It appears NASA isn't the only one dismissing claims of a December 21, 2012 doomsday backed by speculations on the Mayan calendar. During his weekly address, Pope Benedict XVI called on Catholics to ignore doomsday warnings and reassured them that the world was not ending in December.
According to the IrishCentral, Benedict recited portions of the Bible that spoke about "the sun and moon going out, the stars falling from the sky." The Pope then said that Jesus "does not describe the end of the world, and when he uses apocalyptic images, he is not acting the prophet."
"On the contrary, he wants us to stop his disciples of every epoch from being curious over dates, forecasts, and wants to give them the key to...the right road to walk today and tomorrow to enter into the eternal life," Benedict added.
The Pope's comments follow a FAQ published by NASA last week denouncing speculation over the Mayan calendar and the supposed doomsday it predicts. "Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on December 21, 2012," NASA wrote.
"The idea of the sudden end of the world by any cause is absurd," NASA added. "The Earth has been here for more than 4 billion years, and it will be several more billion years before the gradual brightening of the Sun makes our planet unlivable. Meanwhile there is no known astronomical or geological threat that could destroy the Earth."
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that as many at 90,000 people are expected to descend on Guatemala City on December 21 to attend a huge event "just in case the world actually does end."
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