Based on the track records of other prognosticators, we think probably not. Sometime over the next five years, a long list of Christian prophesy teachers, Jewish kabbalists, Satanists, astrologers and UFO believers all foresee the Earth's imminent and abrupt demise. These folks generally don't agree on much. But they all see signs that the end is at hand. But before you run for the hills, consider that an equally diverse bunch was convinced that we would have already witnessed the sunset of sunsets in the last five years.
Doomsdays come and Doomsdays go, apparently.
Christopher Columbus, who shattered the flat-Earth society's planetary vision, pegged the end of the world at 1656. It's hard to find a year without a doomsday prophesy. Perhaps the time to start worrying might be when you stop hearing the end is near. It makes them feel significant. End Time Visions takes a broad historical look at doomsday prophets puts them into context with modern apocalyptic movements like the Branch Davidians, the Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo and Heaven's Gate.