Reopening of Notre-Dame Marred by Appearance of Antichrist

[MaryP]

Imagining? This is a legitimate news story. Why was this moved?

For this Reformed Christian, Trump is an antichrist. Let me tell you why.

In his speech to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina declared to broad approval, “The devil came to Pennsylvania holding a rifle, but the American lion got back up on his feet.” Scott then roared into the microphone. His remarks formed the backdrop to Donald Trump’s appearance at the convention with his bandaged right ear, the result of the attack on his life in Pennsylvania not long before.

Watching those events on television caused this Reformed Christian to turn to the work known as the Revelation to John, the last book of the Christian Bible. The first ten verses of chapter 13 contain a vision of a grotesque seven-headed beast whose mouth was like that of a lion. To this beast Satan, here called “the dragon,” gave “his power and his throne and great authority.” One of the heads of this beast “seemed to have a mortal wound,” inflicted by a sword. The wound was not actually fatal, but “was healed, and the whole earth followed the beast with amazement” as a result. In fact, people went and “worshiped” both the beast and the dragon. To worship the beast is to worship the Satanic power behind the beast. Are there lessons to be drawn here about Donald Trump and his MAGA movement? I think so.

The beastly figure of Revelation 13 is commonly known in Christian tradition as an antichrist, which is someone who puts himself in Christ’s place, thereby actually becoming Christ’s opponent. For John, the seer who composed Revelation, the beast and its heads symbolized the Roman Empire and its emperors. Revelation was probably written when Domitian was the emperor; he reigned from 81–96 AD. Domitian posed a danger to the faith of Christians because he had pretentions to deity and demanded the appropriate public recognition of his divine status, with dire consequences for those who refused, particularly in Asia Minor where the seven churches addressed by the book (1:11) were located. Many faithful Christians did refuse, and they suffered persecution as a result (6:9).

Figures analogous to Domitian have made their appearance in world history, even if the book of Revelation did not have them specifically in view and even if the correspondence between them and the beast is not exact in many details. The first letter of John refers to “many antichrists” (2:18). What all these figures have in common is that they pose a diabolical temptation for Christians who want to remain faithful to Jesus, the Lord who alone suffered and died for them. In my view, Donald Trump is arguably a contemporary version of such an antichrist (it would do him too much honor to call him the Antichrist). Let me explain.

Some of the points of correspondence between the beast in Revelation 13 and Donald Trump are probably purely coincidental or merely suggestive, such as the nearly fatal head wound that healed. Others are more substantial and worthy of further reflection. According to Revelation 13, for example, “the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words.” It uttered “blasphemies against God.” Haughty and blasphemous words have arguably come from Trump’s mouth and those of his supporters, with claims that he stands in a special relationship with God who protects him from all harm. Trump and his supporters have likened him to the suffering and persecuted Jesus. Trump openly panders to Christian voters with lies (“I love Christians, I am a Christian,” he said at a recent event for conservative Christians in Florida). The former president has promoted and basked in a personality cult, expecting total fealty in word and deed from his followers, inevitably at the expense of the kind of loyalty his Christian supporters owe to Christ alone. This should trouble any Christian with the mind of Christ.

Thank you for explaining.

 

[NolanVoyd]

Indeed: religion bashing libs claim the existence of an antichrist. News at 11.

You realize loads of liberals are religious right?

 

[PoS]

You should familiarize yourself with the First and Second Epistle of John.

Anyone who spreads false doctrine was labelled as an “antichrist” by John.

Children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.

I know popular culture portray the antichrist as a singular entity, that’s not how John defined the term. In John’s definition, Trump is most assuredly an antichrist.

If we go by his definition, so is Joe Biden, the man you voted for,

You realize loads of liberals are religious right?

Not in this forum

 

[NolanVoyd]

Not in this forum

False.

 

[acco40]

PARIS —The much-anticipated reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral on Saturday was ruined by the appearance of the Antichrist, observers said.

Beelzebub, who had traveled from Palm Beach, was heard loudly complaining that he had come “all the way to Notre Dame and there was no football game.”

He later disrupted the ceremony by loudly hawking a shipment of $60 Bibles he had just received from China.

French president Emmanuel Macron apologized to the world for inviting the Archfiend, but added, “At least he didn’t bring Hegseth.”

 

[Manc Skipper]

i don't think it was sulphur they were all smelling!