How Could Iran Become King of the South?

PCG has long taught that Iran, which is mainly Shiite Muslim, will be the king of the South.

Recently I was looking at this group of photos from Radio Free Europe. The first photo shows an Iranian woman protesting outside the embassy of Saudi Arabia. Seeing this made me dwell on the PCG's leadership complete ignorance of the politics of the that area.

This teaching completely ignores the fact that most Muslim majority states, practically all of which are dominated by members of the other sect, Sunni Islam, are in fact extremely suspicious of Iran. They fear that Iran could destablize their Shiite populations. Iran's doctrine that the Shiite leaders should rule over the government greatly distresses other Muslim countries.

Another thing that needs to be considered is that Iran, unlike most other Islamic majority countries, is Shiite.

There are two main branches of Islam, Sunni and Shiite. They arose from a disagreement over who should succeed Muhammad after he died in 632. Some felt that Muhammad's closest relative, his counsin and son in law, Ali, should take over, but another man took the leadership. Those who supported Ali gradually became Shiites, while those who did not became the Sunni. Over the centuries they became more and more distinct.

For a long time Iran was mainly Sunni but several hundred years ago the Shiites came to become the majority in Iran.

Now most of the Sunni states are highly suspicious of Iran.

When I was an Armstrongite I found the thought that Iran would become the King of the South impossible to accept.

Recent events have made this thought even more harder to accept.

Recently, as part of the Arab Awakening gripping much of the Arab world, the Shiites of Bahrain, who are actually the majority population of the country, have been protesting against the predominently Sunni government.

In response Bahrain invited forces from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to enter the country and effectively suppress the protests. This move has quite naturally deeply offfended many Shiites from Iran and Iraq.

With this recent grievance now coming between Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, how can they be united together as a great force which is to challenge the European Empire as proclaimed in PCG's prophetic scenario?

Of course it must be said that PCG members are taught that the false forecaster of 1975 Herbert Armstrong and Gerald Flurry are men sent by God. It does not matter to them that events at present make it seem unlikely that Iran will assume command of the Islamic World. Because they believe that HWA and Flurry are sent by God they assume that future events will correct what we now see. Furthermore PCG supply writings in the Key of David broadcast, the Trumpet magazine, and in weekly sermons where this prophetic scenario is constantly taught to them and they are taught to view things in this incorrect manner.

(Also knowing that you can be disfellowshiped and shunned by PCG members if you leave or are kicked out also make it very difficult to express dissent.)

So even though one were to explain these things to a PCG member it would not surprise me if they would still continue to believe PCG's propaganda.