# Why do many people seem to think that the world will end on May 21, 2011? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 24, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621 "2010-05-24T21:44:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/121 "2010-05-26T19:07:27Z")
I haven’t checked the rules. My phone, too, is deafening in its unringi-ness. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/122 "2010-05-26T19:10:24Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > I haven’t checked the rules. My phone, too, is deafening in its unringi-ness. I’m definitely going to keep trying, but I hold out little hope of actually being asked on. I’m cursed with some pretty agressive anti-photogenical genes… ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/123 "2010-05-26T22:45:08Z")
> [@jasourdough](#): > > What type of machine(car…computer…etc) simply evolved from the elements of the earth. They were designed and built by a creator. Who created the creator? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/124 "2010-05-26T22:54:42Z")
> [@kidneyfailure](#): > > Who created the creator? The obergruppenKreator. ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/125 "2010-05-26T23:30:53Z")
> [@jasourdough](#): > > What I don’t enjoy, is arrogant religious dribble taught as fact rather than theory. This is the perfect response to my post. Hats off to you, sir. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/126 "2010-05-26T23:33:14Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > The obergruppenKreator. Some old lady responding to (maybe Richard Feynmann, I forget): ‘You’re very clever young man, but you can’t fool me. Its turtles all the way down’! ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/127 "2010-05-27T10:10:21Z")
**@jasourdough** - Assuming you are sincere in your beliefs, the geological and fossil record is completely incompatible with a global flood. This was debated and resolved early in the 19th century. To take an easy to understand example, fossils are not hydrologically sorted. If the majority of animals on earth were killed in a flood, the largest animals would sink to the bottom first. Smaller objects have a larger surface to volume ratio than large ones, so are more subject to drag (sand dropped in water takes a while to settle out, while pebbles sink straight away). That’s not what we see in the real fossil record. Organisms are arranged by species, not by size. It was a very tidy flood, to somehow place all the dinosaurs above the all cambrian organisms. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/128 "2010-05-27T12:19:18Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I’m definitely going to keep trying, but I hold out little hope of actually being asked on. I’m cursed with some pretty agressive anti-photogenical genes… Are you kidding? Some of the refugees from Darwin’s waiting room they’ve had on recently make you look like Francis X. Bushman.\* \*Speaking of “cross-genre/cross-era entertainment geek.” ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/129 "2010-05-27T13:13:49Z")
> [@jasourdough](#): > > This has absolutely nothing to do with numerology. It is based on the holy bible in it’s entirety. It is pretty much the _definition_ of numerology. If you resort to numerological methods, the Bible can be used to prove pretty much anything. Of course, so can _The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy._ And the results are equally meaningful. > [@jasourdough](#): > > Sorry to confuse you with facts. There’s another word you really need to look up in a dictionary. “Facts,” that is. Although looking up “confuse” might help you, too. > [@jasourdough](#): > > Here’s what came up on a search engine. It at least sounds credible to me??? Credible? That link says, “Major public aquariums use the ability of fish to adapt to water of different salinity from their normal habitat to exhibit freshwater and saltwater species together. The fish can adapt if the salinity is changed slowly enough.” That’s blatantly wrong. Why is it that you’re willing to accept any old babble as being “credible” when it comes from a site with “christiananswers” in the URL, but you dismiss out-of-hand what you’re told by people here who might actually know something about biology? > [@jasourdough](#): > > Fact: > Any claim of a particular date beyond 5,000 years using radiometric dating is an unfalsifiable claim. It cannot be proved or disproved. Once again, this is a gross misuse of the word “fact.” By your logic, any claim of a particular date in 1958 would also be unfalsifiable. After all, 1958 wasn’t mentioned in the Bible… [moderating] I think this thread has spent long enough in **General Questions.** There’s no question that it’s a **Great Debate** at this point, so I’ve moved the thread. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/130 "2010-05-27T13:58:22Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > He doesn’t really explain what the “squared” means, though… I think he should have used cubed and not squared, in honor of the Trinity. In that case, we have a long time to wait. In any event, I’m definitely having pizza for lunch that day. Damned if I’m going to go to my reward after eating peanut butter and jelly. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/131 "2010-05-27T14:14:24Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > In any event, I’m definitely having pizza for lunch that day. Damned if I’m going to go to my reward after eating peanut butter and jelly. I would think the day before Judgment Day would pretty much be my “Fuck my health” day (well, more than any other day is, anyway)…not just a pizza. A double-stuffed crust meatlover’s pizza with extra pepperoni, cheese and bacon. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/132 "2010-05-27T14:15:32Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I think he should have used cubed and not squared, in honor of the Trinity. In that case, we have a long time to wait. > > In any event, I’m definitely having pizza for lunch that day. Damned if I’m going to go to my reward after eating peanut butter and jelly. I’ll be eating shrimp - food allergies be damned!!! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/133 "2010-05-27T14:30:02Z")
