End Times

There are various groups that believe we are living in what they refer to as the "end times."  Each of them looks to a person that will reveal himself as the one that will bring peace to the nations and an end to suffering.  With so many various groups in a state of anticipation of great events, it's possible that an individual could come along and unify these groups and become a leader of the world bringing the peace that everyone is wanting.

Judaism teaches in the Talmud that the world will only exist for 6,000 years and that we are currently in year 5769, certainly close to the end of time.

Christianity continues to believe (as the Christians in the first century did) that the end is imminent.  They view current events in the middle-east as evidence that the end times are very near.

Mormons are watching for the return of the messiah as they believe that we are nearing the end of the 6th day (6000 years of existance) and the messiah will come and establish peace for the remaining 1000 years.

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that we are already in the end times (begain in 1914) and are expecting all false religion to be destroyed and various other significant events to happen at any time.

Rastafarianism teaches that Haile Selassie (former emperor of Ethiopia) will reveal himself as god (he's dead, so he must come back to life I suppose - although some deny that he ever died).  They expect that this event can happen at any time now.

Islam followers believe that the Last Day (Qiyamah) is very near because many of the 'minor signs' that are to be used to predict the coming of the end times have come to pass.

Native American tribes also have end times beliefs.  As recently as 2006 a white bison was born that the Lakota believe is a sign that their end times prophesies are being fulfilled.  The Hopi tribe looks for the dawn of the "Fifth World."  And the Mayans have a calendar that is nearing a major milestone (see below).

Maya calendar completes it's 13th b'ak'tun on the Long Count calendar on December 12, 2012.  The beginning of the 13th b'ak'tun began the current creation and a new creation will begin at the start of the 14th b'ak'tun.  There are many (including the New Age movement) that see this date as being the end of the world.