Yeah, Right, Whatever

Every religion has its creation myth and its end times prophecy. There are some similarities between some of the creation myths, but rarely are there commonalities between eschatologies. And, when there are, it can be... enlightening...

Take Christianity, for example. In Christian eschatology, there will be a person who will bring peace to Jerusalem and reign for seven years (The Tribulation). After the Tribulation, Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead.

Now, let's look at Islam. In Islamic eschatology, the Imam Mahdi precedes the arrival of Jesus, the Islamic messiah. The Mahdi will establish peace, justice and truth and reign for seven years. Then the Final Judgement shall occur.

Interesting, no?

Why do I bring this up? Am I just indulging in a little Islam bashing? Actually, no. That's not my intention at all. I bring all of this up because our favorite hostage-taker nutcase Iranian president is at it again, and he might just turn the Middle East into a glass parking lot in the process.

Iranian President Mahmoud's Ahmadinejad's mystical pre-occupation with the coming of a Shiite Islamic messiah figure – the Mahdi – is raising concerns that a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic could trigger the kind of global conflagration he envisions will set the stage for the end of the world.

Oh, yeah... that's what we need... a more-than-slightly off-his-rocker leader with a a nuke... sounds like a plan to me...

He (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) sees his main mission, as he recounted in a Nov. 16 speech in Tehran, as to "pave the path for the glorious reappearance of Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance."

According to Shiites, the 12th imam disappeared as a child in the year 941. When he returns, they believe, he will reign on earth for seven years, before bringing about a final judgment and the end of the world.

Ahmadinejad is urging Iranians to prepare for the coming of the Mahdi by turning the country into a mighty and advanced Islamic society and by avoiding the corruption and excesses of the West.

All Iran is buzzing about the Mahdi, the 12th imam and the role Iran and Ahmadinejad are playing in his anticipated return. There's a new messiah hotline. There are news agencies especially devoted to the latest developments.

Usually, an End Times cult will have a couple dozen members, maybe a hundred or so if the leader is really charasmatic. But there is an entire country who is expectantly looking for the coming of their Sign.

This isn't the only time Ahmadinejad has felt that he has been touched by Allah. When he was in New York to speak at the UN, he felt what could almost be seen as an "annointing", for lack of a better term.

In a videotaped meeting with Ayatollah Javadi-Amoli in Tehran, Ahmadinejad discussed candidly a strange, paranormal experience he had while addressing the United Nations in New York last September.

He recounts how he found himself bathed in light throughout the speech. But this wasn't the light directed at the podium by the U.N. and television cameras. It was, he said, a light from heaven.

The Iranian president recalled being told about it by one of his delegation: "When you began with the words ‘in the name of Allah,' I saw a light coming, surrounding you and protecting you to the end."

What does all of this mean? Maybe it means that Mahmoud is a few fries short of a Happy Meal™. Maybe it means that he is a misguided leader of a desperate group of people, hoping for their messiah. Or maybe it means that he really is a pawn of prophecy.

If that's the case, I think he's going to be in for a BIG surprise when the seven years are over.