The Twelfth Insight - James Redfield [29]
He looked at me a long moment, perhaps aware that he could not win me over without giving me more information.
“I want to trust you,” he said. “This release about spirituality is occurring at a time when the war between religions is our most dangerous problem. And don’t be fooled. That’s what it is, a war between those having primarily one religious view in the West, and those countries, primarily in the East, that have another view. This war may seem quieter on some fronts, but underneath, the tensions are accelerating. We have the best minds working for us, and they’re all convinced we are on a downhill slide toward total destruction.
“The problem is simple. It’s the old issue of the Cycle of Revenge. Every time we kill one of theirs, ten more join the fight. And every time they kill one of ours, there’s a call in high places to do something more drastic to protect ourselves. There is no middle ground here. And the worst is yet to come. The whole conflict is about to go nuclear.”
He stepped toward me. “Do you know the religious affiliation of the President of Iran? He’s a member of a sect called Twelvers. They believe that Armageddon, the war that is prophesied to destroy the world in the last days, is a good thing—because they think when it approaches, their version of a Messiah, who they call their Twelfth Imam, will come out from the clouds, vanquish all their enemies, and then create an ideal world based on their beliefs.
“Just to show you how crazy it is out there, we find similar views among Judeo-Christian fanatics in the West. They also think that Armageddon is desirable, since they believe it will bring forth their Messiah figures to likewise defeat their enemies. Some people in both camps seem to think it is their duty to actually bring about this great war.
“This kind of fanaticism seems to reflect a growing tendency to give up on this world. People everywhere are hanging on to their religious doctrines at all cost, thinking the rest of the world is going insane. And they’re hoping God will intervene to end the misery.”
He looked genuinely worried.
“Don’t you think,” he continued, “that it’s strange how the Iranians are talking, even after everything the Israelis have tried? Iran is much further along in its nuclear capability than anyone thinks. And many of its bases are far underground. That’s why even bombing attacks don’t deter them. Some analysts think they already have nukes now, and they’re just working on the delivery systems.”
He reached over and handed me my pack. “I don’t claim to know what’s in this Document you’re studying. It seems like a bunch of talk to me so far. But we know the reputation of Wilson James. If this Document has a real solution, we want to know about it.”
He gave me a serious look and added, “Otherwise measures are going to be taken by our group that no one is going to like.”
In spite of the threat, I began to think he was being sincere with me.
“Don’t worry about getting in touch with us,” he replied. “We’ll find you. We have people in every department of your government, so we have everything we need to keep up with you.”
He paused and looked at me for a long moment.
“There’s one more thing. This giving up on the world is not just happening in religious circles. It’s happening in the political realm as well. Both Left and Right are quickly polarizing into more dangerous groups, who also think the world is collapsing, and thus they are justified in their extreme action. It is another reason we might have to act. So you want to make sure you align with us in this matter.”
With that, he shook my hand forcefully and told me his name was Colonel Peterson, then reached into a satchel on the ground and pulled out some papers.
“Here’s part of the translated Document we found,” he said, walking away. “The Third and Fourth Integrations. Some of the people we interviewed told us more of it was rumored to be north of here, near a larger mountain.”
For a long time, I just