Is Iran's god or Messiah the Devil or the Anti-Christ spoken of in this article?

What I want to know that I have not heard discussed about their particular religion that deserves a closer eye is this...

Twelfth Imam Could Appear This Spring, Says Iran

Iranian TV series explains signs of the "last days," suggests apocalyptic war against Jews and Christians could come in 2007.

By Joel C. Rosenberg

posted 1/2/07

The New Year may not be so happy if Iranian leaders have their way.

The Islamic Messiah known as the "Twelfth Imam" or the "Mahdi" may come to earth in 2007 and could be revealed to the world as early as the Spring Equinox, reports an official Iranian government news website. The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) website says the world is now in its "last days." It claims that the Mahdi will first appear in Mecca, and then Medina. He will conquer all of Arabia, Syria, Iraq, destroy Israel, and then set up a "global government" based in Iraq, interestingly enough, not Iran. Such Islamic eschatology (end times theology) is driving the Iranian regime and helps explain why Iran has no interest in helping the U.S. and E.U. create peace in Iraq or the region, much less in ending its bid for nuclear weapons, the Iraq Study Group Report notwithstanding.

Anticipation of the imminent arrival or "illumination" of the Islamic Messiah has been steadily intensifying inside Iran since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad emerged as president of the country in June of 2005. A television series on IRIB called The World Towards Illumination has been running since last November to help answer the many questions Iranians have about the end of the world as we know it. The series explains the signs of the last days and what to expect when the Islamic Messiah arrives. The program also says that Jesus is coming back to earth soon as a Shiite Muslim leader, and it denounces "born again Christians" for supporting "the illegal Zionist state of Israel." An Israeli news site was the first to pick up the story and its significance to Israeli national security, noting that the Mahdi will soon "form an army to defeat Islam's enemies in a series of apocalyptic battles" and "will overcome his archvillain in Jerusalem."

Some intelligence analysts are growing concerned by Ahmadinejad's announced plans "to hold the big celebration of Iran's full nuclearization in the current year." Iran's calendar year ends on March 20, which is the usual date of the Spring Equinox. Is Ahmadinejad signaling that Iran will have nuclear weapons by then? Is he suggesting that an apocalyptic war to annihilate Jews and Christians in Israel and the U.S. could come in 2007, perhaps as early as this spring or summer? It is not yet clear, though Ahmadinejad today vowed to "humiliate" the U.S., and continues to vow that Israel will "vanish" soon.

The Iranian TV series is important in that it offers some intriguing clues as to how Iranian Shiites believe their prophecies will play out. "After [the Twelfth Imam's] uprising from Mecca all of Arabia will be submit to him and then other parts of the world as he marches upon Iraq and establishes his seat of global government in the city of Kufa. Then the Imam will send 10 thousand of his forces to the east and west to uproot the oppressors. At this time God will facilitate things for him, and lands will come under his control one after the other. … He will appear as a handsome young man, clad in neat clothes and exuding the fragrance of paradise. His face will glow with love and kindness for the human beings. … He has a radiant forehead, black piercing eyes and a broad chest. He very much resembles his ancestor Prophet Mohammad. Heavenly light and justice accompany him. He will overcome enemies and oppressors with the help of God, and as per the promise of the Almighty the Mahdi will eradicate all corruption and injustice from the face of the earth and establish the global government of peace, justice and equity."

The TV series notes that "in our discussion of the world in the last days of the earth we had said in our previous editions of this programme that no source has pointed to the exact date when the Savior will appear and only God knows about the exact timing of the reappearance of Imam Mahdi. … There are various versions of the exact day of his reappearance. Some say it would be Friday and the date will be Ashura or the 10th of Moharram, the heart-rending martyrdom anniversary of his illustrious ancestor, Imam Husain. Others say the date will be the 25th of the month of Zil-Qa'dah and may coincide with the Spring Equinox or Nowrooz as the Iranians call. A saying attributed to the Prophet's 6th infallible heir, Imam Ja'far Sadeq (PBUH) says the Mahdi will appear on the Spring Equinox and God will make him defeat Dajjal the Impostor or the anti-Christ as the Christians say, who will be hanged near the dump of Kufa."

