Iran's Political Machinery

Here's a great analysis of the political situation in Iran by Pepe Escobar of the Asia Times from December 19. He notes that if Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi - the gray eminence and spiritual leader of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad - is among the 16 clerics representing Tehran in the Council of Experts, the political situation in Iran may be more volatile than we know.

Note this excerpt -

Yazdi and his followers have always stressed they want to implement "real Islam". They view the Rafsanjani camp as a bunch of filthy rich, morally and legally corrupt decadents, totally oblivious to the concerns of "ordinary people", whose self-styled key symbol happens to be Ahmadinejad.

Yazdi is also the spiritual mentor of the Hojjatieh, a sort of ultra-fundamentalist sect whose literal interpretation of Shi'ite tradition holds that chaos in mankind is a necessary precondition for the imminent arrival of the Mahdi - the 12th hidden (since AD 941) Shi'ite imam who will come to save the world from injustice and widespread corruption. Ahmadinejad may not be a Hojjatieh himself, but he understands where they are coming from.

Yazdi's "real Islam" has nothing to do with Western democracy. He wants a kelafat - a caliphate. Ayatollahs like Yazdi are simply not concerned with worldly matters, foreign policy, geopolitical games or Iran's nuclear program; the only thing that matters is work for the arrival of the Mahdi. Yazdi is on record as saying that he could convert all of America to Shi'ism. But some in Tehran accuse him of claiming a direct link to the Mahdi, which in the Shi'ite tradition would qualify him as a false prophet.

Read the whole thing and get to know the political machinery of our enemy a little better.

Yes, We're Too Late

The world is gutless when a nuclear nightmare confronts it. Iran now brags that the world has caved in and their nuclear capabilities are almost complete. Read about it here.

We get what we vote for.

So What if Iran Has Nukes?

Recently, a brother in Christ came across my blog and read of my concerns about Iran and it's pursuit of nukes. He posted a comment that essentially said... "So what?" While both of us acknowledge that God is indeed in control of all things, I answered him to underscore the reasons for my concern. This week my daughter leaves for Germany to serve as a missionary for two years. Her mother and I swallow hard, pray for her safety, and encourage her to live her dreams. Today at church the congregation gave our daughter a going away party and a little more financial assistance. Today's events reminded me of my response to the comments by my brother in Christ. Here is his comment:

I am as concerned with WMD as you are . . . I don't loose sleep over them because God reigns . . . but I am concerned.

For the sake of dialogue let me ask two questions: 1) Suppose Iran refuses to stop the enrichment of uranium. What should we do about it? Should we invade Iran? What course of action should the US, and more importantly should CHRISTIANS pray for??

Second, this one is perhaps a little more touchy. Again I ask this for the sake of dialogue and not argument. Why should the US care if Iran has nukes? On what MORAL basis is it justified (morally) for the US to have thousands of nuclear warheads that could destroy the face of the earth but it is "immoral" for Iran to have any?

I don't want the Iranians to have them. But, as a Christian, I am wondering why the (apparent) double standard in this business.

And that brought me to me response and, I guess, part of the reason why I post my thoughts on this little, mostly unread, blog page.

My blog page is a place for me to vent my opinions about the world at large. It's interesting to occasionally post something (like today) because it helps me to clarify for myself my thinking on world events and my place in it as a child of God. I'm glad you do not lose any sleep over WMD's. I don't either. I sleep like a rock! LOL! In Christ I am secure and I fear no man or weapon. God indeed reigns. I will answer both questions.

1. Suppose Iran refuses to stop the enrichment of uranium. What should we do about it? Should we invade Iran? What course of action should the US, and more importantly should CHRISTIANS pray for??

LOL! That was more like four questions. The decision about Iran's uranium enrichment will hinge on one of two things: Whether or not Israel waits for the United States to act (they may act unilaterally) or we act to preserve the flow of oil and maintain our strategic position in the region. Israel will act primarily out of self-preservation if they believe Iran is close to a deliverable nuke. We will act to stabilize world markets, especially our own. I don't believe we will actually invade unless Iran either demonstrates a nuclear test or prepares to launch an imminent strike against Israel. Christians should be praying that God's will be done in all matters of men and that doors are opened for Christians to be able to go to Iran and preach the gospel.

2. Why should the US care if Iran has nukes? On what MORAL basis is it justified (morally) for the US to have thousands of nuclear warheads that could destroy the face of the earth but it is "immoral" for Iran to have any?

I am convinced that Ahmadinejad means what he says. Given the chance, he would use the first nuke Iran can make to either detonate a demonstration test or launch it on Israel. If he launches a nuke, we will have a world war. He fervently believes the 12th imman is coming soon and that he can help world events unfold for Islam. Ahmadinejad has presented himself as the herald or "prophet" of the Hidden Imam - the ultimate, if absent, ruler and authority for so-called Twelver Shiism - and has gone so far as to claim that he had a vision of the Imam, at the UN of all places. I would prefer our country to have no nuclear weapons. But we do. We have not threatened to use them as Iran has. I am convinced that nukes have not been used since WWII because the United States does have a sense of morality. After all, most of God's people live here. That does not make our country a "holy nation" or anything like that. Only God's people, in Christ, are holy. Not because of anything we have done, but Jesus' blood makes us, His body, a royal priesthood and the bride of Christ. God raised our country up and He will take it back down in His good time.

Lastly, I am concerned about world events because my daughter is leaving for Germany this fall to begin a two to three period work in the mission field. She will be teaching English using the Bible and helping a missionary couple that has been in-country for over 30 years. As a dad, I want her to be safe and as a brother in Christ, I want her to have a chance to help save precious souls.

And all of that is why I care if Iran has nukes.