http://onlinecatholics.com.au/issue22/newsprofile.php?code=t8m9k94htr
The Sorcerer's Realm
1: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein
by Sophie Masson
Tyrants create their own twisted reality, and force their people to
live, as it were, inside the dictator's skull, and inside his own
private drama, endlessly re-enacting it. So complete can this process
be that it gives an occult impression: that of a spell cast over an
entire country by a master sorcerer. When the tyrant is overthrown or
dies, it is as if an entire population is liberated from the spell -
there is much relief, but also much surprise, and shame - at being
held in thrall for so long.
Of course, this image is the stock-in-trade of a great many fairy and
folk tales, legends and in our time, fantasy fiction. It is
stock-in-trade because it has a psychological resonance which cannot
be denied. But it's more than just metaphor. Astonishingly, many
tyrants have used 'real' magical powers and psychic tools not only to
control their people, but to gauge and manipulate their own destinies.
Tyrants aren't the only ones with an interest in parapsychology and
magic applied to government policy of course; democratic governments
have also run projects investigating the possibilities of using
psychics in intelligence work, for instance. But tyrants have been
particularly keen on the whole idea of using the sorcerer's talents,
as well as the secret policeman's, the torturer's and the informer's.
Tyrants are instinctive manipulators but not necessarily analytical,
and often give the impression of not understanding their own rise to,
and hold on power. So they place a great deal of stress on the notion
of 'Providence', which has ordained their destiny and protects them,
but which must also be placated.
The pre-eminent modern example of the sorcerer's realm is Saddam
Hussein's Iraq. Many people are no doubt familiar with the details of
the repressive state apparatus and vicious practices by which the
dictator of Iraq and his cronies kept their hold over Iraq. But few
are aware of the fact that Hussein, his family and his circle not only
believed in magic but used it in many ways, both to promote
superstitious fear in Iraqis, and to also try and 'second-guess' their
opponents and protect their own destinies.
Magic has a strange place in Muslim countries. Its practice, but
certainly not its existence, is denied by fundamentalist Muslims. As
it's mentioned several times in the Koran as being a very real force,
it cannot be discounted, but is rather discouraged (and indeed, in
some places suspected magicians are in danger of death). Despite this,
many ordinary Muslims frequent magicians, faith-healers,
fortune-tellers and other practitioners of magical arts. There is,
like anywhere else, a great distinction made between good and bad
magic, and most magic is carried out using the intervention of either
angels or jinn (genies) - the latter being seen as much less reliable
than angels, being habitual liars and mischief-makers. Nevertheless,
jinn (who can usefully be compared to both fairies and demons in
Western imagery - some are good, some bad, some merely highly
unpredictable) are considered to be easier to use by ordinary
magicians. The belief in such magic cuts across all social classes:
though it's more common amongst the less well educated, even educated
people often hedge their bets.
Saddam Hussein has always believed in magic. His mother, Sabha, was a
peasant woman who sometimes worked as a fortune-teller. Saddam himself
was supposed to have inherited some of his mother's psychic gifts, and
was reputed to have had modest success in 'studying the sands' and
summoning jinn to do his bidding. It was believed by many people in
Iraq that he had seven jinn to protect him, and that he spoke daily
with the king and queen of the jinn, who advised him. He ordered
Baghdad University to set up a department of parapsychology, to
investigate methods to use in the Iran-Iraq war, and later to
'mind-read' UN inspectors searching for WMDs in Iraq.
He also personally patronised magicians of all kinds, and had a
rotating circle of favourite magicians-including not only Iraqis, but
a French Arab, a Turk, a Chinese, a Japanese and an Indian magician,
and - wait for it - a beautiful Jewish witch from Morocco! His
personal magician, interviewed by a reporter from the Washington Post
in Baghdad in 2003, before Saddam's capture, that most of his work for
the Hussein family involved 'mostly issues of love, faithfulness and
sexual prowess.'
Saddam's son Uday - who was also a firm believer in magic - scouted
very actively for magicians and other psychics to come and work for
the Hussein family, and indeed advertised on his own TV station for
such practitioners to come forward. It wasn't a comfortable post to be
in, by all accounts; if Uday or other family members took exception to
a prediction or a spell, you might well be imprisoned or even
executed. (The magician interviewed by the Washington Post was even
imprisoned for six months because Saddam suspected his own wife, no
doubt angry with his womanising, had paid the magician to cast a spell
to hurt the dictator's leg.)
