In Iran, Apocalypse vs. Reform

[elsid13]

A real good piece for Washington Post this morning

In Iran, Apocalypse vs. Reform

By Jackson Diehl
Thursday, May 11, 2006; A27
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/10/AR2006051001791.html


QOM, Iran -- In a dusty brown village outside this Shiite holy city, a once-humble yellow-brick mosque is undergoing a furious expansion. Cranes hover over two soaring concrete minarets and the pointed arches of a vast new enclosure. Buses pour into a freshly asphalted parking lot to deliver waves of pilgrims.

The expansion is driven by an apocalyptic vision: that Shiite Islam's long-hidden 12th Imam, or Mahdi, will soon emerge -- possibly at the mosque of Jamkaran -- to inaugurate the end of the world. The man who provided $20 million to prepare the shrine for that moment, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has reportedly told his cabinet that he expects the Mahdi to arrive within the next two years. Mehdi Karrubi, a rival cleric, has reported that Ahmadinejad ordered that his government's platform be deposited in a well at Jamkaran where the faithful leave messages for the hidden imam.

Such gestures are one reason some Iranian clerics quietly say they are worried about a leader who has become the foremost public advocate of Iran's nuclear program. "Some of us can understand why you in the West would be concerned," a young mullah here told me last week. "We, too, wonder about the intentions of those who are controlling this nuclear work."

Qom is a place where the possible ends of Iran's slowly crumbling Islamic regime can be glimpsed -- both the catastrophic and the potentially benign. There is the rising, officially nurtured last-days cult at Jamkaran, and the extremist rants of Ahmadinejad's own spiritual adviser, Ayatollah Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, who recently suggested that future elections were superfluous because a true Islamic government had arisen.

But also in the winding alleys here, with their mosques and madrassas , are some of the world's most progressive and influential interpreters of Islam -- ayatollahs who insist that democracy, human rights, equality for women and even cloning are all compatible with the Koran. To hear them is to understand that the much-hoped-for Islamic reformation is, at least in the Shiite world, already underway.

The best known of the liberals is Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, once the designated successor to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Iran's first supreme leader, and in recent years one of Iran's foremost advocates of democracy. Frail at 84, Montazeri was nonetheless firm enough when I asked him about Ahmadinejad's buildup at Jamkaran. While "the 12th Imam does exist and will someday emerge," he said, "using this belief as a political means for deceiving people or leading them to certain decisions is wrong." As a grand ayatollah, Montazeri is one of the few in the country who can make such a public statement without risking imprisonment or worse.

Even more intriguing is Montazeri's near neighbor, Grand Ayatollah Yusuf Saanei, 68, who, unlike his elder, is still instructing students at his madrassa and delivering regular sermons and fatwas . Like Montazeri, Saanei favors full democracy in Iran; he has also issued rulings banning workplace discrimination against women, sanctioning abortion in the first trimester and authorizing therapeutic cloning for the purpose of producing replacement organs.

Another early collaborator of Khomeini who long ago returned to Qom, Saanei acknowledges that anti-democratic forces among the Iranian clergy have the upper hand, for now. But he offers two reasons for optimism. One is the growing demand for change among Iranian youth; those under 30 make up more than two-thirds of the population. "We have been doing a lot of work in colleges and universities," says the ayatollah, whose diminutive stature, wispy white beard and leathery brown skin make him appear older than he is. "If you talk to students in these institutions you will see that we have achieved a great deal, and that our ideas have spread very far."

The other factor is Iraq -- where, Saanei says, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani has successfully updated the role of Islam in government. "The Iraqis were well aware and informed of events in Iran," Saanei said. "Therefore they have adopted the model of Ayatollah Sistani. Ayatollah Sistani has made the correct decision by staying out of the political system."

The violence in Iraq has galvanized Shiite clergy such as Saanei on the subject of terrorism. "All of these terrorist acts have got to be condemned," he said, abruptly diverging from an answer to another question to deliver a strident sermon. "Terrorism must be hated in any form. And if a powerful and influential figure supports only a small number of these terrorists, he must be condemned as well." The reference to Iran's current rulers seemed unmistakable.

