Why 666?

A significant number of you readers has, by now, heard the Left Behind phrase: "The Rapture" - frequently touted by persecution-despising, suffering-for-the-cross-of-Christ-detesting, cowardly religious loonies, thinking themselves special and on pre-reservation-departure higher status than non-Gentile Jews, pretending that they will not eventually die but presuming that they are going to be whisked up into the sky before big-time natural-disaster troubles on Earth begin.

"Accept Christ now because no man knows the day nor the hour when you can be mercifully caught up in The First Fly-by-Night Alien-Being Abduction and escape all those things that will come to pass like the hour of trial coming on the whole world."

I guess then apparent-naughty-boys James killed with Herod's sword, stoned-to-death Stephen, Christians fed to arena lions, Tyndale and Hus burned at the stake, anti-Hitler Bonhoeffer, and a host of other seemingly-bonafide Christians who unexpectedly dropped over instantly dead from a massive heart attack or stroke, blown up with a car bomb, toppled over with a headshot from a sniper....did not experience Alien-Being Pre-Snatching, and did not quite escape all things and the tempting hour of trial coming on the whole world.

Obviously, the scaredy cats, comfortable and confidently complacent enjoying the idols they've surrounded themselves with, are frightened about the prospect of becoming decapitated, because of espousing Christian beliefs, by ISIS/ISIL-type or radical-islamic nutjob extremists or whoever infiltrating the United States across the Mexican border and from elsewhere, and have deluded themselves into an imaginary pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by illusion that they will be caught up and escape The Great Tribulation, leaving only to-be-converted Jews to suffer during that time, being that it serves all Jews only right for getting the Romans to crucify Jesus.

Scripture, and proper interpretation and application of such, gives no basis whatsoever for that fairy-tale hallucination.

First of all, according to the New-Testament book of Revelation (chapter 13), the tribulation mentioned therein lasts only 42 months - not "seven years." That particular chapter also indicates that "whoever is to be taken captive, to captivity they go, and whoever slays with the sword, with the sword must they be slain."

Obviously then, there will be [both "Jewish" and "Gentile" or blood-descendant-combo] "tribulation saints" -- also spoken of in the next chapter (14) of Revelation and in chapter 20 verse 4 of the same New-Testament book -- strongly inferring that many of them will die when besieged by and within Great Tribulation (some by beheading, according to Revelation 20:4) per:

Revelation 13:10 ....Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

and:

Revelation 14:9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice: "If any one worships the Beast and his Image, and receives a [perhaps-barcoded 666-tattoo] Mark on his forehead or on his hand,
14:10 he [or she] also shall drink the wine of God's wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of His anger, and he/she shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of The Lamb.
14:11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever; and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the Beast and his Image, and whoever receives the Mark of his name."
14:12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

associated with:

Revelation 20:4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom judgment was committed. Also I saw the souls [not resurrected nor raptured bodies] of [only] those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God and [only those] who had not worshiped the Beast or his Image and had not received his [perhaps-barcoded 666-tattoo] Mark on their foreheads or their hands. [Only they] came to life, and reigned with Christ a Thousand Years.
20:5 The remainder of the [righteous] dead did not come to life until the thousand years [Millennium] were ended
. This is The First Resurrection.
20:6 Blessed and holy is he/she who shares in The First Resurrection! Over such The Second Death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with Him a thousand years (i.e. The Millennium).

Logically, those who did not take the 666 Mark of the Beast did so deliberately when they had the opportunity, which opportunity to be 666-Marked both J.S. Bach and Martin Luther did not have opportunity during their lifetimes, so they automatically qualify, but the same might not be said of pre-666-Mark non-marked Karl Marx and Charles Darwin?

I am simultaneously enraged by, but also pity, those self-deluded escapist-immentality goofs who are not preparing themselves [nor others with their apostate-heretic false-prophecy proselytizing] for persecution ahead, and quite possibly they, and the pathetic gullible who believe them, will lose their faith in everything when inevitable reality eventually comes upon them, and they, in their dismayed confusion, find themselves having seamlessly merged and morphed into that Great Tribulation, shocked by personally experiencing the worse-than-Gestapo tyranny of the predicted Beast and The False Prophet.