One or more of these sorcerers, it was said, had made Saddam a special
talisman, a magic stone which he wore either around his neck, or had
had implanted under the skin of his arm, depending on who you listened
to. This stone made him invulnerable, and meant he could not be
killed. The fact that the dictator survived several assassination
attempts (including one by Mossad, which is regarded in almost
supernatural terms by many people in the Middle East), countless
plots, the Iran-Iraq war, the first Gulf War, and even the second Gulf
War, could only add fuel to the image of Saddam the Sorcerer,
arch-manipulator and master of all kinds of forces, historical and
parapsychological, whose destiny was protected by dark and dangerous
forces, and best not meddled with. Many believers in Saddam's magic
powers were profoundly shocked by the TV images of the Master of
Magicians being pulled, haggard and dirty, from his hiding place last
year. But others believe he is still protected. Saddam's own
delusional demeanour at his pre-trial hearing recently suggests the
old fox still thinks he is the darling of Providence.
Coda:
As well as being surrounded by images of traditional magic, Saddam
Hussein has also been the focus of stories of the 'UFO' variety. These
stories appear to have more credence in fringe Western UFOlogist
circles than in Iraq, where the more traditional occult images have
more resonance. However they also have a following in Iraq as well,
and other parts of the Middle East. These stories suggest that as well
as housing magicians in his palaces, Saddam had some extraterrestrial
guests as well - aliens rescued from a crashed UFO that had landed in
the desert. These aliens had taught Saddam and his scientists some
amazing bio-technology, including the capacity to bioengineer a race
of giant scorpions that Saddam employed as watchdogs outside weapons
facilities, and as killing machines. As well, it was claimed in some
conspiracy circles that the Iraq war was 'really' about the fact that
Saddam, because of his magic powers and his contacts with
extraterrestrials, had access to 'stargates' to the so-called 'Planet
X', or 'Nibiru', a planet reputedly beyond Pluto which is supposed to
be the home of the 'Elohim', otherwise known as angels.
Sophie Masson's latest novel is Snow, Fire, Sword (Random House
Australia). She is writing a novel at the moment, The Tyrant's Nephew
which is based on some of this material.
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| User: "Woodswun" |
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| Title: Re: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein |
03 Jun 2005 04:52:00 PM |
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wrote:
http://onlinecatholics.com.au/issue22/newsprofile.php?code=t8m9k94htr
The Sorcerer's Realm
1: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein
by Sophie Masson
Tyrants create their own twisted reality, and force their people to
live, as it were, inside the dictator's skull, and inside his own
private drama, endlessly re-enacting it. So complete can this process
be that it gives an occult impression: that of a spell cast over an
entire country by a master sorcerer. When the tyrant is overthrown or
dies, it is as if an entire population is liberated from the spell -
there is much relief, but also much surprise, and shame - at being
held in thrall for so long.
Oh, like the Bushie Cult!
Woods
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein |
04 Jun 2005 10:45:42 AM |
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Woods wrote:
tonyz2001@aol.com wrote:
http://onlinecatholics.com.au/issue22/newsprofile.php?code=t8m9k94htr
The Sorcerer's Realm
1: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein
by Sophie Masson
Tyrants create their own twisted reality, and force their people to
live, as it were, inside the dictator's skull, and inside his own
private drama, endlessly re-enacting it. So complete can this process
be that it gives an occult impression: that of a spell cast over an
entire country by a master sorcerer. When the tyrant is overthrown or
dies, it is as if an entire population is liberated from the spell -
there is much relief, but also much surprise, and shame - at being
held in thrall for so long.
Oh, like the Bushie Cult!
Woods
More proof of just how much you hate your nations President.
Tony
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| User: "Perseid" |
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| Title: Re: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein |
04 Jun 2005 11:55:39 PM |
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Spat the Words
Woods wrote:
wrote:
http://onlinecatholics.com.au/issue22/newsprofile.php?code=t8m9k94htr
The Sorcerer's Realm
1: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein
by Sophie Masson
Tyrants create their own twisted reality, and force their people to
live, as it were, inside the dictator's skull, and inside his own
private drama, endlessly re-enacting it. So complete can this process
be that it gives an occult impression: that of a spell cast over an
entire country by a master sorcerer. When the tyrant is overthrown or
dies, it is as if an entire population is liberated from the spell -
there is much relief, but also much surprise, and shame - at being
held in thrall for so long.
