Changes

Most of these anxieties focus on false claims about the year 2012, and get spread through popular culture including a Hollywood film. There actually are no Mayan prophecies about 2012, only false claims. These pseudo prophecies are based on misunderstandings fostered by deliberate misinformation about the Mayan calendar. The Mayan calendar, contrary to misconceptions spread by hoaxers, does not end in 2012. Only the current cycle ends in 2012. The calendar actually predicts events as late as the year 4777. It also does not predict the end of the world, and Mayan people are neither expecting nor fearing any apocalypse.

Most of these anxieties focus on false claims about the year 2012, and get spread through popular culture including a Hollywood film. There actually are no Mayan prophecies about 2012, only false claims. These pseudo prophecies are based on misunderstandings fostered by deliberate misinformation about the Mayan calendar. The Mayan calendar, contrary to misconceptions spread by hoaxers, does not end in 2012. Only the current cycle ends in 2012. The calendar actually predicts events as late as the year 4777. It also does not predict the end of the world, and Mayan people are neither expecting nor fearing any apocalypse.

The Tortuguero Monument 6 is the only Mayan architecture to possibly predict an event in December 2012.  Its markings are also damaged, making a full reading impossible. The monument says, “Bolon Yokte (god of change) will descend to ‘Black’ and do (?)” The cryptic message could be interpreted to mean any number of things. Most scholars argue the message is actually speaking about the time it was created, not the future. <ref>Mark Van Stone, “FAMSI-FAQs about 2012,” http://www.famsi.org/research/vanstone/2012/faq.html, accessed 8-25-10<ref>  

The Tortuguero Monument 6 is the only Mayan architecture to possibly predict an event in December 2012.  Its markings are also damaged, making a full reading impossible. The monument says, “Bolon Yokte (god of change) will descend to ‘Black’ and do (?)” The cryptic message could be interpreted to mean any number of things. Most scholars argue the message is actually speaking about the time it was created, not the future. <ref>Mark Van Stone, “FAMSI-FAQs about 2012,” http://www.famsi.org/research/vanstone/2012/faq.html, accessed 8-25-10</ref>  

Much like with the years 1999 and 2002, as 2012 approaches the number of hoaxers who spread appeal to fear by spreading false information continues to grow. Hoaxers who spread misinformation about 2012 and Mayan prophecies include Cesar Mena Toto, who calls himself Hunbatz Men. Mena poses as a Maya day keeper, but he has no Mayan followers, only white American and European New Age believers. Jose Arguelles is another hoaxer, a Mexican-American from Oregon who poses as Maya. Carl John Calleman is a Swedish toxicologist who bases his claims about 2012 on fanciful and long discredited colonial-era writers. Carlos Barrios is a criollo (Spanish, with no Native ancestry) Guatemalan who poses as a Maya elder. Terence McKenna was a British author who advocated psychedelic drug use and pseudo sciences such as numerology. None of these hoaxers have any expertise in Maya belief, history, or tradition, and none are given any credibility by scholars or actual Maya. Their motives for spreading these hoaxes include desire for attention, seeking to build a cult following, and above all, financial gain. <ref> All of these operators are extensively debunked at www.newagefraud.org. For Toto, see http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=1035.0. For Arguelles, see http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=446.0. Barrios and Calleman are both debunked at http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=299.0. McKenna is most extensively debunked on his 2012 ideas at http://www.2012hoax.org/terrence-mckenna. All sites accessed 8-25-10 </ref>

Much like with the years 1999 and 2002, as 2012 approaches the number of hoaxers who spread appeal to fear by spreading false information continues to grow. Hoaxers who spread misinformation about 2012 and Mayan prophecies include Cesar Mena Toto, who calls himself Hunbatz Men. Mena poses as a Maya day keeper, but he has no Mayan followers, only white American and European New Age believers. Jose Arguelles is another hoaxer, a Mexican-American from Oregon who poses as Maya. Carl John Calleman is a Swedish toxicologist who bases his claims about 2012 on fanciful and long discredited colonial-era writers. Carlos Barrios is a criollo (Spanish, with no Native ancestry) Guatemalan who poses as a Maya elder. Terence McKenna was a British author who advocated psychedelic drug use and pseudo sciences such as numerology. None of these hoaxers have any expertise in Maya belief, history, or tradition, and none are given any credibility by scholars or actual Maya. Their motives for spreading these hoaxes include desire for attention, seeking to build a cult following, and above all, financial gain. <ref> All of these operators are extensively debunked at www.newagefraud.org. For Toto, see http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=1035.0. For Arguelles, see http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=446.0. Barrios and Calleman are both debunked at http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=299.0. McKenna is most extensively debunked on his 2012 ideas at http://www.2012hoax.org/terrence-mckenna. All sites accessed 8-25-10</ref>

In 1999 and 2000, many New Age believers traveled to Mayan communities, expecting to witness either the end of the world or the dawning of a new golden age. Many gave away or destroyed all their possessions. When the expected change did not happen, many were forced to rely upon the generosity of Maya villagers, themselves mostly very poor farmers and laborers. Mayas provided food and temporary shelter to the now penniless Americans and Europeans until the New Agers’ family and friends could rescue them. Similar events involving those deluded by New Age hoaxes may happen again in 2012, but the world will not end.

In 1999 and 2000, many New Age believers traveled to Mayan communities, expecting to witness either the end of the world or the dawning of a new golden age. Many gave away or destroyed all their possessions. When the expected change did not happen, many were forced to rely upon the generosity of Maya villagers, themselves mostly very poor farmers and laborers. Mayas provided food and temporary shelter to the now penniless Americans and Europeans until the New Agers’ family and friends could rescue them. Similar events involving those deluded by New Age hoaxes may happen again in 2012, but the world will not end.

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