Iran's Apocalyptic Vision: A reminder of religion's role in world affairs

Dallas Morning News | Editorials:

“Rice University religion scholar David Cook states that understanding Islamic apocalyptic thought is ‘absolutely essential’ to understanding modern Islam, particularly its relations with the West, widely seen as the realm of the ‘Dajjal,’ Islam's version of the Antichrist. In the eyes of Muslims obsessed with end-times theology, geopolitical events take on apocalyptic meaning. A sizable minority of American Christians does this, too, of course – but none commands an army, none seeks the annihilation of nations, and none is trying his or her dead-level best to get a nuclear bomb.”

Ed Cognoski responds:

There are differences between Iran and the United States, but both have their share of influential leaders with strong religious beliefs. One could make a case that the United States is led by a born-again Christian, with apocalyptic beliefs of his own, who commands an army and nuclear weapons, and is bent on regime change in nations around the world that he brands as evil.

To his credit, President Bush has diligently played down the religious overtones of the war on terror, insisting that this is not a war on Islam. But then something always happens that triggers a new wave of stories and editorials that focus on religion. This time, it's Iranian President Ahmadinejad's denials of the Holocaust. But at other times, it's because there are Americans themselves who see the war as part of an epic struggle between Christianity and Islam, with the future of Western civilization hanging in the balance.

The DMN is right in insisting that someone in Washington think about Islamic eschatology. Likewise, Washington should be studying Christian eschatology as well. Rational minds don't want the war on terror to rekindle the religious wars that afflicted Middle East and Western civilization for the better part of a millennium. To succeed, we need to keep the religious passions on both sides in check.