Oh, like the Bushie Cult!
Woods
More proof of just how much you hate your nations President.
You think we hate Bush ? Youuuu'rrree Right ! Hey, he got one
right ! Damn tony, you are just barrels of fun.
Tony
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| User: "Woodswun" |
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| Title: Re: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein |
05 Jun 2005 06:33:26 AM |
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Perseid wrote:
tonyz2001@aol.com Spat the Words
Woods wrote:
tonyz2001@aol.com wrote:
http://onlinecatholics.com.au/issue22/newsprofile.php?code=t8m9k94htr
The Sorcerer's Realm
1: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein
by Sophie Masson
Tyrants create their own twisted reality, and force their people to
live, as it were, inside the dictator's skull, and inside his own
private drama, endlessly re-enacting it. So complete can this process
be that it gives an occult impression: that of a spell cast over an
entire country by a master sorcerer. When the tyrant is overthrown or
dies, it is as if an entire population is liberated from the spell -
there is much relief, but also much surprise, and shame - at being
held in thrall for so long.
Oh, like the Bushie Cult!
Woods
More proof of just how much you hate your nations President.
You think we hate Bush ? Youuuu'rrree Right ! Hey, he got one
right ! Damn tony, you are just barrels of fun.
Nah, I don't think he's got this right. Can you honestly say that you
spend any time thinking about Bush when someone else doesn't bring him
up? Hate is a very strong emotion and on the wheel of emotions is very
similar to love, in that it takes up just as much time, effort and
energy, it's just that it's all negative. Frankly, Bush isn't worth all
that time, effort, or emotional investment.
But, he is worth making fun of! ;-)
Woods
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein |
05 Jun 2005 08:58:14 AM |
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Woods wrote:
Perseid wrote:
tonyz2001@aol.com Spat the Words
Woods wrote:
tonyz2001@aol.com wrote:
http://onlinecatholics.com.au/issue22/newsprofile.php?code=t8m9k94htr
The Sorcerer's Realm
1: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein
by Sophie Masson
Tyrants create their own twisted reality, and force their people to
live, as it were, inside the dictator's skull, and inside his own
private drama, endlessly re-enacting it. So complete can this process
be that it gives an occult impression: that of a spell cast over an
entire country by a master sorcerer. When the tyrant is overthrown or
dies, it is as if an entire population is liberated from the spell -
there is much relief, but also much surprise, and shame - at being
held in thrall for so long.
Oh, like the Bushie Cult!
Woods
More proof of just how much you hate your nations President.
You think we hate Bush ? Youuuu'rrree Right ! Hey, he got one
right ! Damn tony, you are just barrels of fun.
Nah, I don't think he's got this right. Can you honestly say that you
spend any time thinking about Bush when someone else doesn't bring him
up?
Woods
No wonder Woods likes Hillary, they're both born liars.
Can you imagine with all the news reports on Iraq, terrorism, the
ecomony etc that anyone with abrain could not be thinking about
how the President is handling things?
Woods would have us believe that she nevers thinks of the President,
yet her posts show her to be quite a liar as she takes shots at him
several times each day.
Tony
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| User: "Perseid" |
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| Title: Re: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein |
05 Jun 2005 12:01:47 PM |
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Spat the Words
Woods wrote:
Perseid wrote:
Spat the Words
Woods wrote:
wrote:
http://onlinecatholics.com.au/issue22/newsprofile.php?code=t8m9k94htr
The Sorcerer's Realm
1: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein
by Sophie Masson
Tyrants create their own twisted reality, and force their people to
live, as it were, inside the dictator's skull, and inside his own
private drama, endlessly re-enacting it. So complete can this process
be that it gives an occult impression: that of a spell cast over an
entire country by a master sorcerer. When the tyrant is overthrown or
dies, it is as if an entire population is liberated from the spell -
there is much relief, but also much surprise, and shame - at being
held in thrall for so long.
Oh, like the Bushie Cult!
Woods
More proof of just how much you hate your nations President.
You think we hate Bush ? Youuuu'rrree Right ! Hey, he got one
right ! Damn tony, you are just barrels of fun.
