Hi Q
That was sort of my point, as a westerner, other than the issues of Islamic terrorism, I was taught that the Middle East is a place of mystery, amazing art, science and people with dignity and pride (although strange toilet habits
). I was never taught to hate the arabs (hell I wouldn't have married one if that was the case). However, they are taught from the aspect of religion that the west intentionally tries to corrupt their life to weaken the Ummah and from a historical point of view (certainly in the past 50-60 years) that the west is trying to take control of the middle east and control it through keeping it divided (I have to agree there may be a little truth there). I have to say Ms Rice didn't help last year when she referred to "the
new middle east" a number of times. This simply fuelled the fears of the common people, that the west really did have a secret agenda against them and of course this added strength to the extreme clerics arguments here. Not a good move.
To my simple mind, the mid east is always seen in terms of its prominent religion, Islam, as the west is seen in terms of Christianity. This inevitably ties religion into any political decision. These issues tend, I feel, to increase the distance between the Abrahamic religions. Lets be honest here, you can't win an american election without the Christian vote and you can't hold power in the mid east without the Muslim support. It's all a big game to these guys and unfortunately they seem to be making G-d the loser.
Not sure I entirely agree with you there. The Quran is more chilling in terms of the vivid descriptions of Hell. The description of the End of Days I feel is very similar in all cases - plagues, wars, religions broken into unagreeing factions, natural disasters, etc, etc and Nostradamus describes, in his own unusual way, these events. He was after all a devout Catholic so his view of the End of Days came from the Christian teachings of the times. Many of his predictions are already here, change in sexual attitudes, the religious leaders falling to greed, more natural disasters, etc, etc.
So if we look at Quatrain C IX - 55
The horrible war which is being prepared in the West
The following year will come the pestilence
So very horrible that young, old, nor beast
Blood, fire Mercury, Mars, Jupiter in France
These planets are due to next align in 2009 and again in 2011.
I found this re the Christian view of the End of Days:
"While some believe the prediction of dates or times is futile, many believe that Jesus foretold of signs which would indicate that the "end of days" was near. Some of these signs include natural disasters, civil problems, and other catastrophes. Of the precise time, however, it will come like a "thief in the night."
Doesn't sound unlike the Quran to me.
Salaam