Before the Islamic Messiah appears to the world, IRIB reports, "a pious person …a venerable God-fearing individual from Iran" meets with the Mahdi. This individual will pledge allegiance to the Mahdi as he "fights oppression and corruption and enters Iraq to lift the siege of Kufa and holy Najaf and to defeat the forces of [islam's enemies] in Iraq." It is not clear whether the program is referring to President Ahmadinejad or someone to come.

Shiite Islamic scholars also say Jesus is coming back to Earth soon. He will not, however, come as the Son of God or even as a leader but will serve as a deputy to the Mahdi to destroy the infidels, such scholars say. "We read in the book Tazkarat ol-Olia, 'the Mahdi will come with Jesus son of Mary accompanying him,'" the series explains. "This indicates that these two great men are complement each other. Imam Mahdi will be the leader while Prophet Jesus will act as his lieutenant in the struggle against oppression and establishment of justice in the world."

"The apocalypse is a deep belief among humans regarding the end of the world," notes the Iranian documentary. "[O]ne of the characteristics of the West in the current era is obsession with the end of time. Experts say discussions about the savior and the 'end of time,' have not been so prevalent before as they are now in the West. … They believe the Messiah [is Jesus and that He] will reappear and will establish his global rule with its center in [Jerusalem], with the help of born-again Christians. This sect's religious leaders in the 1990s strongly propagated their beliefs in the U.S. and European societies. In the past two years, dozens of books have been published in this field. … These extremist Christians believe that certain events must be carried out by the Protestants in the world so as to prepare the grounds for the Messiah's reappearance. The followers of this school believe they have a religious duty to accelerate these events, for example planting the illegal Zionist state of Israel for the Jews of the world, in Palestine."

Too many Western analysts are missing the central importance of Shiite eschatology in Iranian foreign policy. They mistakenly believe that Iran's current leadership can be somehow cajoled into making peace with the West. Nothing could be further from the truth. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his cadre of loyal mullahs are not being driven by the same goals and aspirations as are the diplomats in Washington, Brussels, or at the United Nations. The President of Iran and his team fervently believe the Islamic Messiah is coming back soon, possibly as soon as this Spring. They are convinced that their divine mission is to create the conditions for the Mahdi's return. As a result, they are committed to instigating more anti-American violence in Iraq, not less. They are determined to obtain nuclear weapons at all costs, not negotiate away their atomic research and development program. What's more, they are deeply committed to building political and military alliances with anti-Western powers, not finding accommodation with the West.

Bottom line: the leaders of Iran are preparing for an apocalyptic war with the U.S. and Israel. It's not a question of "if" but "when." The sooner the White House and our new Congressional leaders realize this and take decisive action to stop this nuclear nightmare, the better.

The way my new year has been,I would not be suprised....!Lost my job,Both my dogs died and my house was damaged do to the icestorm...ALL in 3 weeks starting on Jan 15... :doh:

Sounds like a country song,but it's true!

REPENT! the judgement day is upon us.

There comes a time in each generation where that generation says it has gone to hell in a handbasket. I think there is also a time that each generation thinks it is the most important and that the world revolves around them and therefore if important events are to unfold that it must happen in their lifetime. That being said, there's some very scary rhetoric and actions happening and building now and some people who seem insane enough to change the world in a very negative way. I think that the end of the world is not nigh and this is just a form of romanticism or the kind of finding symptoms to fit the prophesy that a med student does when he discovers he has every disease known to man. Much of this rhetoric was going on and many of these attrocities were going on in Iran and elsewhere for at least thirty years. I think we'll be okay. At least I hope so.

Didn't Jesus say that no one will know when He is coming? It seems that if He's going to come again before the world ends, and we can't know when He's coming, then we can't possibly know when the world is supposed to end.

Didn't Jesus say that no one will know when He is coming? It seems that if He's going to come again before the world ends, and we can't know when He's coming, then we can't possibly know when the world is supposed to end.

