In the recent us election 2008 it was rumored hat Obama is the Anti Christ. There are different prophecies which claim that the antichrist will appear in about our time period. Some religions believe that the Anti Christ will bring an apocalypse before the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Manny different interest groups predict the end of world to the 21st december 2012 - cultures, religions and scientists. Some see a terrible apocalypse or disaster comming, other fundamental earthchanges and the beginning of a new conscious.
The ancient Mayan used astronomy to look to the future, the Hopi Indians believe in a transition of earth. Some say Nostradamus has been a part of the freemasons and had access to their secret age-old wisdom.