Saanei spreads such views methodically. He meets with journalists nearly every day; aides record each interview on videotape and post transcripts on the ayatollah's heavily trafficked Web site. DVDs of his sermons circulate widely. "Up until now we have had no difficulties" with the Iranian regime, says an aide. "Because he is a grand ayatollah and can express his opinion." As Ahmadinejad's followers flock to Jamkaran, Saanei's might seem a futile enterprise. But then, few believed that the words of his mentor, Khomeini, would foment a revolution.

© 2006 The Washington Post Company

[elsid13]

Good news there is some chance if right reformers get into power for stable country.

Bad News The current president thinks the world about the end. Maybe we should shoot his plane down on trip back from Indonesia

[Bronx33]

One is the growing demand for change among Iranian youth


The X factor, people would really be suprised how much we have in common with non crazy logical thinking iranians i hope they can pull something off to derail that wackjob MA hes a puppet of the Ayatollah the guy thinks hes a nail and a part of islamic history.

[elsid13]

One is the growing demand for change among Iranian youth


The X factor, people would really be suprised how much we have in common with non crazy logical thinking iranians i hope they can pull something off to derail that wackjob MA hes a puppet of the Ayatollah the guy thinks hes a nail and a part of islamic history.


In fact youth and liberals of country actually like America. Go figure. I wonder how we can help the reformers.

[alkemical]

yet this country hates youth and liberals!

ha!

sorry

[mosca]

Good news there is some chance if right reformers get into power for stable country.
i for one will not hold my breath waiting for that to happen. the only way i see reformers taking power in iran is through force, and i don't know that the powers-that-be, supported by the revolutionary guard, will let that happen without a fight.

[Meck77]

Such gestures are one reason some Iranian clerics quietly say they are worried about a leader who has become the foremost public advocate of Iran's nuclear program. "Some of us can understand why you in the West would be concerned," a young mullah here told me last week. "We, too, wonder about the intentions of those who are controlling this nuclear work."



So we have Iranian clerics admitting their leader is nuts. Good thing they have a lunatic in charge who's said on more than one occasion "Israel won't be around much longer". If Iran takes a shot at Israel the world as we know it will be one big Nagasaki.

[elsid13]

It appear more likely in my mind that military force will have to be used to solve this problem. Not only potential uranium enrichment sites, but the key member of the leadership and his spiritual advisers. This is were the lack of HUMINT in Iran is going to hurt us. I sure the french will complain.

[alkemical]

it aint gonna happen (us going in there militarily) -

20% of the worlds oil comes through that - and we biatch now about gas prices!

[Bronx33]

So we have Iranian clerics admitting their leader is nuts. Good thing they have a lunatic in charge who's said on more than one occasion "Israel won't be around much longer". If Iran takes a shot at Israel the world as we know it will be one big Nagasaki.

Israel has already stated it will defend itself and told MA/ iran can be wiped off the map just as easy only difference is israel can do it today if they wanted. MA is already talking smack and he doesn't even have the bomb yet (hes an idiot) with a mullahs hand up his a** and a koran in the other. The fact is MA really thinks allah is going to save his a** when a nuke melts his a** thats where hes wrong. (dead wrong)

[elsid13]

Israel has already stated it will defend itself and told MA/ iran can be wiped off the map just as easy only difference is israel can do it today if they wanted. MA is already talking smack and he doesn't even have the bomb yet (hes an idiot) with a mullahs hand up his a** and a koran in the other. The fact is MA really thinks allah is going to save his a** when a nuke melts his a** thats where hes wrong. (dead wrong)


I more worried that he doesn't care if Allah save his ass. The fact that he believe in the appearance of 12 imam in less then 2 years might mean he ready to try to end the world. I wonder what the psychology profile on this nut jobs is

[Bronx33]

I more worried that he doesn't care if Allah save his ass. The fact that he believe in the appearance of 12 imam in less then 2 years might mean he ready to try to end the world. I wonder what the psychology profile on this nut jobs is


Olds school ayotallas* and old school mullahs are the ones behind all of this, religion is powerful and they are using it to it's fullest to acheive this koranic warped dream. (the regime needs to be removed) asap. i hate religion sometimes it's absolutly worthless in politics and logical thought.

