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→New World Apocalypse Stories
Many of the apocalypse stories in the Old World deal with righteousness and the failure of humans and their behaviour in the times the occur prior to the end of the world. The Mayan apocalypse is based on a cyclical calendar made of 144,000-day-long cycles, which reflect the length the world lasts. After this time, something that would end the world would happen. However, unlike the other religious mentioned, there is no cosmic battle or contest between good and evil. The world simply ends but is then reborn to start the calendar again. According to some, the last cycle began in 669, which is a date based on a carving found, and was suppose to end on December 21, 2012, which had led some to believe the end of the world in our own time would occur to that date. However, there is no set time that can be derived from Mayan belief.
Aztec beliefs reflect also a cyclical world. In fact, there had been five worlds so far, the so-called five suns representing the new suns for each world. Aztec beliefs and practices have revolved around their fear or belief in end times. In fact, human sacrifices were intended to placate Tzitzimitl, that is the stars, who can destroy the sun. Other sacrifices were also intended to placate the gods. If the stars and associated gods are angry and are successful in their assault on the sun, then the world will go black and there will be a catastrophic earthquake.The Tzitzimitl will slay Huitzilopochtli, their brother, and all of humanity will perish because of this. However, it is likely another cycle would begin and another sun created to spell the beginning of humans once again. The reality for both the Maya and Aztec end times, similar in some way to the Old World, is there are many version of similar stories and the myths are not consistent, making it hard to judge what the 'classic' version would be. Often, these stories were more oral. In fact, other surrounding tribes and native groups believed in similar myths with variations. In North America across the United States and Canada, some native groups also believed that we are living or have lived in different episodes of the Sun or Earth. In those cases, different events occurred that led to the destruction of the world, including comets having destroyed the world. It is not so much human behaviour that leads to this end of the world but the gods or spirits creating this fate.
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