Since the 1979 Revolution in Iran, the ayatollahs have called America “the Great Satan.” It was Ayatollah Khomeini who first styled the reference. Where did it come from? Why would he chose such a title. Had America treated Iran that badly?

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini

In doing just a cursory review, I have to note that famous symbol used during the American Revolution in 1776: “Don’t Tread on Me.” Many Americans are unaware of this once-famous symbol.

The flag designed by Christopher Gadsden.

They say it can be traced back to Benjamin Franklin, as early as 1751. Franklin satirically would thank England for sending its convicts to America by sending England America’s rattle snakes. In the pre-revolutionary years, the snake did become a symbol of the colonies, and this is somewhat of a great irony. The business of treading on serpents is a symbol dating back much farther than Ben Franklin.

One can find the symbol in Genesis 3:15. After the fall of man, the Lord pronounced this prophecy upon the serpent (later understood quite clearly to be in fact Satan):

And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Of course, Christ standing on the head of a serpent became an emblem of ultimate victory of the church over the world. The Roman Catholic Church has long used the iconographic image where Mary does the serpent crushing, representing the victory of the church over the power of evil.

From a victorian family crypt in
Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris.
Evissa’s Photostream

It is perhaps unfortunate that the serpent was incorporated into the early symbolism of the American colonies. Indeed there are other ‘misfortunes’ in the way of symbolism that occurred in American history. The currency itself ended up enshrining Masonic emblems, as on the back of today’s dollar bill.

Novus Ordo Seclorum, “A new order of the ages.”

Why, it’s contol over the world through control over the currency, or, the economy. What a sinister plot! Why, America is just a giant corporate take-over, and sometimes a hostile take-over.

Whatever Khomeini’s original reasons were for the choice of the term “Satan” to describe America, this is a difficult image to remove.

As a matter of fact, the serpent was very much a part of American Indian religion, in many cases. Comanche people were called “snakes,” or specifically, “snakes that came back.” The sign on our national flag embodies the curvature of the serpent. In sign language, the gesture that designates the Comanche is waving of hand, left to right, horizontally, in imitation of a snake.

I say, whenever we tread on snakes, we tread softly!

In the meantime, Iran is one of America’s largest economic customers, and growing. Europe also sells heavily to Iran. It is really quite hypocritical for Iranian clerics to pretend Iran can isolate itself from the rest of the world, and at the same time be so deeply involved in international commerce.

Moreover, Ahmadinejad will never become Shah of Islam. Iran will never become the leader of the Islamic world. Islam is an Arab religion, language, and culture, not an Iranian. Iran is foolish to “tread” on the Middle East with this ambition of dominating through cowardly terrorism and pestilential acts of violence.

Iran has such wealth, talent, and intelligence, such beauty, such grandeur, Iran should leave off the Islamic bit, and just deal directly with the world. Iran should doff those drab robes, and get down to honest human encounter.

Iranians never disrespect religion, but they don’t want it to control the government any more. A generation has grown up since 1979, and the people are dissatisfied with the effects of Islam. It needs to be put in its proper place, in its proper sphere, not running the government. They want it in the background, or, in the heart.

Let’s crush the head of that serpent, that idea that Iran can rise to glory in the dark robes of tyranny and intolerance. That will never happen. Iran is so beautiful without that iron cowl of Arab religion.

I think the Great Satan is all about dictatorship, about cruelty and brutality against humanity. That is the serpent to be crushed. Wherever that reptile raises its poisonous head, left every heel come down upon it.

Let the people continue to march, then, walking on unjust commands, trampling underfoot the spirit of tyranny.

One day we’ll all dance together. As sung the old 17th century French mystic Christmas carol, “Tomorrow shall be my dancing day!” The old lyrics were symbolic of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, as He joyfully anticipated His own birth into humanity. A profound image, indeed, and one such as needed at this hour. If there is a Satan, there can be only One with the power to crush him.

May the Lord have mercy on us all, and may He find a dancing day in Iran, soon.