On Prophecy...

Acrylic-bob · 28-04-2005, 08:30

Now that election ennui has set in I thought it might be interesting to keep up to date with another recent election.

Some of you may recall my mentioning the prophecies of St. Malachy in conjunction with the the election of the new Pope - is he to be the last, the next to last or what?

I have, quite by accident, come across this quite amazing article. The first part establishes the writer's credentials by accurately predicting the name that the new Pope would choose, Benedict XVI. This in November 2004! He gets the skin colour wrong, but hey, we are all human and none of us is perfect.

The surprising bits are left to the middle and the end, for those of you thinking of buying a mediterranean holiday home, perhaps you might like to think again after reading this...

http://www.catholicplanet.com/articles/article41.htm

WillowTheWhisp · 28-04-2005, 10:45

I don't much like the sound of that. Do you reckon Morecambe will be safe?

This idea of WWIII and WWIV don't seem too far fetched, but the dates?

Bazf · 28-04-2005, 12:31

Is this the same guy who thought Sherlock Holmes was a block of flats?

pendy · 28-04-2005, 12:56

Definitely don't like the sound of that - perhaps it's as well I don't believe all I read!

JohnW · 28-04-2005, 13:18

Ah, isn't organised religion just too wonderful for words. It causes such peace in the world. What on earth would we ever do without it. It's so good to know that God has all these fantastic things in store for us. Do you think he's having a good laugh up there or what? Is this world of ours just one big chess board? I wonder who his oponent is, could it be the Devil? Who will win the chess game? Predictions anyone? It sounds like it may be an updated version of chess with three 'teams' instead of two. Clever stuff eh? Maybe they got the idea from Star Trek and it's that multi-level chess that Spock used to play against Jim. Maybe Spock is up there, fighting his own corner.

vorlon24 · 28-04-2005, 16:38

It makes interesting reading, but I don't believe everything I read...!

ossyclogger · 29-04-2005, 16:24

Absolute Twaddle

Billcat · 29-04-2005, 21:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by ossyclogger

Absolute Twaddle

I could not agree more. Make enough predictions and one of them is bound to be correct. Anyone who believes that the Arabs would have any chance of conquering Europe has been smoking that old wacky tabacky!

WillowTheWhisp · 29-04-2005, 21:49

I'm not so sure it's all that far fetched. There is more danger when you think there is no danger at all..

I'm not saying I go along with the prophecies and believe this guy has a super power or anything, just that I don't think the idea of Arab domination is all that extreme.

Billcat · 29-04-2005, 22:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

I'm not so sure it's all that far fetched. There is more danger when you think there is no danger at all..

I'm not saying I go along with the prophecies and believe this guy has a super power or anything, just that I don't think the idea of Arab domination is all that extreme.

The Arab countries do not get along among themselves. They never have. Unless that very important fact changes radically, they are simply not a credible invasion threat. Compared with Europe, they have a much smaller population and not much in the way of arms-making capability. While they could continue to pose a terrorist threat, that's a far cry from invading and conquering. Also, because the economies of the Arab countries are not well diversidied and remain heavily dependent on oil profts, it would not be overly difficult to bring their economies to a complete standstill. Most of their military forces are no better than second-rate, especially when compared with the trainig and weaponry that the UK military has at its disposal.

While it always pays to keep one eye on the neighbors, I would not give any serious credence that that silly prediction.

Gobsmacked · 29-04-2005, 22:12

And hurricanes never touch England.

West Ender · 29-04-2005, 22:24

I once read a book on the literal translations of Nostradamus. The "prophecies" were so obscure you could make what you wanted of them. Unfortunately many people did.

I find it strange that Iraq suddenly becomes a focal point of the predictions. The Nostradamus book I read, published in the 50s, concentrated on Germany and the Nazi regime. It seems like a good ploy to latch on to the prevalent "bogey man" - especially if you want to sell books.

WillowTheWhisp · 29-04-2005, 22:28

I've read some of Nostradamus and it could be about anything at all. At least the guy in A-b's post is specific.

Acrylic-bob · 30-04-2005, 06:59

So it’s all a harmless bit of nonsense, “twaddle” as Ossyclogger says. A bit of something to fill the space between the real stories.

But take a closer look at what the chap is actually saying.

Firstly he accurately predicts the name Ratzinger chose. In itself this is remarkable, I myself would have thought that in this age of the politically correct no one would have dared to choose anything other than John Paul III. Then he goes on to predict that the new pontificate will be a short one. Ok, Vatican tradition is to follow long papacies with short ones. But not always. Ratzinger is 78 and he himself estimates that he has five to seven years left to him. Which takes us to around 2010-2012.

Then he predicts a small war among the Arab Nations in 2009, well within the term Ratzinger estimates for his papacy. This is followed by a papal suggestion of creating three “booths” or places of worship in Jerusalem. Possibly as an attempt to pour oil on troubled waters. The idea fails to find support and a larger war is declared on America and the West in 2010, still within the term of the new papacy.

But this is surely a ridiculous idea. How can anyone believe that the relatively backward Arab nations could hope to prosecute a war against the technologically sophisticated west?

Read this…http://worldnetdaily.com/news/articl...TICLE_ID=43963

And this…http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iran-05n.html

And think again.

garinda · 30-04-2005, 10:01

Like A-b said it's usual for a long Papacy to be followed by a short one. The name John Paul was never really on the cards as it's to near the memory to the much loved late Pope.

Re: the prediction of the name [but wrong colour.] It was hardly a new choice, as it's been used fifteen times before. lt's not like he predicted the name Harold or something.

Like others have said most predictions can be interpreted many ways, especially with hindsight. You can find anything you want to fit your arguments really, a bit like the Bible.