Nostradamus Spells Doom for New York Governor Candidate

From the Buffalo News:

County Executive Chris Collins has apologized to [New York State] Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver after comparing him to Adolf Hitler and an “Antichrist” during remarks at Saturday evening’s Erie County Republican dinner at the Adam’s Mark Hotel.

In a story first reported by the New York Daily News, the county executive — who is exploring a run for governor next year — referred to French seer Nostradamus’ predictions that the world would experience three Antichrists before the Apocalypse. He then said it’s generally accepted the first was Napoleon, the second Hitler, and was “pretty sure” the third is Silver — an orthodox Jew.

Buffalo blogger Alan Bedenko has some sage advice:

It’s probably a bad idea for any politician to discuss the prophecies of Nostradamus at any political event, if the politician intends to be taken seriously. Even if it’s a joke. It’s an even worse idea to suggest that a contemporary political figure is the third in the trilogy of anti-Christs prophesied by Nostradamus; Napoleon and Hitler widely regarded as the first two. To suggest that an Orthodox Jewish New York State politician is the anti-Christ is a failure of massive proportions.

Bad taste aside, it’s depressing that the idea that Nostradamus mystically predicted any future event remains “generally accepted”, given that Nostradamus has been thoroughly debunked. Century 8 Quatrain1 mentions three towns near Nostradamus’ childhood home: Pau, Nay, and Loron (Oloron) – believers insist this is in fact “Napoleon”, as well as, for good measure, “Apollyon”. Century 2 Quatrain 24 and Century 4 Quatrain 68 both mention the Ister, an old name for part of the river Danube, which the credulous take to be a reference to “Hitler”. It’s all nonsense imposed on the text, like Walid Shoebat seeing the Arabic words “In the name of Allah” encoded in the Book of Revelation or Joel Richardson seeing the rise of Islam predicted in the Book of Daniel.

Meanwhile, some Christian fundamentalists – in particular John Hagee and the late Jerry Falwell – have warned of a coming Jewish Anti-Christ; and in their cases, they were not joking…

Four Protest Groups in London on Saturday 31 October

Come Saturday, there will be at least four groups protesting in central London:

(1) Islam4UK. They write:

On 31st October 2009, at approximately 1 pm, Muslims will be marching in a spectacular procession in support of Shari’ah law.  Never before has such an event taken place in the United Kingdom, as thousands of Muslims plan to take to the heart of the Capital and demand the full implementation of Shari’ah law… This march will begin from the Houses of Parliament, followed by 10 Downing Street and culminate in Trafalgar Square, to let the people of Britain know that Islam and Shari’ah is coming to them very, very, soon….

This is, of course, just the latest in a long line of stunts by the small cadre of fundamentalists grouped around Anjem Choudary.

(2) The English Defence League. According to a video message on Paul Ray’s website (sic for spellings):

London October 31st is a pivotol moment in our modern history and could change the course of history. Sharia law and militant Islam have no place upon English soil. There is a counter protest to Anjem Choudary that starts at 12 in Picadilly Circus. But if you cant make that then descend on Picadilly Circus in protest after the football.

The official EDL website adds:

Whilst British troops have been fighting and dying, your Members of Parliament have submitting inappropriate expense claims for duck islands, porn films and luxurious second homes. Their obscene behaviour had to be leaked to the press before some of them reluctantly repaid the money taken from tax-payers.

They have also bailed-out the fat-cats, the privileged few, in the City with hundreds of billions of pounds of tax-payers money whilst leaving 2.47 million British people to rot unemployed, or on unliveable wages.

In the absence of effective Government the English Defence League has been forced to rise up.

If you share the EDL’s values please attend the peaceful demonstrations at Leeds City Square at 1pm on Saturday 31st October 2009, and also at London Piccadilly Circus at 12pm on the same day.

The EDL had originally declined to endorse the London event, and one would have thought that Paul Ray’s recent alliance with a man who glorifies Northern Irish Loyalist groups would have made the organisation even less inclined to be associated with Ray’s “St George Division”. However, apparently an “EDL London” group has now come onto the scence, making it official.

(3) Muslims4UK. According to their website: