Nostradamus: Greatest prophet or greatest flop?

It’s been a full week since the World Trade Center, the symbol of American economic power, was smashed to smithereens. But the enemy did not win, says one Wall Street analyst, the American way of life goes on and business commences. Yeah, right. But perhaps more than the battered economy, the tragedy lies in the many shattered lives and broken dreams.

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We received this e-mail from Filipino-Canadian Chito Yorro, who works in an insurance company in Ontario, Canada:

Things haven’t yet normalized in the US and partly, Canada. Flights are still very erratic and few. Airports, customs, border crossings bring delays and congestion in the movement of goods and people. The stock exchanges (NSE, TSE and Nasdaq) have not opened and even the scheduled Monday opening is fraught with uncertainty due to damaged communication lines. The whole nation is still in a state of paralysis, shocked perhaps by the realization that things would not be the same as before. Economic losses are expected to be high – e.g. insurance losses from business interruption, commercial liability, property damage and personal losses are estimated at $25B with travel and tourism losses at double that amount. Manufacturing will also suffer financial losses due to slower consumer demand, etc. so much so that the current economic depression might extend beyond the next two-three years. Fear is heightened by the anticipated escalation of violence once America begins striking back.

The flood of e-mails about Nostradamus’ dire predictions is not helping any, that is why most newspapers here are asking people to stop circulating them. They say those predictions were not exactly lifted verbatim from the quatrains but were simply pieced together to suit the present situation. I agree. If I remember correctly, as early as the ’60s, various books and TV talk shows already foretold the coming of World War III either in the late ’80s or mid ’90s, yet life still goes on. There was even one prediction that tried to fit the Y2K scenario to the end of the world.

Prayers, charity towards others, hard work and self-discipline are the most effective roadblocks to these gloomy and dire predictions.

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You may have gotten hold of this supposed Nostradamus prophesy that’s now making the text messaging rounds:

3rd big war will begin when

the big city’s burning and

the final war will begin

when the princess, saint

and spiritual leader will die

Nostradamus’ dreary predictions are too numerous (5,000 or so events) to mention here, but one avid follower says without a doubt on the Internet that "Nostradamus has mostly been wrong. His prophesies petered out after the French Revolution, and the 1999 date (his last dated prophesy) could be a pretense that his prophesies really have a larger scope. Nostradamus often resorted to tricks and numerology, and for good measure might have added his version of an end-of-millennium Armageddon.":

The year 1999, seventh month

From the sky will come a great King of Terror

To bring back to life the great Mongol King,

Before and after Mars to reign by good luck

But, adds our source, "Nostradamus’ luck cannot be denied. 11th "Sept." 2001 the World Trade Center was hit "from the sky" by "a great King of Terror." Osama bin Laden is no Mongol but was born in Saudi Arabia and now resides in Afghanistan, so Nostradamus maybe meant an eastern barbarian in general. A third World War is a faint possibility, but at least an American retaliation is probable and President Bush talks about "a declaration of war." It is quite possible that Nostradamus meant the month of September and not the 7th month July, but it is generally held that he talked about 1999 and not 2001. Nostradamus’ proponents will no doubt explain this, just wait. (Remember, in the Gregorian calendar, 1999 is actually 2000 and the seventh month is actually September of the year 2001)."

* * * Is the world coming to an end?

Your guess is as good as ours. But for sure, church authorities see the heavy turnout of people at Sunday Mass as a very positive sign.

Last Saturday, there was a slight furor when parishioners at a chapel in Parañaque saw blood stains dripping from a white candle that was used during a procession to honor the Virgin Mother whose image sheds tears of blood.

"Through the years, there have been so many predictions about the end of the world," Fr. Joel of Parañaque tells us as we heartily dig into a plateful of pancit luglog at a merienda fete to celebrate the feastday of the Blessed Virgin Mary. "And up to now, we’re still alive."

The good priest recounts the story of one Pinoy in New York City who’s so happy to be alive he donated $100 to Fr. Joel’s parish. The story goes that this guy went home to the Philippines recently to attend the burial of his mother. He was back in New York Sept. 9 and reported for work at the Deutsche Bank at the World Trade Center Monday, Sept. 10. Still reeling from jet lag, he decided not to go to work Tuesday, Sept. 11. Happy to have been spared, he made a nine-day thanksgiving novena and shelled out precious greenbacks to help Fr. Joel’s parish.

Fr. Joel tells the story of another Filipino who "survived" to tell her tale. This Filipina New Yorker was holding office at the World Trade Center. But a few weeks before the Sept. 11 tragedy, her boss transferred her to a smaller office two blocks down the street. It certainly broke her heart and shattered her ego to be moved to a smaller office in a smaller building. Now, she believes she’s really destined for bigger things.

So for those painting dark scenarios of the world coming to an end, better luck next time, guys!