This will be a lengthy post about religion, so be warned. I just want to state my opinion on all of this recent 'rapture' panic going on. I know I'm going to sound angry but in reality I just want to state how I feel as someone who has had both Christian and Buddhist influence. I'm not an expert, I'm no prophet. Just someone who has more common sense than to believe something that has popped up so recently.
First off, the dude that predicted the end of the world is a radio host named Harold Camping. He has a BS in Civil Engineering. He's not a priest or a monk, so how can we find this person credible when all he's trying to do is get ratings on his radio show? It's the media, people, and how credible is the media?
Second, and I strongly stand by this, quoting bible verses is not the best way to predict the end of times. Things were different in biblical times, for one. And also, people just love to quote a single verse and then warp it to whatever they want to argue about. You can practically argue anything by taking one quote out of the bible. People who argue stuff and then say, "It says it in the bible!!" are idiots, and I just don't believe any of these words they spew out of their mouths. I think they're wasting their time.
Third, if I'm not mistaken, fortunetelling is supposed to be a sin, as only God is supposed to know the future. But the way I look at it, those who are wiccan or druid who practice fortunetelling are not worshiping God so they're not at fault for doing what they do. It would be like me breaking a rule in a different religion because I just had no idea. Anyway, this Harold Camping dude is a Christian and is predicting the future. That's breaking the first commandment, dude. You're not a prophet.
Fourth, I don't understand why God would make all of us in his image to only take 3% of the population to Heaven. I think that's showing this elitism that people have, this "If you're not part of our church then you're going to Hell!" attitude that many christian churches have been preaching. I don't see God as this vengeful, angry deity that people make him out to be. I see him as much more loving and forgiving.
Lastly, I'll quote from the bible myself:
"But of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
For as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
In (those) days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark.
They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be (also) at the coming of the Son of Man." – Matthew 24:36-39
This quote is taken from the bible as well. It's from Jesus' own mouth. God is the only one that knows the exact day that the world will end. Even the angels and Jesus himself don't know when the day will come. It'll be a day that noone expects. So trying to predict the end of the world is futile in itself because it's God's decision when to end the world. This is why I'm so against people who point their fingers and tell people whether they're going to Heaven or Hell. It's not their decision where you're going. It's God's and God's alone.
So the point of all of this is simply this – relax! Enjoy life as best as you can, be happy. I think that would really be what God would want, not all this drama.
People die all the time, so in that sense the world ends every second, minute,hour, or day for someone. What we do know for sure is that our sun is a middle aged star and sooner or later likely to become a black hole. That a great long ways away measured in human terms; but yes the earth as we know it, will end some time; since EVERYTHING, evolves and changes, nothing is static and nothing lasts forever. It is true for solar systems galaxies and universes.