He said we would not know the actual day, but we would know the season... and he told us what the days(times) would be like.

As for the first question....

The Mahdi debate is pretty intresting. Could he be the "antichrist"? Possibly, but I don't think he is "THE Antichrist" or Devil.

What is scary is that Irans president thinks he is called to usher in the Mahdi. And the Mahdi only comes when there is complete chaos. So the president wants to create that chaos.... see nukes! So when the Mahdi comes he will bring peace and justice to the Muslims. In that respect it seems very antichrist like. Because in Revelations the antichrist will bring peace at the 3 1/2 year mark of the "great" tribulation.

I wish we still assassinated people

He said we would not know the actual day, but we would know the season... and he told us what the days(times) would be like.

As for the first question....

The Mahdi debate is pretty intresting. Could he be the "antichrist"? Possibly, but I don't think he is "THE Antichrist" or Devil.

What is scary is that Irans president thinks he is called to usher in the Mahdi. And the Mahdi only comes when there is complete chaos. So the president wants to create that chaos.... see nukes! So when the Mahdi comes he will bring peace and justice to the Muslims. In that respect it seems very antichrist like. Because in Revelations the antichrist will bring peace at the 3 1/2 year mark of the "great" tribulation.

What's even scarier is that our president and other leaders believe in their own version of the END TIMES and are trying to bring it about with whatever means are available to them.

What's even scarier is that our president and other leaders believe in their own version of the END TIMES and are trying to bring it about with whatever means are available to them.

Religion...the opiate of the masses.

What's even scarier is that our president and other leaders believe in their own version of the END TIMES and are trying to bring it about with whatever means are available to them.

how's that? I haven't seen this said or quoted? link please.

thanks

The way my new year has been,I would not be suprised....!Lost my job,Both my dogs died and my house was damaged do to the icestorm...ALL in 3 weeks starting on Jan 15... :doh:

Sounds like a country song,but it's true!

1. fix your house

2. get a new job

3. get a new dog

4. stop posting crap like this

how's that? I haven't seen this said or quoted? link please.

thanks

Some have said (not me mind you) that Isreal is proof of that.

how's that? I haven't seen this said or quoted? link please.

thanks

You're a prophet--you should already know the answer.

Religion has done much good in this world, but it has brought more war and bloodshed than anything else. I tend to think that the world would be a much better place if religion was never created. Maybe not, who knows.

It sure does make the news a lot more interesting though.

Religion has done much good in this world, but it has brought more war and bloodshed than anything else. I tend to think that the world would be a much better place if religion was created. Maybe not, who knows.

It sure does make the news a lot more interesting though.

Que John Lennon............

"Imagine there's no heaven"

"It's easy if you try"

1. fix your house

2. get a new job

3. get a new dog

4. stop posting crap like this

1)fix your house=working on that one...

2)get a new job=done...

3)get a new dog=done...

4)stop posting crap like this=If I had a nickel for everytime someone posted something that related to problems they have or solutions they need,I would be a rich man...

And I was only making an observation on what my new year has been like,not complaining about it!

1)fix your house=working on that one...

2)get a new job=done...

3)get a new dog=done...

4)stop posting crap like this=If I had a nickel for everytime someone posted something that related to problems they have or solutions they need,I would be a rich man...

And I was only making an observation on what my new year has been like,not complaining about it!

The "crap" I was referring to was the apocalyptic pseudo-religious "crap". I'm sympathetic to the fact that your year has gotten off to a tough start.

Didn't Jesus say that no one will know when He is coming? It seems that if He's going to come again before the world ends, and we can't know when He's coming, then we can't possibly know when the world is supposed to end.

very true...and plus, some pieces of islam and christianity are linked..its been documented that some muslims beleive that jesus was prophet 2 and mohammed was prophet 3.(i beleive abraham was 1st) but anyway...thats sorta off topic seeing that iran is primarily shi'ite/extremist..who knows..

You're a prophet--you should already know the answer.

Yep, I know your full of crap.