[Bronx33]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060512/ap_on_re_mi_ea/nuclear_agency_iran_3;_ylt=AvnLfER1hr07GD4NnGd5yk9 Sw60A;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

VIENNA, Austria - The U.N. atomic agency found traces of highly enriched uranium at an Iranian site linked to the country's defense ministry, diplomats said Friday, adding to concerns that Tehran was hiding activities aimed at making nuclear arms.
ADVERTISEMENT

The diplomats, who demanded anonymity in exchange for revealing the confidential information, said the findings were preliminary and still had to be confirmed through other lab tests. But they said the density of enrichment appeared to be close to or above the level used to make nuclear warheads.

Still, they said, further analysis could show that the traces match others established to have come from abroad. The
International Atomic Energy Agency determined earlier traces of weapons-grade uranium were imported on equipment from Pakistan that
Iran bought on the black market during nearly two decades of clandestine activity discovered just over three years ago.

Uranium enriched to between 3.5 percent and 5 percent is used to make fuel for reactors to generate electricity. It becomes suitable for use in nuclear weapons when enriched to more than 90 percent.

Iran's refusal to give up enrichment ambitions has led to involvement by the
U.N. Security Council, which has the power to impose sanctions but remains split on how firmly to pressure Tehran.

Key U.N. Security Council members agreed Tuesday to postpone a resolution that would have delivered an ultimatum to Tehran, giving Iran another two weeks to re-evaluate its insistence on developing its uranium enrichment capabilities.

Iran's hard-line president said Friday that his country was not afraid of possible U.S. military action over its enrichment program, but added that he thought any such strikes were very unlikely. Washington has said it favors a diplomatic end to the dispute, but it hasn't ruled out military force.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also told a local TV station that Iran would cooperate with the Security Council if it makes a decision on the escalating standoff as long as the world body acts "in line with international rules."

The Islamic republic denies accusations it wants to make nuclear arms and says it is only interested in uranium to generate power.

To argue that it never enriched uranium domestically to weapons grade, it cites the IAEA's tentative conclusion last year that weapons-grade traces collected from other sites within the country with no suspected ties to that military came in on equipment from Pakistan.

The origin of the samples now under perusal created some concern in that regard.

One of the diplomats told The Associated Press that the samples came from equipment that can be used in uranium-enriching centrifuges at a former research center at Lavizan-Shian. The center is believed to have been the repository of equipment bought by the Iranian military that could be used in a nuclear weapons program.

The United States alleges Iran had conducted high-explosive tests that could have a bearing on developing nuclear weapons at the site.

The State Department said in 2004 that Lavizan's buildings had been dismantled and topsoil had been removed in attempts to hide nuclear weapons-related experiments. The agency subsequently confirmed that the site had been razed.

In an April 28 report to the U.N. Security Council and the IAEA's 35-nation board of governors, agency head Mohamed ElBaradei said the agency took samples from some of the equipment of the former Physics Research Center at Lavizan-Shian. The diplomat said the evaluation of those samples revealed the traces in question.

Ahmadinejad's remarks on possible U.S. military action were made in Jakarta during a discussion with Indonesian Islamic leaders.

Asked whether his country was prepared to face an attack by the United States, he said "that is very unlikely because they know the Islamic Republic of Iran is a strong country."

"They are trying to frighten our country by waging a propaganda campaign using strong words. The people of Iran and the country are not afraid of them," he said to applause from the audience.

The Chinese and Russians have balked at British, French and U.S. efforts to put the resolution under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter. Such a move would declare Iran a threat to international peace and security and set the stage for further measures if Tehran refuses to suspend its uranium enrichment operations. Those measures could range from breaking diplomatic relations to economic sanctions and military action.

