This will mark Roland Emmerich's fourth such movie of dire disaster for our planet. This new film, the director says, reflects a darker world view. "I'm really very pessimistic these days," he says.

Hold on, more will follow. In January The Book of Eli is scheduled to appear, telling a story about a book that reveals the way to mankind's redemption years after a cataclysmic war. Other shows such as Day One and The Colony weave together stories about human survival after apocalyptic wars. Why all the fascination with end-time entertainment?

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal says most of these filmmakers are "reacting to anxiety over real threats in uncertain times: the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, two U.S. wars abroad, multiple pandemics, a global financial crisis and new attention to environmental perils" ("Hollywood Destroys the World," July 31, 2009). One movie coming out called The Road uses actual footage from disasters like Hurricane Katrina to add to the realism.

This article quotes a writer for NBC's Day One saying, "For me, I feel like I live in an apocalyptic world with global warfare, a recession, and resource scarcity."

Pretty pessimistic, if you ask me. Shows like these and others from the past usually depict a bleak future for mankind. Nuclear war destroys nearly all life, and those who survive struggle to move forward. Not exactly a popcorn and Coke movie in my book.

You know what irritates me? That society has the whole thing backwards. In World News and Prophecy we write a great deal about Bible prophecy, showing the true picture of what lies ahead for this world and human life. It is true some horrific episodes are coming as the age of man's kingdoms comes to a close. But the Bible does not paint the bleak picture that modern movies do. Read your Bible closely and you will see that God intervenes and spares human life and then begins a period of restoration in His Kingdom that brings peace to the earth.

The Bible is a book of hope when it comes to the future of mankind. Yet it, and those who proclaim its truths, are often portrayed as "gloom and doomers," offering only a message of pessimism. Well, here is a test for you. Look at any of the upcoming movies and shows mentioned here and see how much hope and vision for a positive future is proclaimed. Then go and read your Bible and see what God says to the world about its bright future. You will see a stark contrast. I guarantee it.

Check out our Frequently Asked Question about 2012, and stay tuned for an article about the movie in a future World News and Prophecy.