[patriciaruth]

This article takes the "America is Babylon" angle.

It may be that it isn't America as a whole that is the equivalent of Babylon of old, but NYC.

With a nod to Falwell and Farrakhan, I quote Revelations 18: 9-19:

"And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning.
Stand afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city; for in one hour is thy judgment come.
And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
The merchants of gold, and silver, and ...[long list of merchandise]
...and the souls of men.
And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as tread by sea, stood afar off,
And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour she is made desolate."

My main thought, distinctive from Falwell and Farrakhan, however, is that the Islamic fundamentalists can read Revelations as well as we can, and may have taken this as their blueprint for how to attack us.

[VRWC_minion]

Why would this revelation apply to the world today?

Rev 14 outlines a sequence that hasn't happened yet. The first angel in 6 desribes the time that the gospel is preached to all the nations. The second angel in 8 desribes the fall of babylon which is more fully detailed in Chap 18. The third angel in 9 desribes the time after the fall of Babylon and the time of the beast which is more fully discussed in chapter 16.

Revelations

6

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

7

Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

8

And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

9

And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

38 Posted on 09/25/2001 12:06:16 PDT by VRWC_minion