)Second Coming: A bloody welcome for the Messiah?
BY MUNIR DAAIR
10 August 2006
SEVENTY million Americans, almost one third of their countrys population,
believe that the second coming of the Messiah will only happen if Israel rules
the whole of Palestine. These represent the backbone of Israels Christian
supporters in America, the so-called Christian-Zionists. Jews share this
belief. However, for Jews, it is not the second coming; it is the first arrival
of the Moshiach. After all, the man whom the Jews reportedly crucified 2000
years ago was a false Messiah, so they claim. But, it does not matter whether
it is the 2000 years old crucified Messiah who is coming again or the new
Moshiach who will make his first entrance. The rival adherents are agreed
that someone is coming.
They are also agreed that before he comes, certain arrangements need to be
made to welcome him. For starters, a river of blood must flow in the holy
lands. Thereafter Armageddon must follow. Armageddon is that very bloody red
carpet they will lay for the Prince of Peace, the Lord of justice who will
restore Jerusalem to the Jews and their Christian-Zionist partners.
Having restored Jerusalem, making Israel the centre of world government, with
Jewish law reigning supreme, our world will all come to an end. Just after the
Moshiach puts things right, the end comes? What a pity. But will humanity
live long enough to see this awaited Messiah and Armageddon? Indeed, is it God
or the human beings who need Armageddon to bring the end of times? And who will
determine the end of times, God or human beings? If it is the later, as all
these killing fields testify, then, will God allow a place in His kingdom for
those who took away from Him the initiative? On whose terms and whose timing
will they enter that kingdom?
Equally important, what kind of Messiah or Moshiach would wish to be ushered
in by the blood of children and the old and the innocent? Should he still
decide to come, to claim his worldly kingdom, over whose dead bodies will he
reign? Those massacred in Deir Yasin, Safsaf, Sabbarin, Kafr Kassim and other
villages eradicated 60 years ago, or those massacred in Sabra and Shatilla 20
years ago, or those massacred at Qana in 1996 or in Marwahein, Baalbak, Bekkaa
and Qana in 2006 or those still to be massacred?
If this awaited Messiah is the God fearing one we all know about, then his
bloodied welcoming party will have a lot of explaining to do.
They will have to explain why homes have been bulldozed and millions have
been thrown into the desert for generations. Why infants became adults under
the scorching sun of the wilderness? Why peace was never given a chance, why
olive branches were crushed and doves were killed? Why the innocence of
children was not allowed to blossom? Why the womb of a pregnant woman was torn?
Why water was diverted away from the thirsty? Why walls were raised to split
families? Why thousands were taken away from their children and thrown in jail?
Why hospitals were bombed and others denied medicines.
He will ask them, was it in my name that all these crimes were committed? Is
this how you welcome your Messiah? For which crime have all these people been
punished? Which religion granted you this right? Indeed, the Messiah will want
to know which of their many false Messiahs taught them to commit these
sacrileges.
Demagogues have always used religion as a tool for their geo-political
ambitions. Nothing is more self-serving for Zionism than the belief that the
Messiah will not come unless Israel rules over the whole of Palestine. A belief
Zionists promote in the most powerful country, using Christians themselves and
the super-powers own political agenda for the Middle East. And they care not
how many children they sacrifice on the altar of the Promised Land or the New
Middle East that Condoleezza Rice announced as we buried our dead children. We
see now where their moderation led the Middle East. We can only imagine the
catastrophes that will come to pass while they await their Messiah.
But for now, we must deal with this catastrophe and its aftermath. Like all
catastrophes, this one too has its positive side. It has removed another
blindfold from the eyes of the Arab masses and put one more nail in the coffin
of those who stood by as Lebanese and Palestinians were murdered in cold blood,
their homes systematically destroyed.
Arab leaders, uncaringly living in their opulence, those who silently watched
the massacres and those who supported the enemy, not so silently, will
ultimately have to answer to their people. This war is not about captured
Israeli soldiers. This war is about the removal of resistance to Israels and
American occupation of the Middle East, the Promised Land. It is also about
maintaining the status quo represented by compliant Arab regimes.
The original intention was for Israel first to crush Hamas in Palestine. We
saw how Israel attacked the Palestinians and even arrested cabinet ministers
and parliamentarians in Gaza. Thats the plan, which came out of the conference
in Jordan just days before Israel attacked the Hamas government. Several Arab
regimes are said to have blessed the plan.
According to this plan, following the demolition of the Hamas government,
Israel was to destroy Hezbollah in Lebanon. However, call it divine
intervention, call it smart intelligence gathering, call it what you may,
Hezbollahs capture of Israels soldiers forced Israels hand much earlier than
originally planned. Unfortunately for them, the Arab leaders who with their
silence supported the plan forgot Hezbollahs staying power and Israels
callousness. They did not count on the strength of the Lebanese people and
their loyalty to Hezbollah in the face of the massacres and the destruction. In
the aftermath, compliant Arab leaders will have to face their people who, like
the awaited Messiah, will demand a lot of explanations.
Munir Daair is a Yemeni political writer.
SOURCE:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/opinion/2006/August/opinion_August28.xml§ion=opinion&col=
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom
(i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue
with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone
astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy
Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in
His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites
(men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I
am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if
Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of
camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever
calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who
follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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