So, I listened to an interview with Jonathan Cahn yesterday, author of The Harbinger - a bestselling novel that predicts the end of US power. I'm familiar with the book; we carry it at my bookstore. It's one of those titles (like The Celestine Prophecy) that's built a surprising following since publication. Full disclosure: I haven't read The Harbinger, but after selling it for three years - and talking to its fans - I've grown familiar with its contents. I feel especially familiar this morning, having listened to a 2013 recording of George Norey's Coast to Coast show with Cahn as his guest.
After the author made the case for his novel, I finally understand why readers are drawn to Harbinger's prophecies. The story parallels Nostradamus quatrains, with ominous predictions set into motion by 9/11. Many of Kahn's "harbingers" are chillingly real, and it was hard not to get goosebumps as he. explained them. Burning towers. Uprooted sycamore trees. A Bible in the wreckage, with its page open to a frightening verse. But even more importantly, I also couldn't help but notice a larger fear within the story: the worldwide fear of change as the Earth continues to evolve into Michio Kaku's "Type One Civilization." Harbingers = our fear of human progress. And as much as I hate to say this, once we start colonizing space (and openly interacting with other worlds), a one-world government is inevitable - and I doubt that Washington will be its seat of power. In my opinion, the Denver airport is far more likely.
After the author made the case for his novel, I finally understand why readers are drawn to Harbinger's prophecies. The story parallels Nostradamus quatrains, with ominous predictions set into motion by 9/11. Many of Kahn's "harbingers" are chillingly real, and it was hard not to get goosebumps as he. explained them. Burning towers. Uprooted sycamore trees. A Bible in the wreckage, with its page open to a frightening verse. But even more importantly, I also couldn't help but notice a larger fear within the story: the worldwide fear of change as the Earth continues to evolve into Michio Kaku's "Type One Civilization." Harbingers = our fear of human progress. And as much as I hate to say this, once we start colonizing space (and openly interacting with other worlds), a one-world government is inevitable - and I doubt that Washington will be its seat of power. In my opinion, the Denver airport is far more likely.
It's easy to get distracted by prophecy when world events spin out of control. Whether it's falling towers in Manhattan or horseback militants waging jihad in the desert, we always find some cryptic ancient writing that seems to have prophesied current events. 9/11 was a certainly big one, with harbingers appearing in almost place one looked. But disasters aren't America-centric. We tend to forget when even bigger events happen overseas, especially once they fade from the news cycle. Russia had Chernobyl, Japan had a tsunami/meltdown combo, and Mexico had Menudo...all terrible things that happened outside the US mainland. Just read the Bible, people. Sam & Dean Winchester aren't the only ones watching for horsemen in Cadillacs. But despite the bickering between Republicans & Democrats, I believe the next big thing that will really unsettle our lives will be something global, rather than regional. And I'm not talking about the State of the Union's global warming mention. I'm thinking it's going to be extraterrestrial, intelligent or otherwise, that makes us finally get our shit together on a planetary scale. Something without a harbinger. Something that scares the hell out of everyone.
Almost every conspiracy theory sites a handful of folks who quietly control governments behind the scenes. Some say it's Masons, others claim big corporations...but all agree these shadow illuminati wield more power than Presidents. (I'm personally in favor of Disney calling the shots, by a man in a Mickey Mouse costume - in a room full of HD monitors within the highest spire of Cinderella's castle.) And you all know the claims: these shadow governments rig elections, start wars, repress technology, and chose when McDonalds brings back the McRib. I mention this because if Kahn's harbingers are correct, a brave new world is just around the corner - with America being only one of the players. Yes, America has led the free world for a century, but other countries are catching up to our technology & infrastructure...and they're demanding a greater voice in global discussions. Again, remember Kaku's Type One prediction. The moment we stop fighting each other and just look UP, everything changes. All those little lights in the sky that make controlled right-hand turns will suddenly make sense. We'll no longer seek change by watching for harbingers. And we'll stop dreading the day when we turn on the morning news - and find our local weatherman reading directly from the Bible.
Almost every conspiracy theory sites a handful of folks who quietly control governments behind the scenes. Some say it's Masons, others claim big corporations...but all agree these shadow illuminati wield more power than Presidents. (I'm personally in favor of Disney calling the shots, by a man in a Mickey Mouse costume - in a room full of HD monitors within the highest spire of Cinderella's castle.) And you all know the claims: these shadow governments rig elections, start wars, repress technology, and chose when McDonalds brings back the McRib. I mention this because if Kahn's harbingers are correct, a brave new world is just around the corner - with America being only one of the players. Yes, America has led the free world for a century, but other countries are catching up to our technology & infrastructure...and they're demanding a greater voice in global discussions. Again, remember Kaku's Type One prediction. The moment we stop fighting each other and just look UP, everything changes. All those little lights in the sky that make controlled right-hand turns will suddenly make sense. We'll no longer seek change by watching for harbingers. And we'll stop dreading the day when we turn on the morning news - and find our local weatherman reading directly from the Bible.
Michio Kaku: Science's Rock Star Show of hands: How many of you grew up watching Star Trek? According to Michio Kaku, the world of The Federation is actually a Type Two Civilization - a society that's literally light years passed where the Earth is now...socially, technologically, and spiritually. Almost all of us have a favorite science fiction show or movie, but we scoff when asked if humanity might ever catch up to these stories. "Well, you know, I guess we might get there some day," we stammer, as though we're ashamed to touch a conversational third rail. Discussing humanity's future is often as uncomfortable as discussing the existence of extraterrestrials - and their possible involvement with humanity's development. But still, we talk about harbingers - and superstitious prophecies that have no basis in scientific thinking. Why is an intelligent conversation about humanity's likely/logical exploration of space avoided, in leu of far-less-likely superstitions - whose premises never involve us leaving the planet? One word: FEAR. Like the family cat who never steps off the porch. (Chuckling.) That's why I often drag my cat into the yard :) It's worth the chest full of claw marks, when she runs back to the front door and begs to be let in.
SIGH. This is going to be one of those blogs with no grand final sentence, or tightly-written parting paragraph. And it's also not my intention to to discount Jonathan Cahn's novel; I understand the case it makes, but I respectfully disagree that harbingers should be feared. If it's any consolation, I also read, enjoy - but frequently disagree with - Joel Rosenberg's books as well.
Anyway, let's bring this in for a landing by remembering my all-time-favorite prophetic sci fi novelist: Here's to you, Mr. Asimov. Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you, woo woo woo...
SIGH. This is going to be one of those blogs with no grand final sentence, or tightly-written parting paragraph. And it's also not my intention to to discount Jonathan Cahn's novel; I understand the case it makes, but I respectfully disagree that harbingers should be feared. If it's any consolation, I also read, enjoy - but frequently disagree with - Joel Rosenberg's books as well.
Anyway, let's bring this in for a landing by remembering my all-time-favorite prophetic sci fi novelist: Here's to you, Mr. Asimov. Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you, woo woo woo...
