Remember the hype surrounding December 21, 2012? It was believed that the world was coming to an end and many people believed it. This belief was based on a misinterpretation of the Mayan calendar, which led some to believe that a global catastrophe was going to occur on this date. However, December 21, 2012 arrived and nothing happened. The world kept turning and life went on as normal.
There have been predictions of the end of the world for centuries, from floods to fires to comets. But none of them have come true.
Here is a list of some of the major failed doomsday predictions:
Mayan Apocalypse
On December 21, 2012, the Mayan Long Count calendar completed its first cycle. Despite the calendar’s continuous time tracking, many people took the event as a harbinger of doom. Fanciful predictions emerged, including a massive planetary collision, solar flares, and axis realignments. Some people even built ships and sold survival kits. But the predicted apocalypse never came.
Harold Camping
Harold Camping has made a dozen apocalyptic predictions based on his Biblical numerology interpretations. In 1992, he wrote “1994?”, which predicted the end of the world around that year. His most important prediction was May 21, 2011, which he calculated to be 7,000 years after the flood described in the Bible. When nothing happened, he recalculated and moved the date of doomsday to October 21, 2011, when again nothing happened.
The true path
Hon-Ming Chen, leader of the True Way movement, predicted that God would appear on TV in 1988, followed by his physical manifestation. In 1989, he predicted massive floods, demonic spirits and even human extinction, and said his followers could survive by buying space on a “cloud” spacecraft. His bizarre predictions ultimately proved false.
Halley’s Comet
In 1910, when Halley’s Comet approached Earth, fear of destruction and poisonous gases spread around the world. Media headlines such as “Comet May Kill All Life on Earth, Scientists Say” added to the panic. Some people believed that the comet’s tail would wipe out all of humanity. A group in Oklahoma attempted to sacrifice a virgin girl to appease the comet, while others stocked up on bottled air. Ultimately, the Earth passed through the comet’s tail with no apparent impact.
Millerism
William Miller’s apocalyptic preaching attracted many followers who believed that Jesus would come a second time in 1843. When the prophecy failed, William Miller recalculated and set a new date for 1844. His devoted followers waited anxiously, but were met with only disappointment.
Joanna Southcott
Joanna Southcott began hearing voices at the age of 42 that predicted future events such as crop failure and famine. In 1813, she announced that she would give birth to the second Messiah at the age of 65, even though she was a virgin. Her followers eagerly awaited his arrival, however, Joanna Southcott died before the prophesied birth.
Prophet Hen
In 1806, a hen in Leeds, England laid eggs that had “Christ is Coming” written on them. People flocked to see the hen, fearing Judgment Day. But it was a trick – the owner had written something on the eggs with ink and then put them back in the hen’s body.
The Great Fire of London
In 1666, many Europeans feared the end of the world, associating the year with the “number of the beast” (666). The Great Fire of London, which devastated much of the city, seemed to confirm these fears. The fire destroyed 87 churches and 13,000 homes, but surprisingly only 10 people died.
Global flood
In 1524, German mathematician and astrologer Johannes Stöffler predicted a global flood on February 25, when he said the planets had aligned in Pisces. But despite light rainfall, the flood never came.
Montanism
In the second century, the visions of Montanus caused divisions in Christianity. He predicted that Jesus would return and convinced many to leave their homes and wait for Jesus in Phrygia (modern Turkey). They expected the heavenly Jerusalem to descend, but the deity did not appear. This movement caused dissension, causing many Christian communities to become almost deserted.
