Religious Dogma

#11

i hate to be so cliche and naive-sounding, but I think the antichrist will arise somewhat like he did in the left behind movie...

that's all i have to say. i am pretty sure the antichrist is an actual person, not just some metaphor for sin overtaking virtue (although it is that too).

#12

If I may; I saw a documentary about the book of revelations and the anti christ on NGC.

The mention of how john ( assumed ) who wrote the book of revelations is the same john that wrote the book of john and how the fact that he was far away from soceity and old and couldnt really know what was going on with the world at that stage was writing it as a book of hope. ( This is what the schollars believe)

That the book is less prophecies and more as a book that gives hope that there will be salvation for those who believe in christ.

However the meptaphorical interpreation has always been that in due when there are seven ( not sure of the number ) natural disasters or natural disasters that would hail death and destruction upon the world, then will the anti christ appear and would be of a significant political and bussiness stature and would have the mark of 666 on his neck i think.

And he would take over the world and there would be one last fight after all the believers would be wisked away to heaven between the ones who now believe and the forces of the anti christ. And in that war would the world be destroyed.

It was a really interesting documentary. From memory I think it was called "Mysteries of the Bible " and that particular episode "Secrets of Revelation ".

If you could find it and watch it ... it has a lot of interesting opinions in it.

#13

The anti-Christ is against Christ. Christ is defined as "Love", therefore, the anti-Christ is against Love. People might think that to be against Love is to hate, but Christ said He would that souls would even hate Him rather than be lukewarm. Therefore, the anti-Christ is indifference to Love. Which is far more frightening than hate.

#14

I think the opposite of love is fear. Not fear as in the fear of the Lord, but as in a deep genuine scared type of fear

#15

indifference opposed to love...VERY interesting, I have never looked at it like that...

#16

QUOTE(Lena @ Feb 15 2007, 02:05 AM) The anti-Christ is against Christ. Christ is defined as "Love", therefore, the anti-Christ is against Love. People might think that to be against Love is to hate, but Christ said He would that souls would even hate Him rather than be lukewarm. Therefore, the anti-Christ is indifference to Love. Which is far more frightening than hate.

BTW: Welcome Lena! Where are you in New York? Great exposition on the nature of the notions of Love and Hate.

To me, indifference is a special word indicating a "postion of unconditional accepatance and humility", but I can easily apply the word Apathy to what you say, and heartily agree. Semantics, eh?

Christ (christos) is "the one annointed", as in the one who passes through the final rite of Eleusis and is annointed as being an agent of the divine will of the PanGenitor, or "Creator of All." The Greeks used this word to define the Jewish king, because the notion of him as a god Appointed ruler, to reign as God's agent, by Decree, not by Birth.

Love is "Agape" in Greek. The Anti-christs were those who did not believe the redemption of mankind was necessary, because they refused to acknowledge the nature of sin as being something that could be seperated from the nature of Man. Later the word "Pagani" was used to describe those who believed that man had the right to rule himself, instead of serving God through a divine appointed ruler.

Our notion of Democracy was to some devoid of a "God Appointed Ruler" because we VOTED who should rule, and did not choose them by blood or by cloth (i.e. family or church infuence). To many this was the notion of the Anti-Christ.

By all accounts, Separation of Church and State is something that is particularly warned as being the work of the AntiChrists.

Let Freedom ring,
215

EDIT: (sometimes, my posts in between database runs get a bit terse, and appear less warm or more critical than they are intended.)

#17

That's right...democracy is rule from below, theocracy from above. Democracy states that power is derived from the people, ie: the wino puking in the gutter. The country was founded on separation from the Church, people who say that the US was founded on Christian principles have no proof to back up this claim. In fact, it seems the country is unique in it's founding as a society that professes no allegiance to any god. An experiment. Will it work? Too early to tell.

#18

My understanding of Revelations is that it is apocalyptic literature based on Daniel or similar writings. It was encoded to prevent the Roman jailers from realizing that it was talking about the fall of the Roman Empire. The numerology was code for the Emperor and Rome. It was a message of hope saying that all tyrants pass.

It has remained a message of hope to each generation that suffers under tyranny. The Anti-Christ is whoever is in power and using it to repress the Christians - today it would be China and other such places.

#19

QUOTE(Lena @ Feb 15 2007, 10:03 PM) That's right...democracy is rule from below, theocracy from above. Democracy states that power is derived from the people, ie: the wino puking in the gutter. The country was founded on separation from the Church, people who say that the US was founded on Christian principles have no proof to back up this claim. In fact, it seems the country is unique in it's founding as a society that professes no allegiance to any god. An experiment. Will it work? Too early to tell.

George Washington, the father of our nation said, "It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible" and "The Blessed religion revealed in the word of God will remain an eternal and awful monument to prove that even...

but he also said

Every man, conducting himself as a good citizen, and being accountable to God alone for his religious opinions, ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience.--George Washington to the congregation of Touro Synagogue, Newport, Rhode Island, August 1790.

My point is both sides of the debate are almost DEAD wrong.... there's so little info on the subject matter due to the private lives of these men and the small ways of communicating (no recorders, cameras, computers, paparazzis, reporters) both sides interpret it to their own liking without much evidence either way. All the founding fahters except a few have contradicting statements depenidng on whom they were writing to

Washington is against but beleive there cant be law without God
Jefferson think blacks are inferior but Christ teaching is pure
Adams thinks Deists are better but we must adhere to law of the Creator

See the conundrum???

1. They're politicians - there not going to take a stance on religion (or wish it to be private)
2. Most were Diests but that doesnt mean they didint beleive in Christianity (Jefferson is quoted a saying Jesus teaching were the purest
3. Most were afraid of clergy and state ignoring politicians and fed govt (ie Pope, Cardinals killing, poisoning)

I agree in seperation of Church and State but to say there is no evidence of Founding Fathers wanting no Christian principle IS BS (some wanted principles without endorsement by Govt)

NANCI PELOSI = ANTICHRIST

#20

gmsnctry: Appreciate your post but aside from a snipe at Nanci Pelosi, I'm not sure what it had to do with the topic of the Antichrist? The thread wasn't on separation of church and state or the ideas of the founders AFAIK. Just kind of wondering.