As Iran rushes towards confrontation with the world over its nuclear programme, the question uppermost in the mind of western leaders is "What is moving its President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to such recklessness?"
Could it be something under than recklessness? After all, America has her hands full with Iraq. It is sad that the country which bailed Europe out of two World Wars is in a struggle for supremacy with a country the size of California. Such has been the history of empires. Guerrilla warfare can be most unkind. Perhaps Iran realizes that if it wants to join the nuclear club, now is as good a time as ever. Though cliched to harp on France, no European country is going to stop this; we and Iran know that.
The most remarkable aspect of Mr Ahmadinejad's piety is his devotion to the Hidden Imam, the Messiah-like figure of Shia Islam, and the president's belief that his government must prepare the country for his return.
Uh oh. What would be the reaction if Bush started talking frequently about Jesus coming back?
He is said to have gone into "occlusion" in the ninth century, at the age of five. His return will be preceded by cosmic chaos, war and bloodshed. After a cataclysmic confrontation with evil and darkness, the Mahdi will lead the world to an era of universal peace.
This is similar to the Christian vision of the Apocalypse. Indeed, the Hidden Imam is expected to return in the company of Jesus.
Does Jesus know about this? Revelation does not mention the Imam. I guess that would be, at least partially because Revelation was written before Islam was founded. Still, if this Imam fellow and the Christ have traveling plans together--my thought bubble shows Planes, Trains, and Automobiles; I bet the Imam snores really loudly--shouldn't they cool it with the Jihad? Just a thought, Ahmadinejad.Mr Ahmadinejad appears to believe that these events are close at hand and that ordinary mortals can influence the divine timetable.
The prospect of such a man obtaining nuclear weapons is worrying. The unspoken question is this: is Mr Ahmadinejad now tempting a clash with the West because he feels safe in the belief of the imminent return of the Hidden Imam? Worse, might he be trying to provoke chaos in the hope of hastening his reappearance?
See "Uh oh." above. Of course humans can influence the "divine timetable." It's not as if Jesus is going to let us nuke ourselves and show up after. There would be no sheep and precious few goats, rendering his last sermon quite anti-climatic.
Their sneaking suspicion is that Iran's president actually relishes a clash with the West in the conviction that it would rekindle the spirit of the Islamic revolution and - who knows - speed up the arrival of the Hidden Imam.
I'm a religious person, but I believe I have something that many orthodox Muslims lack, namely a sense of humor. Laugh a little, Ahmadinejad, and try to cool it with the nukes. Please. Someone needs to tell these guys a couple of good jokes. Mine are terrible, but here goes.
Q. Why did Robin Hood steal from the rich?
A. Because the poor didn't have any money.
And on that Ayn-Rand-esque note I am actually going to go to bed. If Jesus comes back soon, Ahmadinejad is going to have some explaining to do.
5 comments:
You forgot the part where Robin Hood gave to the poor. A man who took the teachings of Jesus to heart.And no doubt an inspiration for Karl Marx.
As for claims of knowing absolute truth and prophesy in general, it is bad ju ju no matter who tries it.If religious fanatics end up destroying the earth at least I will be able to say I told you so.
Jeruselum is the stage where this insane drama of millenial dispensation will be played out. the first act may be starting as we speak, with elections about to happen.
It was a very poor joke, I admit it. It was the first one that came to me. I should have said this one courtesy of the muppets--with a little adaptation of course.
Did you hear the one about the Mosque that burned down?
Holy smokes!
Terrible I know.
Yes, religious fanatics are generally a pain in the rear end. Don't forget about secular fanatics too. I'm serious. Hitler, Stalin and Mao killed more than the Taliban ever could, or so I hope.
I try not to think about the whole Middle East too much, it's just too volatile.
Though secular outwardly, it has been argued the movements of Hitler, Stalin,Mao, Mussolini, etc have a religious element in the devotion to dogma and doctrine, the transcendent, orthodox nature of the visions they promoted.Also that cult-like aspect of exclusivity.
I have another idea: Ahmadinejad is wildly unpopular back in Iran. He didn't win on the first ballot, he's been accused of widespread voter fraud, and his cabinet appointments have been consistently rejected. When you're failing at home, you look for a foreign conflict to take off the heat. Hmm...
Loyal! Good to have you back.
Valid theory on your part. Things don't look real good in that part of the world--suprise, surpise. Let's hope Bush doesn't try to "build" another "democracy".
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