Not many were picking up on this, but it came through loud and clear to me. Nothing else that he said is of any consequence, but he has “invited” the world to islam. Also, he invoked the 12th imam at the end.
Think I will take my chances with Jesus.
The invitation is required, before they slit your throat. This is a declaration of intent.
BUAIDH NO BAS, is mine.
What if 13 imams show up?
Bad luck?
Or (horrors) what if NONE ever do appear?
Does the koran cover that possibility?
And what if the Christians and Jews just kick moslem butt?
:)
Leprous little lemurs should be careful of what they wish for..
His first words were, ( in the audio translation ) “Oh God hasten the arrival of the Imam Al Mahdi and grant him good health and victory, and make us his followers and those who attest to his rightfulness.” An incomplete thought as it stands, the fault of the translation I suppose. I also assume it’s some sort of formula, but its significance is absolutely serious. It means that everything he says is subsidiary to this millenarian vision.
The main body of his remarks to the assembly were on Science and Scholarship as the “greatest gift of God” - a seemingly innocuous sentiment, and not worthy of any sort of press notice, but in these remarks he makes clear, if you listen, that these pursuits are to be constrained by religious authority, which means the ayatollahs. Of course, he is very far from making any concession to ecumenicalism.
I don’t think he is being devious or misleading in any of this. His invocation makes his platform unmistakable, and we shouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t hit the audience over the head with an admonition to convert. He is presuming the result, and so much the worse for you if you fail to submit.
I picked that up as well as did more people than you likely think. Listening to the translator I noticed how he danced around making sure to mention “the Prophets”, etc. He specifically placed Mohammad last. He was definitely trying to put people at ease, but I doubt he fooled many people. Enlighten me if you would. The 12th Imam?