Okay, I like your comics, but I'm sorry, I hate you for this one. This supports the general attitude that Mayans believed the world was gonna end in 2012, when they did not. Ask any modern Mayan, that is not the reason their calendar ends in 2012.
Yes, why don't we ask the modern members of an ancient civilization? I'm sure they'll have all the answers as to why their thousand-years dead ancestors did something. I know I do.
I’m a little late on this, I know, but anthropologists actually have a very clear understanding of the Mayan belief on 2012. Dec. 21, 2012 will mark the end of an approximately 400 year period called a K’atun. However, the ancient Maya did not predict any catastrophic event or apocalypse; they actually have some iconography describing events occurring as far in the future as 3000 A.D. This is not based on the beliefs of the modern Maya, but rather on epigraphic analysis of Maya text and monuments.
The comic is based on a stereotype or popular belief, not the factual subtext of what really is there. If someone is going to believe that Mayans thought the world ended in 2012, they won't be using this comic as a factual reference.
There is a Bizarro(?) comic, in which one Mayan says to another, "The calendar ends at 2012, because I ran out of paper." The point is, we have zero data as to why the Mayan calendar ends when it does.
Comics are not Wikipedia—comics are for fun. Let's keep that in mind.
The man who drew the comic to which I referred knows the Mayans used stone, not paper, so no flaming, please. Quote is from memory, sorry.
I'm logical enough to know the world isn't going to end in 2012, but I still plan on throwing an End of the World holiday party. Why? Well, why not? This 2012 thing can all be wonderful fun if we play the game and play it up!
Exactly. We have *much* better documentation of the biblical era than the ancient Mayans, and yet "Jesus's birth" is celebrated in the wrong month and 6-25 years off by modern Christians.
Actually we do not. Mostly because the thing that goes for "Christianity" in this day and age is something that has been changed over thousands of years into what it is today. This is because the bible itself is full of problems, logical loops, and other stuff like in one instance opens up for the possibilities of other gods, but in next stanza saying that there is only one god. Or in one stanza saying that there is no after-life for people without faith, but in the next saying that there is a hell for them (which is some kind of after life). So what we pick to have faith in from the bible has changed over the years, depending on region, and depending on culture. Which also may explain why in a world ruled by a religion where people were not supposed to have "special gifts" except people choosen by god (i.e. saints) the church still burnt hundred if not thousands of people as witches/warlocks.
You're confusing Christians with Catholics. I'm not going to try to defend the actions of people calling themselves 'Christians' over the years because I am aware that horrible things have been done 'in the name of Christ,' but I must disagree with your premise that the bible is full of 'problems, logical loops, and other stuff.'
First off, although the bible does say 'have no other gods before me,' this doesn't say that there are other actual Gods out there, only other (false) gods that other people worship.
Your next point is dependent on the wording, hell is considered the eternal spiritual death and therefore is not an ''afterlife."
Although I am sure there is still a lot of room for inconsistency, a lot of strange wordings et cetera result from the Bible being a (multiply) translated document.
It would be funnier if not for the sadness that comes with applicability to people nowadays. We don't even think the world's going to end and we still buy what we can't afford.
Nolagirl- Because the Christians wrote things down neurotically. The Maya left almost nothing written- most of their heritage was handed down orally. I think there were less than ten books ever recovered from their empire. Christians, on the other hand, recorded everything like an OCD man in a postit factory. So, no, we don't know what they thought.
Actually, just a couple of clarifications. When the Bible talks about the possibilities of other gods it is speaking of how the people back then made gods from things that weren't (like the golden calf). What God is saying there is that "you may make gods from things, but I am the only God and making other things into gods is just going to get you into trouble". The term "afterlife" is also usually referred to a positive thing after death, so Hell wouldn't be included. And I believe in the last part of your comment you're mixing up Christianity and Catholicism a little bit, because in the Christian religion we do not have "saints" as the only people who are gifted by God–regular people can be gifted too.
