Click here (religionnewsblog.com) to learn about an ancient Greek manuscript that calls into question the infamous 'number of the Beast' in the Book of Revelation (13:18)... Should this matter for the apocalyptically inclined?
9 comments:
Anonymous
said...
In the long run I do not think that this will have much impact as this information will not be known by everyone and 666 has been known as The Number of The Beast for so long that it has already been embedded into society. This may matter to those who pay attention to the apocalypse but to the general population, no.
I don't think so. I think the number could change a dozen times and those who are intent on making it mean something will make it mean something. Indeed, I think the most hardcore people would be less inclined to let go of the 666 symbolism because of how much they've invested in it already.
Its great they discovered this earlier text, to the apocalyptically inclined it may matter some. I think the number 666 has already been popularized by our culture enough that it wont have much of a change. Although I feel some people might take take this information differently (i.e extremely religious people or dooms day prep'ers). The fact that we have the resources and technology to even find this out is amazing by its self.
I think it is great that someone found this text. I agree with what everyone else is saying. The number 666 is completely inbedded in our history so I do not think that is going to change.
I don't think that the number 666 will lose any of its infamy anytime in the foreseeable future. Even with millions of people accessing the internet everyday, I doubt that this article will find its way to a very large audience. Even if it did, like others have said, 666 is so embedded into our culture that it will probably always have a following, making this new information somewhat void. -Erica
As everyone above has said and as Elijah Dann said in the text, the fact that a "new" number exisits is unlikely to alter the use of 666. Perhaps those whose beliefs are deeply rooted in the idea of 666 should consider changing their thoughts. But the likelyhood of that happening is slim. In fact, it's be interesting even to find out how many people even know about this discovery. I know that for me, reading this article is the first time I've even heard of the number being any different than 666. And the article was published in 2005! The beleif is alreadly too deeply rooted in 666 for peole to change their minds.
I agree with what everyone is saying that 666 is culturally significant to us as the number of the anti-christ. I wonder however about the viability of the 616 number for this.
the number 13 has a great significance in our culture as well. It stands for bad luck, is associated with Judas ascarriot, and is the total if you add 616. This could be a coincidence or the professor who uncovered this could have stumbled onto the most significant find in modern history. Time will tell which of these is true.
I highly doubt that this new information revealing the original ‘number of the beast’ to be 616 rather than 666 will be very significant for the apocalyptically inclined. No matter what the number is, those who are invested in an end of days scenario connected to ‘the number of the beast’ will likely find ways to justify their beliefs. As the article states, in “something as cryptic and mystic as the Book of Revelation there’s an almost unlimited number of interpretations.” If does have an effect, it will likely just give the apocalyptically inclined more ways to find hidden meanings in things and clues to the end of days; I highly doubt it would cause them to retract any previously held views on the number 666. The number 666 has been associated with the unholy for so long and there are so many previous interpretations of it that it will likely continue to have an influence well into the future.
9 comments:
In the long run I do not think that this will have much impact as this information will not be known by everyone and 666 has been known as The Number of The Beast for so long that it has already been embedded into society. This may matter to those who pay attention to the apocalypse but to the general population, no.
Tazheem Rubio
I don't think so. I think the number could change a dozen times and those who are intent on making it mean something will make it mean something. Indeed, I think the most hardcore people would be less inclined to let go of the 666 symbolism because of how much they've invested in it already.
Megan Allen
Its great they discovered this earlier text, to the apocalyptically inclined it may matter some. I think the number 666 has already been popularized by our culture enough that it wont have much of a change. Although I feel some people might take take this information differently (i.e extremely religious people or dooms day prep'ers). The fact that we have the resources and technology to even find this out is amazing by its self.
I think it is great that someone found this text. I agree with what everyone else is saying. The number 666 is completely inbedded in our history so I do not think that is going to change.
Lisa
I don't think that the number 666 will lose any of its infamy anytime in the foreseeable future. Even with millions of people accessing the internet everyday, I doubt that this article will find its way to a very large audience. Even if it did, like others have said, 666 is so embedded into our culture that it will probably always have a following, making this new information somewhat void.
-Erica
As everyone above has said and as Elijah Dann said in the text, the fact that a "new" number exisits is unlikely to alter the use of 666. Perhaps those whose beliefs are deeply rooted in the idea of 666 should consider changing their thoughts. But the likelyhood of that happening is slim.
In fact, it's be interesting even to find out how many people even know about this discovery. I know that for me, reading this article is the first time I've even heard of the number being any different than 666. And the article was published in 2005! The beleif is alreadly too deeply rooted in 666 for peole to change their minds.
Brandy
'666' does have a certain seductive symmetry to it, no doubt!
pdk
I agree with what everyone is saying that 666 is culturally significant to us as the number of the anti-christ. I wonder however about the viability of the 616 number for this.
the number 13 has a great significance in our culture as well. It stands for bad luck, is associated with Judas ascarriot, and is the total if you add 616. This could be a coincidence or the professor who uncovered this could have stumbled onto the most significant find in modern history. Time will tell which of these is true.
Just something to consider.
Bob
I highly doubt that this new information revealing the original ‘number of the beast’ to be 616 rather than 666 will be very significant for the apocalyptically inclined. No matter what the number is, those who are invested in an end of days scenario connected to ‘the number of the beast’ will likely find ways to justify their beliefs. As the article states, in “something as cryptic and mystic as the Book of Revelation there’s an almost unlimited number of interpretations.” If does have an effect, it will likely just give the apocalyptically inclined more ways to find hidden meanings in things and clues to the end of days; I highly doubt it would cause them to retract any previously held views on the number 666. The number 666 has been associated with the unholy for so long and there are so many previous interpretations of it that it will likely continue to have an influence well into the future.
Max Hesser-Knoll
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