There cannot be a PRE-Trib Rapture if there is no simultaneous PRE-Trib Resurrection of all dead saints (not to mention resurrected wicked whisked up from their graves or wherever) throughout all time previous to meet yet-living "sheep"-not'"goats" saints in the air....42 months BEFORE Jesus Christ returns at Armageddon.

Will you, will I, be one of those beheaded for witness to Jesus and the Word of God, not having worshipped the Beast nor his Image and not having received his Mark on the forehead or right hand?

Will you and/or I not be bodily resurrected seven years before, or 42 months before, or even when Christ returns at Armageddon....but instead after the Millennium to meet the previously-beheaded-but-thousand-years-previously-resurrected saints in the fiery disintegrating air (spoken of in Second Peter 3:3-13), along with all the resurrected wicked dead, to face The Almighty Judge on His great white throne (Matthew 25:31-46 and Revelation 20:11-15) who will separate the proverbial (righteous) "sheep" from the proverbially (wicked) "goats?"

But, let's get back to the current situation.

As it becomes clearer to die-hard adamantly-pompous sexist feminists, livid homosexuals, superstitiously-anti-creationist mega-millennia-presumptive evolutionists, murderous abortionists, the spitefully immodest decrying prohibitions against warm-weather misdress, Jew-hating antisemites, and other "don't-mention-the-Bible/enough-of-the-Bible-already" deviants.....that genuine and authentic Christians are not going to publicly give up apolgetically explaining and defending their objections vocally and forthrightly using textual verses from their Holy Bible, the evil-minded will themselves become quite aware that their part is to comply with the incessantly-preached 666 Mark prediction mentioned in the last book of the New Testament, and that they are destined to specifically utilize that exact number to express their bonafide and open defiance not only against Bible-quoting Christians but also contrary to the Divine Source who inspired His sacred authors to pen such phenomenal Scriptural prophecy, much of which obviously has already become non-deniably and factually true, with logical expectation for other prophecies of Holy Writ to do the same.

As of this writing (May of 2015), perhaps the most likely candidates to become the infamous Beast and False Prophet mentioned in Revelation's chapter 13 seem none other than:

(1) Iran's President Rouhani (and who can successfully fight against him, his anti-feminist/anti-homosexuality/anti-public-immodesty Sharia law, and his nuclear-centrifuge build-up, allied with antisemites of Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Yemen and Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Libya, ISIL/ISIS, and throughout both Europe and the USA, not to mention those in Russia, Korea/Japan/China/etc. Asia plus India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan), and

(2) Kenyan-not-Hawaiian-born ecumenical-liar-and-tyrant-in-chief Barack Hussein Obama - who even so-called "conservatives" cannot resist patronizing with chiding admiration using the title of "President." It becomes clear that they need someone to worship, being that they are mute about the possibility of Jesus being their theocratic ruler.

Sorry guys, but it seems that you both might be "It" for the time being, and therefore you both could (though not definitively will) have one Hell of a destiny ahead of you.

But something is perhaps confusing to students of prophecy.

Revelation chapter 13 mentions two antichrists: The Beast, and The False Prophet. However, Second Thessalonians chapter 2 apparently alludes to a singular "man of lawlessness" (which sounds like bypass-Congress-and-the-Supremes, allow-illegal-aliens-residence, dictatorial-emperor Obama, in so many ways reminiscent of Hitler and his Heil-Hitler devotees and all they did in Germany compared to what Obama and his Obamanites have already done in America).

Even the Old-Testament prophet Daniel [Daniel chapters 7,8,9, and 11] mentioned what seems to be a singular "little horn" Contemptible Person magnifying himself against and blaspheming God.

Not two antichrists. Indeed, even that "False Prophet" mentioned in Revelation chapter 13 is not mentioned again until chapter 19:20 then only once again in 20:10.

