Will The World End In 2012?: 10 Apocalypse Predictions That Failed Miserably

1 February 1524

Way back when, there was a massive flood that saw the whole world submerged in water (allegedly). In 1524 it was predicted that another flood (of same ‘biblical’ proportions) would hit the world. The prediction came from a group of eminent astrologers who predicted the flood would start from the river Thames in London. So severe was the threat at the time, that 20,000 people fled London to seek higher ground. The flood, of course, never happened – not even in the slightest. Just like the world won’t end in 2012.

22 October 1844

There once was a Baptist called William Miller who had a large group of followers known as ‘the Millerites’. In 1844, the group predicted that the world would end on the 22nd of October that year. Surprise, surprise , the world didn’t come to an end on that day (or any day since) but the date was later to become known as ‘The Great Dissapointment’ by followers, well they would be greatly dissapointed because they got it wrong. Just like those who think the world will end in 2012.

1988 or 1989 or 1993 or 1994

For those of you who don’t know, ‘the rapture’ is the apocalyptic second coming of Christ. It was back in 1988 that Edgar C Whisenant sold an estimated 4 million copies of his book entitled ‘88 Reasons Why The Rapture Could Be In 1988′. There were plenty of people who were in agreeance with him. The event, of course, failed to materialise that year but Whisenant just wrote a sequel for 1989. When that failed he wrote another sequel for 1993 and when that failed he wrote another sequel for 1994. A pattern was emerging! Not only was he wrong about the year the world would end, he was wrong every time he said the world would end. Just like those who think the world will end in 2012.

26 March 1997

The place was San Diego and a cult was formed. They were collectively known as ‘Heaven’s Gate’ and there were 38 members. They predicted the end of the world to be on the 26th March 1997 but thought they could outrun it. All they had to do was out run it in a spaceship but only after they had all killed themselves simultaneously. How they thought they could outrun the end of the world if they were dead is beyond me. I suppose they were almost right though, the world did end on that day – just for them!