To Evangelical Christians
I was once like you.
Yes, it’s true. I grew up in an evangelical Christian family. Granted, this was way back in the 1960’s, when evangelicals weren’t nearly as vocal, or loud, or in-your-face about it; but they believed all the same things you do. Evolution is a lie straight from the pit of hell; homosexuality is an abomination; women’s place is in the home, all of it. We also believed, as you do, that one day, evil would rise up, take over the world, and there would be a prolonged period of misery until Jesus comes riding down from the clouds on his white charger, to do battle with Satan in the final war of good versus evil.
I was raised to believe all of that, but I was also raised to respect other peoples’ decision to believe otherwise (even if I thought it meant they would go to hell).
Eventually, due to logic, I was forced to abandon such juvenile beliefs. I realized that, if I were to believe in any God, that God would at least have to make sense, not contradict himself in his own book, not set down laws for people then command them to violate those laws at his whim. I became, what today is known technically as an Igtheist (define your God in terms that make sense, and I‘ll tell you if I can believe in it) but you can call me atheist, I don’t mind.
But all this bears on what I have to say next, because I want you to understand I have read your book, I know the prophecies (probably better than you do) and I have questions.
We recently learned in couple of news articles that Donald Trump has said he would use “serial numbers” to avoid accidentally deporting anyone who should not be deported. He doesn’t explain in detail how this works, but it has raised alarm among many because it resembles far too closely the actions of Hitler, tattooing the Jews and other “undesirables” before sending them off to the concentration camps (another thing Trump promises to revive).
What bothers me is that nobody making note of this is extending the comparison to where it logically leads… there is a much older, and frankly more frightening reference to numbering people than Nazi Germany.
Yes, I am speaking of “The Anti-Christ”. The “Mark of The Beast” which everyone will be required to receive or they will be punished.
It has been observed over and over again that of all the people in history that have been accused of being this “Anti-Christ”, Donald Trump meets all the requirements far better than anyone (except perhaps the guy Revelations was really written about, Emperor Nero (who infamously fiddled (apocryphally at least) while Rome burned…) and doesn’t that even sound like DJT a bit?)
Yes, Donald checks all the boxes. Exhibits all of the seven deadly sins? Check. Claims to be the savior? Check. Calls himself the Chosen One? Check. Calls himself “King of The Jews”? Check. Has adoring fans who are totally confused into believing all his bogus claims? Check and double check!
And realize this, the only folks who can be fooled into following an “Anti-Christ” are the ones who believe in a “Christ”. Jews won’t believe the AC is the Messiah, they never believed JC was the Messiah! Muslims won’t be fooled either, they believe JC was just a prophet, not the Son of God. Atheists won’t be fooled… they don’t believe in Messiahs at all.
Nope, the only ones who can be fooled, are you guys.
And you’re doing a damned fine job of it, I must say!
So, how does this “Number of The Beast” deportee serial number thing work?
Does everybody get a number? Do we have a card, or will it be tattooed? Or perhaps a micro-chip? (Calling Elmo, calling Doctor Elmo)… and how exactly are they going to ensure the right people get the right serial numbers? If you can make a mistake without serial numbers, you can also make a mistake handing out serial numbers…
The whole thing is ridiculous. I am so over the power of religion. My lived experience is through a rigidly Catholic family and 12 years of stern, rigorous , rule filled Catholic school (also mostly n the 60's and a little 70's). Fortunately I was released to a public college . I was a curious, open, impressionable, smart college kid. It didn't take me long to drop the whole church thing (literally by the end of my first college quarter... by the time I left hs, that religious foundation was crumbling).
I wish human beings could find a way other than religion (or, at least, religion that impacts other people) to ease their anxieties and their need to control things.
it's amusing that maggots worship what, from their own Bible, is the Antichrist.
it's also satisfyingly amusing to me that they Believe in hell, and so, will all go there in the end.
nice.