Revelations

[Minimalist]

Ah, fuck it. Let's just piss off the jesus freaks!

http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/revelation.htm

Revealing Truth Behind 'Revelation'

Although the apocalypse does not quote directly, within its four hundred or so verses are about five hundred and fifty references to the Old Testament (B. F. Westcott and F. J. A. Hort, Greek New Testament, 184 ff.) Its core – several apocalyptic endings badly stitched together – was later given a Christian preface: a series of seven angry letters, chastising seven errant churches in western Asia Minor. Having berated the churches, Revelation then unleashes a relentless apocalyptic nightmare, badly written, repetitive and self-contradictory. In chapter after chapter, it details bizarre horrors, the supposed fate that imminently will befall the enemies of the Lord. It is the latter which gives the book its enduring popularity – a vision of the gore-fest at the End of Time.

Revelation is the outpouring of a Jew seriously embittered by Roman imperialism. This fevered Jewish mind invokes retribution for his enemies from that old, vicious god of Hebrew scripture, who rips into humanity with poetic abandon. Thus, in a whole series of ‘Ends’, God releases seven ‘vials of his wrath’ (blood, plague, sores, fire, drought, etc.); sets loose four horsemen (at the head of an army of 200 million!) ‘for to slay the third part of men’ (9.15). He has his ‘demonic locusts’ torment unbelievers for five months; etc., etc. Kings, captains, false prophets and ‘the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great’ are eaten by fowls that fly and are cast alive into a lake of ‘fire and brimstone.’