Lost in all of this is that these people are facing nuclear bombs being dropped on their country if not their heads. Somebody remind me what a peace loving religion Christianity is? > [Original Message] > From: Phil Enns <phil.enns@xxxxxxxxxxx> > To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Date: 5/11/2006 11:13:53 AM > Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Ahmadi-Nejad's Letter to Bush > > Mike Geary wrote: > > "You know this culture far more intimately than I, but I've never been > convinced that they seek our destruction or conversion, only our > desistance in converting them to our model of modernity." > > When I was in Iran, our group had an audience with Ayatollah Mezbah > Yazdi, the spiritual advisor for Ahmadi-Nejad. He told us that he > recognized in the youth of the West a great dissatisfaction with the > lack of spirituality and frustration with the toleration of immorality > and injustice. His message was that the People of the Book, i.e. > Christians, Muslims and Jews, needed to work towards a different kind of > society. The message was clear: the West is corrupt and immoral, and > requires a spiritual revolution that only the People of the Book can > establish. There was absolutely no sense that his concern was one of > having the West leave Iran alone or that it was a matter of two > competing but equal 'models'. He was quite clear that there is only one > 'model' and that the West represents a corruption of it. Again, for > Mezbah, the issue is not a political one, but spiritual, so that the > abomination that Western society and political institutions represent > cannot be tolerated and allowed to continue. I appreciate that for > those of us raised in liberal democratic societies, this way of talking > is quite alien, but understanding the difference is crucial to > appreciating why the conflict between Iran and the US seems so > intractable. The Iranian authorities are not looking for a political > solution while the US administration, for all its talk of God, can only > think in terms of the political. > > > Mike continues: > > "I am not well versed in Iranian history, but I haven't seen any > indications that would suggest they have imperial ambitions, either > politically or religiously -- not since the days of Persia, at least." > > Virtually all the Arab states are terrified of the growing > aggressiveness of the Iranians. The Saudis in particular are desperate > for a strong Iraq that can act as a buffer between them and Iran. Only > Saddam was strong enough to hold in check the Iranians but he is gone > and without a strong replacement. The Saudis are no match for Iran and > so they are quite happy to have US troops on two borders of Iran. > > As for Iranian ambitions, I mentioned Mezbah's comments above and the > same theme comes through in Ahmadi-Nejad's letter: > > > "Will you not accept this invitation? That is, a genuine return to the > teachings of prophets, to monotheism and justice, to preserve human > dignity and obedience to the Almighty and His prophets? > > Mr. President, History tells us that repressive and cruel governments do > not survive. God has entrusted the fate of men to them. The Almighty > has not left the universe and humanity to their own devices. Many things > have happened contrary to the wishes and plans of governments. These > tell us that there is a higher power at work and all events are > determined by Him. Can one deny the signs of change in the world today? > Is the situation of the world today comparable to that of ten years ago? > Changes happen fast and come at a furious pace. The people of the world > are not happy with the status quo and pay little heed to the promises > and comments made by a number of influential world leaders. Many people > around the world feel insecure and oppose the spreading of insecurity > and war and do not approve of and accept dubious policies. > > The people are protesting the increasing gap between the haves and the > have-nots and the rich and poor countries. The people are disgusted > with increasing corruption. The people of many countries are angry > about the attacks on their cultural foundations and the disintegration > of families. They are equally dismayed with the fading of care and > compassion. The people of the world have no faith in international > organizations, because their rights are not advocated by these > organizations. Liberalism and Western style democracy have not been > able to help realize the ideals of humanity. Today these two concepts > have failed. Those with insight can already hear the sounds of the > shattering and fall of the ideology and thoughts of the Liberal > democratic systems. We increasingly see that people around the world > are flocking towards a main focal point -- that is the Almighty God. > Undoubtedly through faith in God and the teachings of the prophets, the > people will conquer their problems. My question for you is: "Do you not > want to join them?" > > Mr. President, Whether we like it or not, the world is gravitating > towards faith in the Almighty and justice and the will of God will > prevail over all things." > > > The message of the letter is not a political solution to poverty, > injustice, and insecurity. The call is for establishing religious > institutions in the place of Liberalism and Western-style democracy. > The Iranians are not fools and they understand that the Bush > administration will reject this but the message will echo for virtually > all Muslims. The audience of this letter is not the Bush administration > nor the UN, but Muslims. In standing up to the US, showing it to be > corrupt and immoral, providing an Islamic solution to the problem, Iran > establishes itself as leading the Ummah, the body of all Muslims. The > ambitions of Iran lie far beyond having nuclear weapons, security within > its borders, or influence in Iraq, but rather gathering together all > Muslims against the structures and institutions of the West. As > Ahmadi-Nejad writes, he understands his actions as part of faith in the > Almighty and instituting the justice and will of God over all things. > What is at stake is justice in the World, not Iran being able to do what > it likes within its borders. > > > Sincerely, > > Phil Enns > Toronto, ON > > p.s. Welcome back, Mike. > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, > digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html