was something special thought it was the end of the World.
• “Denver sirens are just a test, not doomsday signal”:  Your humble blogger cannot make this up.
• “End of an era: Mayan 'apocalypse' today”
• “Hot spots draw believers, but not doomsday”

Peace and have an easy fast.

’Aharon/Aaron

Still waiting for the end of the World

Jewish date:  8 Ṭeveth 5773 (Parashath Wayyiggash).

Today’s holidays:  Feast Day of Peter Canisius (Roman Catholicism), the end of the World (predicted by New Agers), Winter Solstice (Neopaganism, Thelema), Divalia (Roman religion)

Greetings.

I did post yesterday on the predicted end of the World which is supposed to be happening today.  However, I have been deluged with a large number of relevant articles on the “Mayan apocalypse”, with reactions ranging from paranoia to commercialism.

• “Newtown, Mayan end-of-world rumors prompt Michigan officials to close 33 schools”.  (Some side-effects of the phenomenon are not so amusing or harmless.)
• “Maya "end of days" fever reaches climax in Mexico”
• “Mexico's ethnic Maya unmoved by 2012 "Armageddon" hysteria”.  (It is the New Agers promoting this idea that today is supposed to be the end of the World, not the actual Mayans, and, yes, they are still around.)
• “More Iowans prepare for Maya doomsday, other disaster by stockpiling food, supplies”.  (I suppose a little disaster preparedness cannot hurt.)
• “New Agers, partiers fill Riviera Maya region for Dec. 21, 2012”
• “Germans get ready for Mayan apocalypse”.  (Some people are using the alleged end of the World as an excuse to party.)
• “In Mexico, New Agers hope Dec. 21 brings new era”
• “Italian village aims to survive Maya prophecy”
• “Mayan apocalypse mania grips Russia”
• “Mayan apocalypse: believers flock to Serbia's pyramid mountain”
• “Russia Doomsday Party At Soviet Bunker Costs $1,000 Per Person”
• “Mayan calendar aside, end times theology has meaning for many Americans”
• “Mexico seeks 'end of world' Maya tourism boost”
• “Almost 1,000 doomsday cult members arrested in China”
• “Argentina, fearing Maya-linked suicides, closes mountaintop”
• “Brands Capitalize on the 'Impending Apocalypse'”
• “December 21 Mayan Apocalypse Observances Fueled By Mysticism And Internet”
• “French village prepares 'to be spared the 21-12-2012 Maya apocalypse'”

Finally, I would like to round things out with a bit of relevant religious humor.  A while back there was a cartoon from Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal:



This cartoon has been recaptioned into something relevant to today:



Peace, Shabbath shalom, and be happy this is not the end of the World.

’Aharon/Aaron

Happy end of the b’ak’tun!

Jewish date:  7 Ṭeveth 5773 (Parashath Wayyiggash).

Today’s holidays:  Thursday of the Third Week of Advent (Roman Catholicism), Feast Day of St. Cheech/St. Chong (Church of the SubGenius), Mother Night (Neopaganism), Saturnalia (Roman religion).

Greetings.

I apologize for having not posted for some time now.  I have been busy with other matters, such as computer programming, and certain things have not been my highest priority.  (Trust me:  you do not want to hear me play the mezzo arpeggione right now, I have practiced so little since ’Elul.  It sounds like I am trying to torture my instrument to death.)  This week I have made a good deal of progress on a review of Neopagan material, but I still need to write about another two books.  (And after that I need to look into and write about Discordianism, the Church of the SubGenius, The Secret, older magical materials, and so on ad infinitum…)

In the meantime, I cannot ignore that many people are worried that tomorrow is the end of the World (as we know it, at least).  I strongly doubt this is correct.  While few think that this world will last forever, many have predicted its imminent demise in recorded history, and so far they have all been wrong.  I see no reason to think that the current crop of doomsayers are correct.  Rather than wax poetic  about why the current predictions of impending destruction are baseless, I am going to refer you to some good articles which explain why:

• “Maya Apocalypse 2012: Doomsday end-of-the-world prophecies are nonsense.” by Phil Plait
• “The 2012 Apocalypse, or Why the World Won’t End This Week” by Caroline Dodds Pennock

Those who want to understand why people predict the end of the World may wish to read “Psychology Reveals the Comforts of the Apocalypse” by Daisy Yuhas.

I have also found a number of articles detailing the unusual behavior of people expecting the end of the World:

• “Maya apocalypse and Star Wars collide in Guatemalan temple” by Mike McDonald (and, no that title is not a typo)
• “Russians pay $1,000 for doomsday party in Soviet bunker” by Anastasia Gorelova
• “As "Doomsday" looms, Serbs cash in on mystical mountain” by Aleksandar Vasovic

I hope to post again next week.  Until then, please follow the advice written on the cover of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy:  “Don’t panic.”

Peace.

’Aharon/Aaron