[elsid13]

Well unlike Iraq there is starting to be hard evidence that WMD are being developed. Wonder what the next steps are?

[defenseman]

"one shot, one kill"...dman

[Spider]

Well unlike Iraq there is starting to be hard evidence that WMD are being developed. Wonder what the next steps are?
we start offwith canceling the Simpons reruns to them , if that doesnt work , King of the hill and Family guy ..... if Iran still doesnt comply ........Southpark gets canceled ... if that desnt work , we kick their áss

[elsid13]

"one shot, one kill"...dman

Actually it multiply shots, multiply kills. We need to remove a layer of filth that is chocking that society.

[defenseman]

At this point, I think it's a forgone conclusion we have to erradicate the SOB and his henchman, he WILL NOT go away on his own, and the younger of the iranians cannot remove him. they'll be jailed and tortured lickedty split...dman

[elsid13]

Yep I think your right, that means that we going to lose people doing what is necessary again.

[defenseman]

Yep, I'd say you are correct on that assumption. Maybe he'll keel over from a heart attack or something, you never know...dman

[alkemical]

maybe we can get some hurricanes sent over there - visa vie, eeh?

[Bronx33]

Trying to understand islam better and how they are using it for this jihad, here is a artical that explains the (hidden imam)


http://www.iranian.ws/iran_news/publish/article_15612.shtml

The Role of Hidden Imam in the history and the politics of the Islamic republic of Iran
May 13, 2006
Bahman Aghai Diba PhD International Law - Persian Journal

The notion of the Hidden Imam (Islamic Messiah) has a central role in the Islamic Shiite thoughts. There are countless references to the Hidden Imam in the Shiite books. However, following the victory of the so-called Islamic Revolution in Iran (or as some people say: the hijacking of the Iranian revolution by the Mullahs), in 1979, the references to the Hidden Imam has gained a new importance.

The main reason is that the power and wealth of an important oil-exporting contrary, with a tyrannical regime that does not care about the wishes of the people has been directed in support of the old religious notions.

This does not mean that everybody in Iran or the Shiite world agree on the role and modus operandi of the Hidden Imam. In fact, Khomeini, the so-called founder of the Islamic Revolution in Iran stopped the activities of one of the most important groups that claimed to be the strict followers of the Hidden Imam. This group was called Hojjatieh and I will write about them later in this article.

Since the election of Mahmud Ahmadinejad as the president of Iran through rigged elections, the notion of the Hidden Imam has gained a new weight. Many of the actions of the present government of Iran seem to have originated from the same notion.

For example the recent letter of Ahmadinejad to the US President was not based on the political considerations (it was written in the worst possible time), and it did not mean to change anything about the most important current issue of Iran (the nuclear case of Iran and the possible sanctions through the United Nations Security Council). The president of Iran thinks that he has a divine duty from the Hidden Imam take certain measures and the letter to Bush was one of them. Anybody inside and outside of Iran tying to explain the letter from political and international point of view falls into the wrong track and gets to the confusing results.

Sayyed Vahid Karimi, who is introduced as strategic issues researcher in Iran, has said: "we have a duty to guide this ignorant superpower [the USA]." (1) He has recommended that such letters should be sent to the leaders of the important states in the world, including the UK.

It is therefore important to know in more details what is the notion of the Hidden Imam and its role in the present government of Iran.

Who is the Hidden Imam?
According to Richard Hines (2): "The core of the Shi'ite religious world view is the Hidden Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, "The Guided One." While the stories of the first eleven Imams are historical in nature, the history of the twelfth Imam is mystical and miraculous. Born in 868 AD / 255 AH, Abu'l-Kasim Muhammad (which is the name of the Prophet himself), and when Hasan al-Askari, the Eleventh Imam, died in 874 AD / 260 AH, the seven year old boy declared himself to be the Twelfth Imam and went into hiding. The Shi'ites believed that he hid himself in a cave below a mosque in Samarra; this cave is blocked by a gate which the Shi'ites call Bab-al Ghayba , or the "Gate of Occultation." This is one of the most sacred sites in Shi'a Islam, and the faithful gather here to pray for the return of the Twelfth Imam.

