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What do you do you think about the predictions that "Nostradamus" made in the 1500's?

May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ abide within you during this time of terrorism and its aftermath.

One of the most characteristic reactions following a terrorism disaster of the magnitude of 9/11/01 is people’s tendency to fall back on certain obscure thinking and say "it was foretold" or "it was predicted" by someone. It then becomes a revival  of all sorts of twenty-year-old or so views and approaches to life, that are vague; yet resemble in nature the current event.

Furthermore, in our society and worldwide, there has been  a great recent increase in interest in astrology, occultism, Satanism, witchcraft, spiritualism  and all kinds of diabolically driven philosophical thinking. None of these beliefs correlate with the Orthodox faith, which we hold so dearly to. Our faith unquestionably teaches us about God and man's nature. None of these Orthodox teachings can be found within any of the above movements.

From an  Orthodox faith perspective, God is the creator and RULER of the universe. This means that He is the RULER of all that is in our universe. If you look carefully at the new and old church domes, you will see "The Pantokrator" carved in, as an expression of this great truth we firmly hold on to. Whenever you read or hear of obscure predictions, think of The Pantokrator in whom we put our faith, hope, and trust not in predictions.

Predictions rely on the wrong thinking that we came in the world  by accident, that the stars position can predict our future, that another can foretell how we should live our life, or that someone else can develop our destiny. This is really sad and our life would be without hope at all if this were the case. What would we strive for?

If we lived our lives in fear of predictions, we would constantly be subjected to the blind and mechanical influences arising all around us. It would be denying the kindness, love and graciousness of the Lord. It would replace God with a concrete, mechanical view of determining the future and specifically our fate.

As Christians, we must not read, share, nor discuss these things. We should reject these ways of thinking as un-Christ-like. They should be labeled and therefore shunned as development of and identification with evil. This is the by-product of one evil act of terrorism with another in its aftermath. Inducing fear in others drives the power of evil. Were you afraid after reading these predictions?

The most famous confrontation of evil was described in the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew when the Lord Jesus Christ (Godliness) was confronted with the forces of darkness.

"Once again the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in their glory. 'All these,' he said, 'I will give you, if you will only fall down and do me homage.' But Jesus said, 'be gone, Satan! ' Scripture says, 'you shall do homage to the Lord your God and worship Him alone." (Matthew 4:8-10)

St. Paul's teachings give us many lessons on wisdom. Instead of refuting, comparing and focusing on the many predictions, which have been presented to me lately, I leave you with this saint's words of great wisdom:

"...discern the will of God, and...Know what is good, acceptable, and perfect" (Romans 12:2).

"Do not stifle inspiration, and do not despise prophetic utterances, but bring them all to the test and then keep what is good in them and avoid the bad of whatever kind" (I Thessalonians 5:19-22).

"Be alert, stand firm in the faith; be valiant and strong. Let all you do be done in love" (I Corinthians 16:13-14).