[Campion]

Not only does the Bible not say the Antichrist or the Beast come from Europe, it doesn't say that they're the same person. Nor is absolutely clear that the Beast is a person at all. Nor does it say that there is a final "Antichrist" at the end of time.

In fact, the only book of Scripture that uses the term "Antichrist," 1 John, says that there are "many Antichrists even now" (1 Jn 2:18). That was almost 2000 years ago! Second Thessalonians 2 speaks of a "man of sin," but does not use the term "Antichrist," nor does it say anything about him coming from Europe.

Tradition dating back to the early Church Fathers speaks of a final Antichrist preceding the second Coming, but it's not there on the surface of the Scriptural texts.

[kindred]

Your Catholism may be blinding you to the truth of the Scriptures which is God’s Word without man’s tradition mixed in, therefore one must understand ‘Sola Scriptura’.

John 5:39:
39Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Acts 17:11:
11These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

[mdmathis6]

Revelation speaks a literal Being (or Beast, which is often refered to as the Anti Christ in capital letters.) that kills the 2 witnesses but Revelation also describes a “beast system” comprising of false prophet, beast, and Image of the beast that all are forced to worship(like Nebuchednezzar’s “god” that Shadrach and his companions refused to bow down to) as well as the “mark” comprising the basis of that hideous economic system coming into play at that time.

So when folks speak of THE ANTI CHRIST(as opposed to one of many antichrists who are in the world already infested by that one Spirit of ANTICHRIST), they are using the terms interchangebly with THE BEAST, THE MAN OF SIN, THE SON OF PERDITION, all names of that One which will work with the False Prophet who performs false wonders in the presence of the Beast and causing the Image of the Beast to speak as though it were a man.

The Beast system is an unholy trinity of sorts empowered by the Devil himself. The BEAST himself mocks Christ’s Christs death and resurrection. The Beast does so by seeming to suffer a mortal wound then coming back to life again deceiving many in the world. God of course has given over the world to delusion so that it becomes difficult to see thru the deceit of this “event”; though the Bible says many will and will be martyred for their faith in the REAL CHRIST!

[Lee N. Field]

In fact, the only book of Scripture that uses the term "Antichrist," 1 John, says that there are "many Antichrists even now" (1 Jn 2:18). That was almost 2000 years ago! Second Thessalonians 2 speaks of a "man of sin," but does not use the term "Antichrist," nor does it say anything about him coming from Europe.

Reading B. B. Warfield's article on Antichrist (in his Selected Shorter Writings) many many years ago, cured me of trying to shoehorn what I was reading in the Bible into the Hal Lindsay/Late Grate Planet Earth pop dispensational mold.

Tradition dating back to the early Church Fathers speaks of a final Antichrist preceding the second Coming, but it's not there on the surface of the Scriptural texts.

Worth a look, is Rev. Kim Riddlebarger's Man of Sin. My recollection it goes back even to a pre-Christian Jewish tradition of an anti-messiah.

[Clay+Iron_Times]

Nor is absolutely clear that the Beast is a person at all.

Rev.13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

[metmom]

The real Christ was a real human being.

Satan can only counterfeit and there is n reason to believe that his counterfeit will not also be a man whom people will follow. Mankind is particularly susceptible to following a charismatic leader.

The best strategy Satan can come up with is to provide someone like that promising peace at a time when everything seems to be coming apart at the seams. People will GLADLY follow someone who promises to provide them with peace and safety.