Another perplexity is that Revelation 17:16-17 mentions that "the Beast" and his hour-of-power kings will "hate the harlot" [reminding us of Hitler incarcerating who he deemed homosexuals with pink-triangle prison garb in concentration camps] and "make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, because God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by being of one mind and giving over their royal power to the Beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled."

Yet, Second Thessalonians calls the antichrist "the man of lawlessness."

How can a harlot-hating Beast simultaneously be a man of lawlessness?

Apparent contradiction? Probably only seems so.

As long as real Christians have at least some money to buy and sell with, they can significantly disrupt and stymie organized shenanigans of homosexual anti-Christian activist groups.

As of now, if Christians operating all sorts of businesses want to exclusively (i.e. only) target homoeffeminate and homosodomite [homosexuals] - or those claiming to have same-gender licensed-union sexual partners - by effectively posting in obvious and large-lettered plain public view a disclaimer like:

THIS CHRISTIAN BUSINESS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO BIBLICALLY DISCRIMINATE AS TO PERFORMING OR DENYING SERVICE TO ANYONE AT ANY TIME FOR ANY REASON

then Christians-despising-and-hating homosexuals will be expected to post a similar-but-oppositely-worded disclaimer concerning restricted public access to their particular businesses.

All that would be avoided right from the start if potential customers knew that homopervert business owners would only service those sporting [an embedded/implanted barcode-like] 666-Mark-of-the-Beast tattoo on their foreheads or right hands....while ignoring and disregarding those without that Mark, or even warning them to not trespass on the premises so as to not beckon the police with a 911 cellphone call.

More about that later on.

I don't think that the alternative-to-normal-money quarantined-to-mysterious-cyberspace-only "bitcoin" thing is going to become widely used by patriotically-nationalistic users, unless it goes international as replacement (not merely optional alternative) monies to already-existing currencies of whatever countries are involved (be they America or foreign countries).

Not only that, but direct deposit (as for Social Security checks) though tolerated by recipients (which conveyance conveniently prevents snail-mail disruptions of timely delivery of SS monies desperately needed for monthly residual-expense payments)....is generally not the case with privacy-trampling direct withdrawals of monies from people's bank accounts - for fear of ID-theft hackers suddenly and surprisingly siphoning off bank-account amounts by alteration and deletion of electronically-stored data without hard-copy backup, with even the possibility of excessive non-authorized withdrawal due to some disgruntled deranged nutjob deciding to wreak computer-related revenge against his or her employer.

Thus, physical tokens such as actual paper bills, metal coins, gold in whatever forms, will continue to be preferred - all of which is understandably regarded as being more securely guardable, protectable, and monitored as to remembered apportionment.

Even gold bullion or gold coinage is generally not accepted nor convenient as payment for goods and services at most commercial entities - be they grocery or clothing or hardware stores, gasoline service stations, and government centers accepting utility payments. And the value of gold at the present time is still measured by how many paper bills of whatever denominations such can be converted to.

If homoperverts want Christians restricted, stifled, and silenced (and they do), it will most likely not be through nor by means of conflicting federal and other judges taking sides back and forth on the free-speech Non-Establishment versus Non-Prohibition Religion clauses of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Moreover, public-service free association works both ways. The Constitution does not force Christians to overly associate with anti-Christian feminists, homosexuals, evolutionists, immodest, antisemites, etc. nor are the latter group of wicked aberrants forced to associate with true Christians...except only to the extent of both voluntarily consigning themselves to limited and temporary quasi-association with each other under all-agreed-upon rules-of-engagement-and-warfare laws, statutes, and regulations (such as when everyone of whatever mindset and intention drives orderly on highways under the watchful scrutiny of copious squad-car referees).

But discrimination for and against both good and evil persons can readily and effectively be done by placing and observing a publicly-visible Mark on the wicked, but not on the righteous.

If a majority of citizens agree (whether actively or passively) that the best way to implement their anti-Christian crusade is to enact and install the aforementioned Mark scheme regulating practically all transactional commerce, that would of course automatically marginalize and severely suppress dissentive Christians.