As for the witch hunts, I blame people more than anything. At least in Salem, the whole witch hunt was really just a way to get the land of the person you didn't like or get rid of people who were stopping you from getting more land etc. (There is significant historical evidence for this.)
Just hoping to clear some things up. Also, good comic.
It’s currently 2:40 in the morning where I am, and I have to wake up in less than seven hours to get to my college classes.
Why does this comic have to be so addicting?
Narrator: And now.. A typical mayan in the year 2013
—
Bug: .. well then the bank will have to foreclose your three mansions and
repossess your seventeen lamborghinis. Honestly, mr. Xpiyacoctez, why did you
make these purchases if you couldn’t afford the payments?
Xpiyacoctez: Sigh
Discussion (45) ¬
Okay, I like your comics, but I'm sorry, I hate you for this one. This supports the general attitude that Mayans believed the world was gonna end in 2012, when they did not. Ask any modern Mayan, that is not the reason their calendar ends in 2012.
Yes, why don't we ask the modern members of an ancient civilization? I'm sure they'll have all the answers as to why their thousand-years dead ancestors did something. I know I do.
This is a comic, and he made a joke.
Lighten up already.
I’m a little late on this, I know, but anthropologists actually have a very clear understanding of the Mayan belief on 2012. Dec. 21, 2012 will mark the end of an approximately 400 year period called a K’atun. However, the ancient Maya did not predict any catastrophic event or apocalypse; they actually have some iconography describing events occurring as far in the future as 3000 A.D. This is not based on the beliefs of the modern Maya, but rather on epigraphic analysis of Maya text and monuments.
What happens after 3000 A.D.?
I agree with Piper, why would modern descendants know anything about their ancestors beliefs from thousands of years ago?
The comic is based on a stereotype or popular belief, not the factual subtext of what really is there. If someone is going to believe that Mayans thought the world ended in 2012, they won't be using this comic as a factual reference.
@Trouble magnet- Get a life. It's a comic. Loser.
mmmmm, now thats good satire!
Light up. its a perfectly just reason for a joke, nothing on Mayan descendants. Its challenging common belief with a smirk.
It's a comic, not a documentary. Brilliant by the way :-).
The world is just too damn sensitive these days.
There is a Bizarro(?) comic, in which one Mayan says to another, "The calendar ends at 2012, because I ran out of paper." The point is, we have zero data as to why the Mayan calendar ends when it does.
Comics are not Wikipedia—comics are for fun. Let's keep that in mind.
The man who drew the comic to which I referred knows the Mayans used stone, not paper, so no flaming, please. Quote is from memory, sorry.
It's more like "A typical gullible moron in 2012".
Fun fact: 2012 is my birthday, I'm going to spend it laughing at people who thought the world was going to end…
Wait, better idea! I'm going to fake an apocalypse for gullible people!
I'm logical enough to know the world isn't going to end in 2012, but I still plan on throwing an End of the World holiday party. Why? Well, why not? This 2012 thing can all be wonderful fun if we play the game and play it up!
After that, GAME OVER… FOR REAL.
wouldn't 2012 be EVERYONES birthday?
LOL I know, right?
Unless you're a Leap Year Baby. O.O
(Then you won't have your next b-day till 2012.)
why would modern descendants know anything about their ancestors beliefs from thousands of years ago?
Why would Christians know anything about their ancestors beliefs from thousands of years ago????? Think about it.
Exactly. We have *much* better documentation of the biblical era than the ancient Mayans, and yet "Jesus's birth" is celebrated in the wrong month and 6-25 years off by modern Christians.
