Doomsday

It seems like this topic is on everyone’s mind as 12/21/2012 approaches. As this infamous date draws near, we are inundated with television programs and other writings that state this date will be the beginning of the end. I believe that this is all a result of mass media, mass hysteria and a misinterpretation of ancient prophetic texts. People routinely point to the fact that several cultures separated by miles and centuries have similar world ending catastrophes.

Personally I believe that the earth will keep on spinning, on 12/22 just the same as before. Also, being as that I am a Christian, the Mayan prophecy is intriguing but at the same time the bible states that no man will know the time and date.

However there are a lot of once in a lifetime celestial events occurring in the year 2012 and with mass media it seems like more natural and un-natural disasters are happening more frequently. We are living in a golden age of information. Never before on earth has information traveled from remote locations in other continents and spread to the masses.

The focus on 2012 has given humanity the opportunity to re-examine itself. With the birth of the industrial age, the human population has exploded like never before and we have tipped the scale in our favor. With that being said, what happens to the other side of the scale? We have entered the realm of the Gods with the ability to alter life and potentially create artificial life and human clones. We are in uncharted territory and with the human exploration space age approaching, I think it is time for humanity to seriously consider leaving our home world if we truly want to survive. Threats from asteroids, comets, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and even killer planets could destroy everything that the human race has built.

Therefore, in the face of annihilation, can the human race truly come together and cooperate to save ourselves. Can we put aside or differences, whether they be religious, territorial, racial, etc in order to build a better life for future generations in the stars?

Shoot for the Stars

Its seems as if traveling is a natural part of the holidays. As I travel across the back roads and through the small country towns of the south, I look up at the clear, night sky with stars shinning brightly.

Seeing the large expanse and the last un-manned frontier makes you wonder. Whether you believe in a divine spirit or a theory of evolution, one cannot help but wonder about the secrets of the universe and realize that humans are but tiny and insignificant organisms with lifespans of a second compared to the cosmic wheel of time. One cannot help but wonder what is out there, especially if you have read 2001 Space Odessy by Arthur C. Clarke.

I also remember hearing that they are more stars than deceased humans on the planet earth. Humans are fragile creatures. Even though all of us cannot reach the height of an actor in life I hope that we can reach the stars in death.