The signs in the Heavens! 33

[resurrected]

“How we Muslims come into picture?”
“These forces succeeded attacking and changing all the religions but Islam gave them some headache. Unlike other religions in this religion they were resisted more fiercely than they had anticipated. People from this faith refused to bow to the evil trends of their times and rejected the falsehood and thus the hatred.”
“I’m proud that we had better character. We’re the best religion” I said arrogantly. He looked amazed before he burst into laughter.
“My Gosh man, aren’t we all fools! From where did you draw the conclusion?” he asked getting serious.
“Do you think I’m talking about ordinary people, who come out on the roads to protest against the blasphemy of one or the other kind? Do you call it a show of character, when these unthinking fools destroy the national property and burn their own vehicles?”
No, he wasn’t talking about the Mullahs without any character either, he didn’t mean the unconscious youth that was entrapped in the web, seeking obscene movies and other stuff that drained them of their spirituality. He had neither meant the people seduced by the modern living nor did he mean the people who were already being sucked of all decency. The only thing that made the difference was that in spite of the fact that the overwhelming majority of the Muslims all over the world had been seduced by the new progressive forces, a spiritually awakened minority had completely rejected the offered liberties and by doing so had gotten closer to their resolve to fight the evil trends of their times. It was that unique happening that had angered and frustrated those so called forces of liberties, which were out and trying their level best to discredit the religion that gave them a substantial resistance. It had gotten clear to them from where they were to find the opposition when their prince of darkness will come to proclaim the world. These forces had bought the services of clergy, politicians, Army commands, Journalists, writers…….. and all possible professionals and yet it was dawning at them that not all in the world was for sale. The men and women trusting in God were to remain steadfast, even in the face of enormous difficulties. Even when the last loaf of bread was taken away from them, even when they felt abandoned by God himself, these were the real fanatics and yet they sought no mischief, no harm for anyone. These were the ones that guarded against evil and refused it an entrance. These faithful existed in all possible conditions and in all parts of the world and he was proud of these.
“What will become of the world if the religions clashed?” I asked.
“The war is already on; by such clashes it will simply widen and become deeper. This coming clash is predicted by many; even the Christian saints and seers have prophesized. Just read the prophesy about popes, according to which the present pope is the second last before the papacy will come to an end.” He didn’t look worried about the scope of new religious wars.
“Imagine another Obama like person coming into Vatican, what will become of Catholic Christianity?”
“What do you mean, do you mean some black Pope or do you mean some wolf in the lamb skin?” I inquired.
“Yeah, I mean some innocent looking warrior, to whom the world will recognize late, it would be extra interesting if the person is even of African origin.”
“Why?”
“Simply because the once oppressed Jews made the lives of Palestinians hell, it would be interesting to see what a person coming from an oppressed continent do to the world,” It was obvious he wasn’t worried about the world and its peace. He was convinced that the final scenes of the drama were to enact soon and he felt ready for the occasion. Even though he didn’t fit into the definition, he certainly was some kind of fanatic, free of all anxiety, all excited about the coming thrill.
“So how do you conclude, which sect of Christianity will we confront?”
“You don’t get it, do you? The Protestants are already at our throats, the Catholics joining them, what would be left of the Christianity that won’t be at war with us?”

[Mirza Ghalib]

So now we're entering the domain of the eschatological which, even if not quite my thing, is fascinating. If Ghana's(?) Peter Turkson (mark the name) does become the first Black Pope and also the last, what frenzied times lie ahead of us.