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In another life I was a practicing Catholic and if you haven't, the book of Revelation is an actually interesting sci-fi post-apocolyptic fan fic, especially th

In another life I was a practicing Catholic and if you haven't, the book of Revelation is an actually interesting sci-fi post-apocolyptic fan fic, especially the dramatized renditions like the Left Behind book series (movies are terrible). Revelation describes the anti-christ in a similar fashion. Is the Pope implying Lucifer has returned? I wonder if the Vatican even takes Revelation as true dogma in practice too, since it is somewhat off-the-wall.

bdcravens 4y ago
Not really religious these days, but I concur about the Left Behind books. Fascinating interpretation of the end times story, placing it firmly in today's world. I still remember how it described dealing with "boiling seas" plague, how the main character captured condensation from the AC unit to survive. In all the "sci-fi" I've read through the years, there aren't many stories that stick with me like that did.
marginalia_nu 4y ago
Seems unlikely. The notion of rapture as commonly concieved of is in conflict with the amilennial doctrine of the catholic church. Any pope would be very well aware that dispensationalism/premillennialism is a mostly modern American idea. [1] [1] https://web.archive.org/web/20060513181209/http://www.catholic.com/library/rapture.asp https://web.archive.org/web/20060513181209/http://www.cathol...
krapp 4y ago
> Revelation describes the anti-christ in a similar fashion. Is the Pope implying Lucifer has returned? The article clearly explains what the Pope is talking about and no, that isn't it.
- halfmatthalfcat 4y ago
  He's quoted saying "...because we are beset by the ‘elegant demon,’ who does not make a loud entrance, but comes with flowers in his hand". Sure you could take this as metaphorical but it's also, almost verbatim, the opening act of Satan's return to Earth. Idk it's more interesting rhetoric and at the end of the day, arguing semantics than anything, speaking as a non-believer.

bdcravens 4y ago

Not really religious these days, but I concur about the Left Behind books. Fascinating interpretation of the end times story, placing it firmly in today's world. I still remember how it described dealing with "boiling seas" plague, how the main character captured condensation from the AC unit to survive. In all the "sci-fi" I've read through the years, there aren't many stories that stick with me like that did.

marginalia_nu 4y ago

Seems unlikely. The notion of rapture as commonly concieved of is in conflict with the amilennial doctrine of the catholic church. Any pope would be very well aware that dispensationalism/premillennialism is a mostly modern American idea. [1] [1] https://web.archive.org/web/20060513181209/http://www.catholic.com/library/rapture.asp https://web.archive.org/web/20060513181209/http://www.cathol...

krapp 4y ago

> Revelation describes the anti-christ in a similar fashion. Is the Pope implying Lucifer has returned? The article clearly explains what the Pope is talking about and no, that isn't it.

halfmatthalfcat 4y ago
He's quoted saying "...because we are beset by the ‘elegant demon,’ who does not make a loud entrance, but comes with flowers in his hand". Sure you could take this as metaphorical but it's also, almost verbatim, the opening act of Satan's return to Earth. Idk it's more interesting rhetoric and at the end of the day, arguing semantics than anything, speaking as a non-believer.