Antichrist

{{christianity}}
The idea of an '''Antichrist''' — a complete [[RationalWiki|scion of evil]] to do final battle [[Alex Jones|with]] [[David Icke|good]] — is an old one, with roots in ancient beliefs like [[Zoroastrianism]]. But in its modern and [[Christian]] form, it stems mostly from [[medieval]] attempts to reconcile certain sections of the [[Bible|biblical]] [[Book of Revelation]] with what is probably a poor understanding of certain epistles of early Christian leaders.

==Development of the term==
In multiple places in the letters of [[Gospel of John|John]] ({{bible|1 John|2|18}}, {{bible|2 John|1|7}}) and [[Paul of Tarsus|Paul]] — but not in the Book of Revelation — the term "ἀντίχριστος" (''antichristos'') is used.  Literally translated, it means "anti-[[messiah]]" and is used as a label for [[heretic]]s and false messiahs. One verse in the [[New Testament]] even uses the term in the plural:
{{cquote|Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.|||''John 2:18, NIV translation''}}
Antichrists were said to be reflective of the "one antichrist", which seemingly refers to a metaphor for [[evil]] as a whole. In later Christian [[theology]], however, this alluded figure became identified with certain figures in Revelation — most commonly the Beast of the thirteenth chapter of the book — and turned into an object of [[eschatalogical]] fear. The number of the Beast — and, hence, the Antichrist — is [[666]]. The idea of one man representing evil as the Antichrist appears to be a late [[Classical antiquity|classic]]/medieval innovation. The idea was fully developed by the time of the Islamic Conquests, and helped inspire the ''Apocalypse of Pseudo-Methodius''.

==Dictator as Antichrist==
Some believe the Antichrist will be a specific [[dictator]] who will rule the whole world for 7 years, outlawing all religions except [[Personality cult|worship of himself]]; [[Europe]]an nations may help him to power. Jesus will defeat the Antichrist after 7 years in the battle of [[Armageddon]].<ref>http://www.countdown.org/faq/</ref><ref>http://www.countdown.org/armageddon/antichrist.htm</ref> The basic idea of "the most powerful person I hate is really the antichrist" is hardly novel, dating back to the tenth century at least.

===Popularly elected non-dictator as Antichrist===
Some believed that [[Barack Obama|Barack HUSSEIN Obama II]] is the Antichrist before and after he got elected to be President of the United States. Note that the maximum term limit of the US President after the [[United States Constitution#22nd Amendment|22nd amendment of the U.S. Constitution]] is just 
8 years
 a bit more than 7 years. [[conspiracy theory|Coincidence]]? While he may have surpassed seven years now, the [[shoehorning|shoehorn]] can work wonders.

==Popes as Antichrist==
{{main|Anti-Catholicism}}
John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of [[Methodism]], thought the succession of [[Pope]]s from Gregory VII (Bishop of Rome from 1073 to 1085) onwards were undoubtedly the Antichrist — [[were you there?|was he there?]]; popes were all evil, but the very last pope would be the very worst.<ref>[https://www.ccel.org/w/wesley/notes/notes/Revelation.html#Chapter_XVII ''Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament: Notes on the Revelation of Jesus Christ'', Chapter XVII, Verse 11] by John Wesley (1755) via Christian Classics Ethereal Library.</ref> Others are less specific but state that all popes who think like [[John Paul II]] were the Antichrist.<ref>http://www.apuritansmind.com/the-christian-walk/the-pope-is-in-hell-by-dr-c-matthew-mcmahon/</ref> <ref group=note> Obviously, this does not go all the way back to the apostle Peter-after all, it is not Christians in Rome having some sort of leader that offends Protestants, it is this leader asserting dominance over Christendom. As for ''when'' the Papacy "became the Antichrist"...well, that depends on who you talk to.</ref> In medieval Europe, it was commonplace to accuse enemies of being connected with the Antichrist. Popes and [[Antipope|Antipopes]] threw this accusation at each other, as did several pairs of of Popes and Emperors. Several Christian movements declared heretical accused the Papacy, or at least the temporal power it accumulated, of being the Antichrist. This accusation was picked up by the early protestants and has become a central plank of protestant thought.

[[Ian Paisley]] accused Pope John Paul II of being the Antichrist in 1988 during John Paul's address to the European Parliament.<ref>[https://apnews.com/article/4f84c48cbecc98500b3bbc0c17b511c0 Outburst Disrupts Pope’s Speech at European Parliament] by Sydney Rubin (October 11, 1988) ''AP''.</ref> Paisley was then attacked by various MEPs (including Otto Habsburg, former Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary). Paisley's attitude towards [[Pope Benedict XVI]] and [[Pope Francis]] is unknown. In this version, the Antichrist does not rule the whole world, but his rule lasts longer.

==Religious denominations==
Who according to [[Pat Robertson]] is the Antichrist?
{{quotebox|You say you're supposed to be nice to the [[Episcopalian]]s and the [[Presbyterian]]s and the [[Methodist]]s and this, that, and the other thing. Nonsense. I don't have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist.<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0149408/quotes</ref>}}
The answer is a bit vague, but certainly many Christian [[denomination]]s that disagree with him are part of the Antichrist thing.

==Other contenders and helpers==
{{cquote|The act of “naming the Antichrist” has time and again promoted precisely this kind of tribalistic boundary posturing. It has made it possible to love one’s family and religious community while hating all who are associated with the Antichrist. Belief that [[Jews]], [[Catholic]]s, [[socialist]]s, [[humanist]]s, or [[feminist]]s are in league with the Beast has made the most uncivil behavior toward the "social other" a badge of piety and religious devotion. No doubt the perception of disaster, anomie, relative deprivation, or technological backwardness all have contributed to the functional value of apocalyptic belief in distinguishing between ingroup and out-group identity.|||Robert C. Fuller<ref>''Naming the Antichrist: The History of an American Obsession'' by Robert C. Fuller (1995) Oxford University Press. ISBN  0195082443.</ref>{{rp|196}}}}

One of many current contenders for his realm is the [[European Union#The Antichrist|European Union]].

[[Brother Stair|Brother R.G. Stair]] alleged that US President [[Barack Obama]] is the Antichrist,<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgHUZXgNAWo A YouTube video he has played frequently on his feed</ref> though [[Bill Clinton]] and [[George W. Bush]] were accused of being the Antichrist before.<ref>http://www.gotquestions.org/antichrist.html</ref> Amusingly, folks like [[Donald Trump]], [[Vladimir Putin]], and [[Ted Cruz]] seem to better fit the personality and political beliefs that the [[Fundies]] claim the Antichrist will have. Of course, they would never believe this, seeing as the [[religious right]]'s politics are what define the religion and not vice versa, not unlike [[Ayn Rand]]'s disciples.

[[Peter Thiel]] thinks that [[Greta Thunberg]] of all people could be the antichrist.<ref>{{cite | last=Almond | first=Philip | title=Peter Thiel thinks Greta Thunberg could be the Antichrist. What actually is the Antichrist? | publisher=The Conversation | date=2025-10-16 | doi=10.64628/aa.cf5g3nwuu}}</ref>

[[Bob Dutko]] alleges that anything that brings the [[United States]] closer to the [[United Nations|UN]] paves the way for the Antichrist.{{cn}}

==See also==
*''[[Left Behind]]''
*[[List of people accused of being the Antichrist]]
*[[Nostradamus]]
*[[Peter Thiel#Christianity]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Christianity]]
[[Category:Christian mythology]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorist scapegoats]]
[[Category:End of the world]]

Categories: Christianity, Christian mythology, Conspiracy theorist scapegoats, End of the world