My time is up, says Farrakhan

His vitality seemed at odds with his message, that his time left in the spotlight was short.

“My time is up,” the 73-year-old Farrakhan said, describing his exit from leadership. “I believe … that my time to be with my spiritual father and his sender has come. And your time to go through serious trial has come.”

The topic of the speech was “One Nation Under God.” But Farrakhan said the world is at war because Christians, Muslims and people of other faiths are divided. Farrakhan said Jesus and the Prophet Muhammad would embrace each other with love if they were on the stage behind him.

The leader of 1995’s Million Man March said he is leaving at a time of great conflict, citing the war in Iraq specifically, and he believes God is angry with leaders who put politics and greed above service to others. He predicted “the fall of the great Babylon, the United States of America.” He said President Bush should be impeached or at least censured for his “wicked policies,” and urged young people to avoid joining a military.