The central Shi'a doctrines revolving around the Hidden Imam are the doctrines of Occultation (Ghayba ) and Return (Raj'a ) . The Doctrine of Occultation is simply the belief that God hid Muhammad al-Mahdi away from the eyes of men in order to preserve his life. God has miraculously kept him alive since the day he was hidden in 874 AD / 260 AH; eventually God will reveal al-Mahdi to the world and he will return to guide humanity.

The Occultation has two distinct stages, the Lesser Occultation and the Greater Occultation. In the Lesser Occultation, the Hidden Imam continued to communicate with humanity through representatives. Since the Imam was the spiritual guide or light to the rest of humanity, the Lesser Occultation only removed the Imam's body from the world, not his spiritual guidance. However, under the threat of orthodox Muslims, the Hidden Imam entered the period of Greater Occultation, which is still continuing. In the Greater Occultation, the Imam is still the spiritual guide and light of the world with one exception: there is no longer any direct communication between humanity and the Imam... ."

Names and Characteristics of the Hidden Imam

According to the Encyclopedia of the Orient (3): "Muhammad al Mahdi (the guided) is the 12th and last Imam of the Twelver Shi'i, and is also known as Muhammad al Muntazar (the awaited).

Very little can be said of him with any certainty. In fact, the non-Twelver might very well question whether there was an historical person associated with the name. Jafar, the brother of the Eleventh Imam denied the existence of any child and claimed the Imamate for himself. In fact, accounts of public appearances by Muhammad al Mahdi often involve his mysterious arrival at key moments to challenge his uncle's claims.

In brief, the Twelver Shi'i believe that he was born to a Byzantine slave named Narjis Khatun, and that his birth was kept quiet by his father, the Eleventh Imam, Hassan al Askari, because of the intense persecution of the Shi'is at that time.

Hidden since birth, he reappeared at age of 6 to assert his claim to the Imamate, only to then disappear down a well to avoid the sad fate of his father and grandfather. For the next seventy years he maintained contact with his followers through a succession of four assistants, each known as Bab (Gate), Uthman al Amir; his son Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Uthman; Abu'l Qasim Husayn ibn Ruh an Nawbakhti; and Abu'l Husayn Ali ibn Muhammad as Samarri. The period when he used the 4 Babs as his form of contacting the Shi'is is known as the Lesser Occultation.

On his deathbed in 941 CE, the fourth Bab, as Samarri produced a letter from the Imam stating that there should be no successor to as Samarri and that from that time forward the Mahdi would not be seen until he reappeared as champion of the faithful in the events leading to the Judgment Day. Therefore, after 941 CE there has been no earthly expression of the Imamate. This period is known as the Greater Occultation. However, it is still possible to seek the Twelfth Imam's advice or intercession by writing him a letter and leaving it at one of the Shi'i shrines�
There is much that is miraculous associated with al Mahdi. The various traditions are rich in stories and are often contradictory. Tales range from speaking from the womb, growing at so astonishing a rate that he was full grown by age 6, being raised by birds and with the ability to appear and disappear at will.

While there was much controversy over the succession of the 12th Imam, as the Lesser Occultation proceeded, dissent gradually diminished. This can be attributed in part to the active support of the Caliphate for the institution of the Bab. Several opponents of the doctrine of the Occultation were executed and others were persecuted in various ways. Another factor explaining the acceptance of the Lesser Occultation, and by extension the Greater Occultation, was that due to the house arrest of the 10th and 11th Imams. Hence, most Shi'i were already accustomed to the idea of their Imam being hidden from their view.

In the time of the 10th and 11th Imams a network of wikala (agents) had developed to act as intermediaries between the Imam and his followers, handling money and carrying messages back and forth. In fact, Uthman al Amri, the first Bab of the 12th Imam had held the same position as head of the wikala under the 11th Imam. Therefore, for most Shi'i, there was not a significant change in their relation to their Imam after the death of the Eleventh Imam.