Back on the original topic: in addition to not factoring in the Julian/Gregorian switch, he also seems to have missed out the initial calculation error that puts Jesus’ birthdate at 4 BC, which presumably would also put his crucifixion at 29 AD. In short, the world ended three years ago. I blame Bush. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/134 "2010-05-27T14:33:21Z")
Um…just a quick question: If the world ends at, say, 8:00, will that _still_ be 8:30 in Newfoundland? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/135 "2010-05-27T17:28:53Z")
> [@In\_Winnipeg](#): > > Um…just a quick question: > > If the world ends at, say, 8:00, will that _still_ be 8:30 in Newfoundland? Oh, I think we can be quite confident that the world will end at the same time everyplace on the planet - it says so in Galatians 45:22-25. So, if it happens at 8:00, it happens at 8:00 everywhere. If you stand on the border of a time zone, or like of india, you can watch the world end on the other side, and then wait a while and watch it end for you an hour (or half an hour) later. Or you could stand at the international date line and get your preview a day in advance. (In either case you need to take care to be standing on the correct side of the line, of course.) What? ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/136 "2010-05-27T17:41:55Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > What? Actually, that seems to make perfectly logical sense. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/137 "2010-05-27T18:46:30Z")
> [@jasourdough](#): > > Simple common sense will tell us there must be a creator. And that’s why simple common sense is to be viewed skeptically. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/138 "2010-05-27T21:19:56Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > We don’t have Wimpy’s in Ohio. The world will end with a Hardee’s. > > Har-har. Good Lord, if I have to eat at Hardee’s, I\* want\* the world to end. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/139 "2010-05-27T21:55:39Z")
> [@jasourdough](#): > > Did I say I didn’t enjoy science? Meh, you enjoy science but don’t respect it, like that slutty girl that everybody’s dated at least once. ---
**Author:** ![jasourdough](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@jasourdough](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasourdough)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/140 "2010-05-28T22:49:41Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:129, topic:540621”] It is pretty much the _definition_ of numerology. Credible? That link says, “Major public aquariums use the ability of fish to adapt to water of different salinity from their normal habitat to exhibit freshwater and saltwater species together. The fish can adapt if the salinity is changed slowly enough.” That’s blatantly wrong. [/QUOTE] Since I didn’t spend much time looking over this page and formed my statement as a question ending with 3 questions marks, I’ll concede your point here > [@](#): > > Once again, this is a gross misuse of the word “fact.” By your logic, any claim of a particular date in 1958 would also be unfalsifiable. After all, 1958 wasn’t mentioned in the Bible… A hypothetical example: For whatever reason, a person would like to determine whether or not it has rained in Las Vegas on August 15th in the year 1840. All observable data over the past 120 years show measurable precipitation has never occurred in the city of Las Vegas on August 15th. One could logically conclude August 15th, 1840 was a dry day. Now, someone else comes along with written records from a Spanish ancestor which indicate it did rain. Neither one can be proved or disproved. Even though radiometric dating techniques are reliable over the observable past and it is logical to assume they would be reliable over a much longer period, it absolutely cannot be proved or disproved based on science. It is simply a consensus. Sometimes, things are not what they appear to be. Is the sky really blue? The holy bible is more difficult to understand then quantum physics, thermodynamics, and an arrogant scientist all rolled into one. It is a reflection of the infinite mind of God. The creator of the laws which govern the universe which science has just recently begun to understand. “Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.” Psalms 104:6-9 God doesn’t spend to much time in the bible discussing earth science. However, when he does, it is the absolute true word of God. The words of Jesus Christ concerning our study of the laws of the universe: “And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:” Ecc 12:12 His command to us: “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Ecc 12:13-14 His warning to every religion whether they call themselves Christians or scientists: “And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you. And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours. And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it. And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.” Lev 26:30-33 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621.md?page=8)