The End Is Near … Again

November 12, 2009

By Scott Harrup

Another disaster movie is being released — of all times, right around Thanksgiving. “2012” offers up scenes of worldwide destruction tied to some cataclysm apparently predicted by the Mayans centuries ago. I guess the Thanksgiving season release makes sense if we’re all supposed to walk away grateful that we’re still alive.

All right, true confession here: I’m a sucker for disaster movies. I like to root for the survivors. And nobody really dies anyway. These days, computer effects cook up apocalyptic eye candy without anyone, even stunt actors, getting hurt. So it’s the classic idea of catharsis ratcheted up another notch.

Looking at the online trailer for 2012, I noted several concepts that crop up in popular treatments of the “end of the world” scenario.

“Spiritual truth is universal”: When you’re talking the end of the world, religion always comes up. But Hollywood usually takes the position that all religions — illustrated in “2012” by Mayan temple ruins, the Sistine Chapel, a Tibetan monastery, praying throngs of Muslims, etc. — have a shared legitimacy.

“Technology will save us”: No matter what, humanity will be able to pick itself up by its bootstraps. (Or, at least that portion of humanity selected by the governments holding the technology.)

“All you need is love”: A plucky family whose members really love each other can survive, even in the midst of earthquakes, meteor showers and tidal waves.

I’m still entertained when a director reshuffles the above themes, but here’s the mental grid I use to process them.

“Spiritual truth is universal” makes no sense at all, even to most of the religions portrayed. People wouldn’t call themselves Muslims, Hindus, Christians or much else if they really believed all religions were equally valid. As a Christian, I openly claim a firm belief in the tenets of my faith to the exclusion of all others.

“Technology will save us” does appeal to my sci-fi sensibilities. But going back to the above paragraph, I’m reminded there is only one true Source of salvation. Everything else is contingent on His plans for the universe.

As for “all you need is love,” I believe the most life-giving love must be built upon a relationship with God — again, a relationship I believe He offers us through a very specific living Truth.

“2012” will certainly entertain, but I hope viewers with access to a Bible will review the “end of the world” predictions on those pages and reflect on Scripture’s basic claims: 1) God started history, and He has a plan to wrap it up. 2) He hasn’t enlightened us as to when our calendars will cease to matter. 3) He expects us to accept each day as a gift and use it accordingly — whether that takes us into next year, the next decade, or into centuries to come.

— Scott Harrup is senior associate editor of the Pentecostal Evangel and blogs at Out There (sharrup.agblogger.org).