Some titles of the 12th Imam include: Sahib az Zaman (Master of the Age), Sahib al Amr (Master of Command), al Qa'im (the one to arise), Bagiyyat Allah (remnant of Allah) and Imam al Muntazar (the awaited Imam)."


Signs of Hidden Imam's Appearance
Gregoire de Kalbermatten (4) has mentioned the signs of the appearance of Mahdi : "The universal precursory Sign of the return of the Mahdi, "He who Guides," consists of the general invasion of the earth by Evil and the victory of the forces of Evil over those of Good. Without such a manifestation, the entirety of humanity would be engulfed by darkness�. The Sign consists of the following traits: the people will neglect prayer, squander the divinity which is conferred on them, legalize untruths, practice usury, accept bribes, construct huge edifices, sell religion to win this lower world, employ idiots, consult with women, break family ties, obey passion and consider insignificant the letting of blood. Magnanimity will be considered as weakness and injustice as glory, princesses will be debauched and ministers will be oppressors, intellectuals will be traitors and the reader of the Koran vicious. False witness will be brought openly and immorality proclaimed in loud voices. A word of promise will be slander, sin and exaggeration.

"The sacred Books will be ornate, the mosques disguised, the minarets extended. Criminals will be praised, the lines of combat narrowed, hearts in disaccord and pacts broken. Women, greedy for the riches of this lower world, will involve themselves in the business of their husbands; the vicious voices of the man will be loud and will be listened to. The most ignoble of the people will become leaders, the debauched will be believed for fear of the Evil they will cause, the liar will be considered as truthful and the traitor as trustworthy� They will resort to singers and musical instruments...and women will horse ride, they will resemble men and the men will resemble women. The people will prefer the activities of this lower-world to those of the Higher-World and will cover with lambskin the hearts of wolves."

Dajjal or the Islamic anti-Christ
Dajjal is an important notion, which is, related the concept of the Hidden Imam. On the basis of the Shiit teachings, Dajjal will appear right before the Hidden Imam and he will try to deceive people by pretending to be the Hidden Imam. He is later killed by "the Jesus Christ" who will return to earth and pave the way for the Hidden Imam. The Christ will fight along with the Hidden Imam for a while, and during this time all Christians become Muslims and later he leaves the scene completely for the Hidden Imam.

Mohammed Ali Ibn Zubair Ali (5) describes Dajjal or the Islamic Anti-Christ as: "...He will emerge between Shaam[Syria] and Iraq, and his emergence will become known when he is in Isfahaan [central Iran] at a place called Yahudea[the Jews Place]. The Yahudis (Jews) of Isfahaan will be his main followers. Apart from having mainly Yahudi followers, he will have a great number of women followers as well...There will be a thick fingernail-like object in his left eye. The letters "Kaa" "Faa" "Raa" will appear on his forehead and will be deciphered by all Mu'mineen regardless of them being literate or not. He will have a wheatish complexion.

He will travel at great speeds and his means of conveyance will be a gigantic mule. It is said that he will play beautiful music which will attract the music lovers. Dajjal will lay claim to prophethood. He will then lay claim to Divinity. He will perform unusual feats. He will travel the entire world....The hidden treasures will spill forth at his command. He will stay on this Earth for a period of forty days; the length of the first day will be one year, the second day will be equal to one month, the third day will be equal to a week and the remaining days will be normal..."


