[Buddha-l] Gog and Magog

[Richard Hayes]

On Monday 17 September 2007 07:45, Joy Vriens wrote:

> "Dans "Allez savoir", Thomas Römer précise: Gog et Magog sont deux
> créatures qui apparaissent dans la Genèse, et surtout dans deux chapitres
> des plus obscurs du "Livre d'Ezéchiel" de l'Ancien Testament. Prophétie
> apocalyptique d'une armée mondiale livrant bataille finale à Israël.

On this, George W. Bush, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Timothy LeHaye are all on the 
same page. This whole thing sounds like a splendid example of what some 
sociologists used to call a self-fulfilling prophecy, that is, one that could 
come true precisely because a critical mass of people believe it.

Although it is now oude hoed (or vieux chapeau as we say in English), Joe 
Bageant's article on how many American evangelicals think is a soberingly 
entertaining read. Bageant recounts why people who work for peace are 
considered threatening to many American evangelicals; if peace broke out, 
then Armageddon would not take place, and Jesus would not come back to send 
all the Jews in Israel to hell. (But Armageddon won't take place until the 
Jews have full control of Israel, which is why evangelicals unconditionally 
support Israel. If you don't support Israel, the Jews won't go to hell, eh? 
With allies like Americans who think like that, who needs enemies?)

Bageant's article is widely available. One link to it is
http://www.counterpunch.org/bageant05252004.html

-- 
Richard Hayes
Department of Philosophy
University of New Mexico