In the past, and previously, participation by Americans in the Social Security and Income Tax system was supposedly "voluntary," but became more or less required because more and more tax-registered businesses came into being, giving out only taxable income checks to their employees using the W-4 forms most of us are familiar with. That taxation-related situation was especially true pertaining to FDIC-insured banks, which liquor-runner and tax-evader Al Capone ruefully discovered.

The downside of Income Tax is of course that it has the lamentable effect of being somewhat of an employment preventer against those who do not want the IRS to take their hard-earned money for wasteful and Scripturally-forbidden taxpayer-funded projects, especially in view of the IRS-mismanagement likes of Lois Lerner types being such partisan-driven missionary-thwarting censors. The upside, from the government's point of view, is that the financial-expeditures-monitoring IRS becomes aware of who gets what for whatever purposes supposedly related to national security and non-admittedly related to political power manipulation.

Most of us remember problems in the past of paying by checks at businesses requiring presentation of Driver's Licenses at checkout counters, and eventually most businesses decided to refuse payment by checks - accepting only serial-numbered Federal-Reserve-Note fiat-paper-cash bills, non-serial-numbered coins, and/or credit/debit cards.

Many complications would be alleviated or avoided by customers having their barcoded-or-whatever tattoo Mark scanned at the checkout counters, and even payments by serial-number paper-bills cash, related to ID info engrained within each person's Mark, could be correlated and recorded by not only the business as to who can afford what, what was purchased, when such was purchased, who purchased it - but also diverted and channeled into a central computer, replacing the annual Form 1040 bookkeeping so tedious and invasive to many.

One crucial factor necessary for sundry wicked to corporately cooperate with that cannot-buy-or-sell-without-the-Mark scheme will be their fervent and passionate allegiance and loyalty to the Antichrist incepting and maintaining the Mark system as THE incarnate representative of Satan who obviously supports all things anti-Christian (e.g. feminist sexism, homosexuality, warm-weather immodesty, anti-creation-science evolution mythology, anti-Jew/anti-Israel antisemitism, etc.).

By then, Department-of-Commerce-equivalent businesses registered under the Devil's control and auspices will not allow transactions, public or even private, against citizens not having the Mark on them. Again, it probably will be illegal to attempt any commercial transaction with any government-registered business of whatever type if the Mark is not shown and scanned for identity clearance and IRS-monitoring purposes.

Under those strict conditions, it is assumed that secretive and covert private barter transactions among bonafide Christians will continue without the Mark involved, even though such might technically be officially considered "illegal."

Hence, the ominous Divine warnings concerning Mark participation stated in Revelation verses 9 through 12 of chapter 14:

Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and wow, the Lamb stood on Mount Zion. And with Him were a hundred and forty-four. thousands, having His Father's name written in their foreheads.
14:2 And I heard a voice from Heaven, like the voice of many waters and like the voice of a great thunder. And I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps.
14:3 And they sang as it were a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousands who were redeemed from Earth.
14:4 These are those who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among humans, as firstfruit to God and to the Lamb.
14:5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they were without blemish before the throne of God.
14:6 And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those residing on Earth, even to every nation and family and language and tribe,
14:7 saying with a great voice: "Fear God and give glory to Him! For the hour of His judgment has come. And worship Him who made the heaven and Earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
14:8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying: "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, because of the wine of the anger of her fornication she made all nations drink."
14:9 And a third angel followed them, saying with a great voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark in their forehead or in their hand,
14:10 they also will drink of the wine of the anger of God, having been mixed undiluted in the cup of His wrath. And they will be tormented by fire and brimstone before the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.
14:11 The smoke of their torment goes up forever. And they have no rest day or night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.
14:12 Here is the patience of the saints. Here are the ones who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
14:13 And I heard a voice from Heaven saying to me: "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' 'Yes,' says the Spirit, 'they shall rest from their labors, and their works follow them.'"