Is the Pope The AntiChrist?

Question

Anyone got any theories on this. I have read a lot about this online. The 666 on his head, acting as a God with the ability to absolve sin, etc etc.

Answer 1

Its bull,the pope is Gods number 1 man on earth.
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Answer 2

1 John 4:3 tells us how to identify the spirit of the antichrist, "but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." The current pope, Benedict XVI, acknowledges Jesus as being from God and Jesus as coming in the flesh (see 1 John 4:2). While we disagree with Pope Benedict XVI on numerous areas of Catholic doctrine, his view of the Person of Jesus Christ is very Biblical. Therefore, we do not believe that Pope Benedict XVI is the antichrist. We are not even willing to say that a future pope will be the antichrist. While we believe it is a possibility, the Bible does not give specific enough information for us to be dogmatic. A future pope very well may be the antichrist, or perhaps the antichrist’s false prophet (Revelation 13:11-17). If so, this future pope will be clearly identified by a denial of Jesus as coming in the flesh.

Recommended Resource: A Woman Rides the Beast by Dave Hunt.

Answer 3

+ Antichrist +

Biblical apocalyptic literature predicts the coming of "the" Antichrist, the name given to the one who will be Christ’s chief enemy. This will be just one person.

It is not uncommon for fundamentalist writers or preachers to attach the label to a currently living person. By calling a second (or third or fourth) person "the" Antichrist, they show that they were wrong when they applied the title to the first person.

Every Pope since the time of Martin Luther has been labeled "the" Antichrist by at least one anti-Catholic "Christian," making each one incorrect (so far).

The adjective "anti-Christ" does not refer to the person prophesied in the Bible. It may be applied to an attitude or action judged to be fundamentally opposed to Christ and his message, for example: Hating others is anti-Christ.

Pope Benedict XVI just wrote a wonderful book entitled, "Jesus of Nazareth." http://www.ignatius.com/ViewProduct.aspx?SID=1&Product_ID=3060&AFID=42

From a book review: Through his brilliance as a theologian and his personal conviction as a believer, the Pope shares a rich, compelling, flesh-and-blood portrait of Jesus and invites us to encounter, face-to-face, the central figure of the Christian faith.

How can someone who writes such a book be accused of being either the Antichrist or anti-Christ?

+ The Papal Tiara and the '666' Myth +

One common myth surrounding the papal tiara involves the claim that the words Vicarius Filii Dei exist on the side of one of the tiaras.

The myth centres on the widely made claim that, when numerised (ie, when those letters in the 'title' that have roman numeral value are added together) they produce the number '666', described in the Book of Revelations as the number of the Antichrist.

This claim has been made by some fundamentalist protestant sects who believe that the pope as head of the Roman Catholic Church is the antichrist.

Four definitive sources are sometimes given:
- A protestant woman visiting Rome said she witnessed Pope Gregory XVI wearing a crown with the words on it, in or around 1832;
- Pope Gregory XVI had worn a papal tiara with these words clearly visible on it at a Pontifical High Mass during Easter 1845;
- The 'existence' of a photograph of a papal funeral at the start of the twentieth century (which probably means the funeral of Pope Leo XIII in 1903 but could possibly be Pope Pius X's in 1914) showing the words on a papal tiara.

The tiara (with the words mentioned) is always used to crown popes, but specifically was used in 1939 to crown Eugenio Pacelli as Pope Pius XII.

The claim is demonstrably false.

Whether or not the numerised total of the letters in Vicarius Filii Dei produce the total '666' is irrelevant because no such title actually exists for the papacy or the Holy See.

While the words did feature in the Donation of Constantine (now known to be a forged document) they referred to St. Peter and not subsequent popes.

In 1832, only two tiaras existed; one from the sixteenth century and one, given by Napoleon I to Pope Pius VII in 1804. Neither contain writing.

http://www.ebroadcast.com.au/lookup/encyclopedia/pa/Papal_tiara.html

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 4

There is a lot of compelling evidence that one could believe, such as the "name of blasphemy written on his forehead", but I have a bit of trouble reconciling the Pope to that thought because it would be near IMPOSSIBLE for him to draw in Jews, Muslims, Hindus and etc. into a one-world religion headed up by the leader of the Catholic Church! I believe the Antichrist will be a politically motivated man of great European influence who will become Satanically charged with the power and knowledge to solve all the world's problems, then call for a "banner of unity" to be spread across all faiths, governments and tongues in the name of "equality" thereby reining everyone into the very system that will be used to control the world.

Answer 5

The Pope does not have 666 on his head or on the miter he wears on his head. Jesus gave his disciples the power and authority to forgive and retain sins (John 20: 21-23).

The antichrist will deny the divinity of Jesus Christ. No pope has ever done that.

Answer 6

Yes he is the antichrist that will sit himself up in the temple during the great tribulation to be worship as god, But I will not say the pope they have now is the one, If not, his time is limited, God will set Prophecy into progress. Now we have to also know since he or may I say, the Office of the Pope is the one anti-christ, never think that the spirit of the anti-christ is limited to only the pope, anything that is against God's word, is anti-christ.

Answer 7

You should study the Catholic faith for yourself, and not just from anti-Catholic/Christian web, sights.

They are more sensational, but they do not understand the Catholic faith or what we believe about the Pope.

I suggest that if you are REALLY interested, you take an RCIA class, they start this fall at almost all Catholic Churches.

If you don't want to do that, please get a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it has our beliefs and the reason for them from Scripture. It should help you understand as well.

Good luck!

Answer 8

Anti means opposite. Look at what Jesus taught and just flip it upside-down. That opposite teaching would point to the anti-Christ. An example might be "turn the other cheek." The opposite would be "let's go to war."

Answer 9

Give me a break. This is a ridiculous theory. You obviously know nothing about the Catholic Church that you haven't learned from venomous anti-Catholic websites and Jack Chick tracts.

Answer 10

To me, the pope is just a mere human like all of us...
He cannot save souls but he can be an intercessor, like the rest of us...
There is not one earthly reason anyone has to confess their sins to a priest, pope or whoever. We have a straight hotline to Jesus without the middleman....
No, I dont think hes the antichrist....

Answer 11

The anti christ will tell people there is no God.
Not in that way... but many will turn to him and believe his speaking.
Satan has made millions of people not believe... what makes you think he cant do that in a human forum?
Keep your eyes on Jesus and you will he him.