The Mosque in Jamkaran of Iran

Bahman Aghai Diba writes in the Persian Journal (6): Jamkaran is a village near Qom in the South of Tehran. It is the home for a lucrative business of corresponding with the Imam e Zaman or the Hidden Imam or the Islamic Messiah. According to the Islamic-Shiite stories, Imam e Zaman will appear and enforce justice all over the world. The Shiites have been waiting for his appearance in the last 14 centuries. Again according to the Islamic-Shiite stories, anyone who wants to send a letter to the Imam e Zaman can write it and throw it in any flowing underground current or well. However, the business minded demagogues have made stories that the water well in Jamkaran has a better chance of getting the messages to the Hidden Imam because some of the religious figures have seen things during their sleep (seeing thinks during sleep is an important phenomenon in the social and political history of the Islamic countries. Recently, one of the Iranian Ayatollahs reported that he had seen the Hidden Imam in his sleep and he has approved the credentials of the Majles representatives who were actually 'elected' through corruption and rigging). However, since a short time ago there was only one well for the men and women to send their messages for Imam, of course after paying the all-important 'entrance fee'. But recently, the demagogues have separated the line of men and women and now there are now two separate wells (channels of communications) with the hidden Imam in Jamkaran. Everyday, a large number of the people travel to Jamkaran...The income of this PO Box is so huge that it covers some of the expenses for the "shadow governments" in Iran.�


Also, Jackson Diehl, reporting from Qom in Iran says (7): "in a dusty village outside this Shiite holy city, a once-humble yellow-brick mosque is undergoing a furious expansion.. . the expansion is driven by an apocalyptic vision: that Shiite Islam�s long-hidden 12th Imam, or Madhi, will soon emerge-possibly at the Mosque of Jamkaran- to inaugurate the end of the world. The man who provided $20 million to prepare the shrine for that moment, the Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, has reportedly told his cabinet that he expects the Mahdi to arrive within the next two years..." Hojjatieh and the Hidden Imam

In an article regarding the "Hojjatieh Group", the newspaper published by the exiled former president of Iran, Abulhasan Bani Sadr (8) has mentioned: "during the elections for the Seventh Majles, the Hojjatieh elements played an important role and they sent their agents inside the Majles under the disguise of 'fundamentalism'.

Meshkini, claimed that the Hidden Imam had endorsed the list of the Majles deputies for the Seventh Majles. Later, during the presidential elections, Mesbah Yazdi, clamied that someone in Ahwaz had seen the Hidden Imam in his dreams who had prayed for success of "Ahmadinejad" [the current president of Iran] in the elections. This opened the hands of the Hojjatieh mules in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards and other organizations for propaganda in favor of Ahmadinejad and rigging the elections in his support. At the moment, Ahmadinejad and his ministers claim that they get instructions from the Hidden Imam directly...in the first session of the Council of the Ministers, Ahmadinejad and his ministers signed a treaty with the Hidden Imam and they asked Saar Harandi, the Minister of Culture, to hand over the treaty to the Hidden Imam by throwing a copy of the Treaty down the well in Jamkaran. In the second session of the Council of Ministers, Rahmati, the Minister of Roads and Transportation said: 'due to the high amount of donations to Jamkaran, we do not need to set aside a governmental budget for construction of the Tehran-Jamkaran railway.' Ahmadinejad answered him with anger: 'we have not come [to power] for democracy. We are here to prepare the way for the emergence of the Hidden Imam... .

These are some of the convictions of the Mafia that Ahmadinejad represents:

- the Hidden Imam is present in many places
- all preparations must be made for his emergence...
- some of the members of the group have met the prophet and his companions
- When they perform the prayer called "Tavassol" [which calls for the emergence of the hidden Imam], the Imam comes to the session...
- They claim to be chosen as the companions of the Hidden Imam and at least some of them are among the 313 special persons or even the 10 prominent persons that will fight along with the Hidden Imam.,
- They claim that the Hidden Imam has given presents to some of them...
- They claim that they get the solution of the problems from the Hidden Imam
- They believe that the Hidden Imam will appear in the next couple of years�they have established organizations to find the proper persons for fighting along the army of the Hidden Imam...
- They claim to be protected by the Hidden Imam

- They oppose Bahai Faith and Sunnis..."

[mosca]

Man, this is an eye-opening post. Very scary... fundamentalist religion at its worst. I'll have to do some more research on this all, mostly verification. Still... very scary. Getting so very tired of these religious nutbags...