Actually we do not. Mostly because the thing that goes for "Christianity" in this day and age is something that has been changed over thousands of years into what it is today. This is because the bible itself is full of problems, logical loops, and other stuff like in one instance opens up for the possibilities of other gods, but in next stanza saying that there is only one god. Or in one stanza saying that there is no after-life for people without faith, but in the next saying that there is a hell for them (which is some kind of after life). So what we pick to have faith in from the bible has changed over the years, depending on region, and depending on culture. Which also may explain why in a world ruled by a religion where people were not supposed to have "special gifts" except people choosen by god (i.e. saints) the church still burnt hundred if not thousands of people as witches/warlocks.
Xake,
You're confusing Christians with Catholics. I'm not going to try to defend the actions of people calling themselves 'Christians' over the years because I am aware that horrible things have been done 'in the name of Christ,' but I must disagree with your premise that the bible is full of 'problems, logical loops, and other stuff.'
First off, although the bible does say 'have no other gods before me,' this doesn't say that there are other actual Gods out there, only other (false) gods that other people worship.
Your next point is dependent on the wording, hell is considered the eternal spiritual death and therefore is not an ''afterlife."
Although I am sure there is still a lot of room for inconsistency, a lot of strange wordings et cetera result from the Bible being a (multiply) translated document.
It would be funnier if not for the sadness that comes with applicability to people nowadays. We don't even think the world's going to end and we still buy what we can't afford.
Ah, a typical case of "the first comment is almost as funny as the comic"
Adam Huber is now my arch enemy, I am supposed to be working, not going through all his comics!
wow people. it's a web comic. it's a joke. deal, or go stock up on supplies since the world will end. . . your choice. . . i choose to laugh
Nolagirl- Because the Christians wrote things down neurotically. The Maya left almost nothing written- most of their heritage was handed down orally. I think there were less than ten books ever recovered from their empire. Christians, on the other hand, recorded everything like an OCD man in a postit factory. So, no, we don't know what they thought.
You have to thank these kind christiands for eliminating most of the traces of the mayan civilization…
Bravo, sir!
This is essentially the exact same joke as the previous comic, but in a different context.
Whether or not that's good or bad is up to the reader.
Actually, just a couple of clarifications. When the Bible talks about the possibilities of other gods it is speaking of how the people back then made gods from things that weren't (like the golden calf). What God is saying there is that "you may make gods from things, but I am the only God and making other things into gods is just going to get you into trouble". The term "afterlife" is also usually referred to a positive thing after death, so Hell wouldn't be included. And I believe in the last part of your comment you're mixing up Christianity and Catholicism a little bit, because in the Christian religion we do not have "saints" as the only people who are gifted by God–regular people can be gifted too.
As for the witch hunts, I blame people more than anything. At least in Salem, the whole witch hunt was really just a way to get the land of the person you didn't like or get rid of people who were stopping you from getting more land etc. (There is significant historical evidence for this.)
Just hoping to clear some things up.
Also, good comic. 
It was also good for getting rid of crazy cat ladies! And to explain why you stumbled home at 5 AM with a headache.
wow I should have scrolled down before replying to him, your comment basically makes mine redundant.
I thought that the Mayan calendar ended in 2012 because it was cyclical, and 2012 just happened to be the end of the largest cycle they came up with.
… Am I the only one that’s going to say, “Hey, I liked the comic!”?
…Hey, I liked the comic!
me too!
Loved the comic (newbie, found it and started reading from beginning). Comments are almost as funny …
I just wanna post here due to the fact that it already happened XD
I can unfortunately confirm that I fell victim to this effect.
It’s currently 2:40 in the morning where I am, and I have to wake up in less than seven hours to get to my college classes.
Why does this comic have to be so addicting?
Did you hear about the underground explosive that kept flashing “12 21 12” on it, and people thought that that would be when the world ended?
It was a frag mayan.
Narrator: And now.. A typical mayan in the year 2013
—
Bug: .. well then the bank will have to foreclose your three mansions and
repossess your seventeen lamborghinis. Honestly, mr. Xpiyacoctez, why did you
make these purchases if you couldn’t afford the payments?
Xpiyacoctez: Sigh