bright light in the sky
Image courtesy of pixabay.com

All doomsday scenarios have one thing in common: They haven’t come true. Well, at least not yet. LiveScience.com collected the top 10 declarations by the prophets of doom, spanning 200 years of doomsday predictions.

The Prophet Hen of Leeds, 1806
In 1806, a hen in Leeds, England laid eggs on which the phrase “Christ is coming” was written. News of the so-called miracle spread, and many were convinced the end was near–until someone actually watched that hen closely and realized it was all a hoax.

The Millerites, April 23, 1843
William Miller, a New England farmer, concluded that the date the world would end could be discerned from strict literal interpretation of Scripture. By Miller’s account that would be between March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844. He attracted thousands of followers, called Millerites. Many sold or gave away their possessions, figuring they wouldn’t need them. Obviously, the End Times didn’t come. The group disbanded, but some of them formed what is now known as the Seventh Day Adventists.

Mormon Armageddon, 1891 or earlier
When Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church, called a meeting of his church leaders in February 1835, it was to tell them that he had spoken to God and was told that Jesus would return within the next 56 years. Once Jesus did return, the End Times would begin.

Halley’s Comet, 1910
It was reported by The New York Times and other newspapers that when the Earth passed through the tail of Halley’s comet, the planet could be bathed in a deadly, toxic gas called cyanogen. That generated widespread panic around the world. Eventually, scientists explained there was nothing to fear.

Pat Robertson, 1982
Televangelist and Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson ignored Matthew 24:36 (“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven…”) and told his “700 Club” audience in May 1980 that he knew when the world would end. “I guarantee you by the end of 1982, there is going to be a judgment on the world,” Robertson claimed.

Heaven’s Gate, 1997
What is it about comets? In 1997, rumors surfaced that an alien spacecraft was following comet Hale-Bopp. Despite refutations by reputable astronomers, the claims inspired a San Diego UFO cult named Heaven’s Gate to conclude this was the end of the world. Thirty-nine of the cult members committed suicide on March 26, 1997 because they thought this was their only chance to survive before the Earth was “recycled” and wiped clean.

Nostradamus, August 1999
One of the most famous metaphorical writings of Michel de Nostrdame, written more than 400 years ago, has been interpreted as thus: “The year 1999, seventh month / From the sky will come great king of terror.” Some thought this would be Armageddon.

Y2K, January 1, 2000
It wasn’t just your home PC that could go on the fritz when the year changed from 1999 to 2000. Many thought the date shift, which some computers couldn’t recognize, would cause catastrophic problems, including vast blackouts and even a nuclear holocaust. Gun sales jumped and survivalists prepared. They must have been disappointed.

Ice, May 5, 2000
In his 1997 book “5/5/2000 Ice: The Ultimate Disaster,” author Richard Noone forecast that on May 5, 2000, the Antarctic ice mass would be three miles thick–the very date on which the planets would be aligned in the heavens. He thought this would result in a global icy death for us all.

God’s Church Ministry, Fall 2008
In 2006, God’s Church minister Ronald Weinland predicted millions of people would die by the end of 2006 and within two years the world would be “plunged into the worst time of all human history.” He said the United States would collapse as a world power and no longer exist as an independent nation.