[Bronx33]

This is tongue in cheek... Bush responds to MA letter.


(2006-05-10) — While the White House officially denies it, unnamed sources close to anonymous insiders at the State Department report they have seen the text of President George Bush’s response to an 18-page letter sent by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad earlier this week.

Mr. Ahmadinejad’s letter chided and rebuked the U.S. President for a litany of alleged misconduct, and sought to find common ground with the Christian Mr. Bush in a shared belief in monotheism. The Iranian leader largely side-stepped the issue of uranium enrichment, noting that all nations had a right to scientific and technological progress.

According to notes taken by those who saw it, here is President Bush’s response:

Dear Mahmoud,
Thanks for taking the time to write your thoughtful letter. I appreciate you educating me about history, geography, democracy, military strategy, geopolitics, science, technology and theology, since these weren’t my favorite subjects in school.

I’d appreciate it if you would read my letter on TV to your 68 million citizens to help us both forge a bond of peace, grounded in our shared monotheism.

In your 18-page letter, you asked me more than 63 questions.

The answer is ‘No’.

Now, let me ask you a few questions.

1) When you’re alone in a room by yourself, what do you all talk about?
2) How many moons can you see from your planet?
3) Roughly how long will it be before your mothership returns?

Take your time. Feel free to use the back of the paper to record your answers.

Sincerely,
George W. Bush, POTUS

[Bronx33]

I think he figured it out.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/05/17/iran.nuclear/index.html

(CNN) -- Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has rejected a possible European offer for incentives, including a light-water nuclear reactor, in return for giving up uranium-enrichment program.

"We don't need incentives," Ahmadinejad said on state-run TV. "They cannot stop our progress by offering us incentives."

"Do you think you are dealing with a 4-year-old child to whom you can give some walnuts and chocolates and get gold from him?" Ahmadinejad added, according to The Associated Press.

The Iranian leader's comments came in the midst of reports that Britain, France and Germany were putting together a tentative incentives package that would include a light-water nuclear reactor in exchange for Tehran giving up uranium enrichment.

Light-water reactors are more difficult to use in the development of weapons than are heavy-water plants that produce more nuclear material.

Iran has ignored a U.N. Security Council demand that it stop enrichment activities or face possible sanctions.

On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran was open to any proposal to resolve the nuclear issue as long as it acknowledges its legal and inalienable right to pursue nuclear energy under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.

Iran insists that it has a right under the 1968 NPT to produce nuclear fuel. But the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, has called on Iranian officials to clear up unresolved questions about its intentions.

The Security Council is debating a resolution, backed by the United States, Britain and France, that would give the demand the force of international law and open the door to possible sanctions if Iran continues to refuse.

Russia and China, two of the council's veto-wielding permanent members, have said they oppose sanctions.

Enriched uranium can be used to fuel power plants or, in much higher concentrations, to produce a nuclear explosion. The United States accuses Iran of working toward nuclear weapons -- an allegation Tehran denies.

"Why are you still acting and talking as though these are colonial times," Ahmadinejad said Wednesday. "We do not demand anything more than our rights."

Meanwhile diplomats said a top-level meeting of the U.N. Security Council's five permanent members and Germany to discuss the Iranian nuclear standoff had been postponed while Washington seeks to harden proposed penalties if Tehran does not give up uranium enrichment.

The meeting was to have been held in London Friday. But diplomats told AP it had been moved to Tuesday or Wednesday to allow more time for phone talks about what should be in a package of incentives to be offered to Tehran.

In his speech, Ahmadinejad said added that Iran trusted the European Union in 2003 and suspended its nuclear activities, but the Europeans ultimately said Iran must not enrich uranium at all.

"We won't be bitten twice," Ahmadinejad said, referring to an Iranian proverb about not repeating a mistake.

"We recommend that you not sacrifice your interests for the sake of others," he said, in what AP said was an apparent warning to the EU about supporting the position advocated by the United States.

[elsid13]

This isn't going well. It become a "manhood" issue. We are truely ****ed