Nah, I don't think he's got this right. Can you honestly say that you
spend any time thinking about Bush when someone else doesn't bring him
up?
Woods
No wonder Woods likes Hillary, they're both born liars.
No, she's right (as always it seems). We're fortunate to have
her around to set us straight.
Can you imagine with all the news reports on Iraq, terrorism, the
ecomony etc that anyone with abrain could not be thinking about
how the President is handling things?
When I think about him, I know he's doing a ***** poor job.
Woods would have us believe that she nevers thinks of the President,
When she thinks about him, she knows he's doing a ***** poor job.
yet her posts show her to be quite a liar as she takes shots at him
several times each day.
Tony
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| User: "Woodswun" |
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| Title: Re: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein |
05 Jun 2005 10:05:18 AM |
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wrote:
Woods wrote:
Perseid wrote:
Spat the Words
Woods wrote:
wrote:
http://onlinecatholics.com.au/issue22/newsprofile.php?code=t8m9k94htr
The Sorcerer's Realm
1: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein
by Sophie Masson
Tyrants create their own twisted reality, and force their people to
live, as it were, inside the dictator's skull, and inside his own
private drama, endlessly re-enacting it. So complete can this process
be that it gives an occult impression: that of a spell cast over an
entire country by a master sorcerer. When the tyrant is overthrown or
dies, it is as if an entire population is liberated from the spell -
there is much relief, but also much surprise, and shame - at being
held in thrall for so long.
Oh, like the Bushie Cult!
Woods
More proof of just how much you hate your nations President.
You think we hate Bush ? Youuuu'rrree Right ! Hey, he got one
right ! Damn tony, you are just barrels of fun.
Nah, I don't think he's got this right. Can you honestly say that you
spend any time thinking about Bush when someone else doesn't bring him
up?
Woods
No wonder Woods likes Hillary, they're both born liars.
Can you imagine with all the news reports on Iraq, terrorism, the
ecomony etc that anyone with abrain could not be thinking about
how the President is handling things?
Wouldn't that be when someone else is bringing it up?
Woods would have us believe that she nevers thinks of the President,
yet her posts show her to be quite a liar as she takes shots at him
several times each day.
Maybe you obsess about stuff you post about all day long, but I'm pretty
sure everyone else here never thinks of Bush unless they're talking to a
Bushie or it comes up on the news.
Woods
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein |
05 Jun 2005 08:54:46 AM |
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Some Pathetic Moron wrote:
tonyz2001@aol.com Spat the Words
Woods wrote:
tonyz2001@aol.com wrote:
http://onlinecatholics.com.au/issue22/newsprofile.php?code=t8m9k94htr
The Sorcerer's Realm
1: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein
by Sophie Masson
Tyrants create their own twisted reality, and force their people to
live, as it were, inside the dictator's skull, and inside his own
private drama, endlessly re-enacting it. So complete can this process
be that it gives an occult impression: that of a spell cast over an
entire country by a master sorcerer. When the tyrant is overthrown or
dies, it is as if an entire population is liberated from the spell -
there is much relief, but also much surprise, and shame - at being
held in thrall for so long.
Oh, like the Bushie Cult!
Woods
More proof of just how much you hate your nations President.
You think we hate Bush ?
Think? I know you do, I also know thst you hate the USA, Israel and
Christians.
Tony
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| User: "Marvin The Paranoid Android" |
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| Title: Re: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein |
03 Jun 2005 06:25:35 PM |
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Woodswun wrote:
tonyz2001@aol.com wrote:
http://onlinecatholics.com.au/issue22/newsprofile.php?code=t8m9k94htr
The Sorcerer's Realm
1: The Magic Stone of Saddam Hussein
by Sophie Masson
Tyrants create their own twisted reality, and force their people to
live, as it were, inside the dictator's skull, and inside his own
private drama, endlessly re-enacting it. So complete can this process
be that it gives an occult impression: that of a spell cast over an
entire country by a master sorcerer. When the tyrant is overthrown or
dies, it is as if an entire population is liberated from the spell -
there is much relief, but also much surprise, and shame - at being
held in thrall for so long.
Oh, like the Bushie Cult!
Woods
Yeah ... Bushie's 'Magic Stone' was cocaine.
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