The recent deaths of Terri Schiavo and Pope John Paul II were
as untimely as they were unexpected. But now some religious leaders are
asking if darker forces may have been involved—if the twin deaths were,
in fact, the work of the devil. And with the Reverend Jerry Falwell
still ailing, some are asking an obvious question: which religious icon
will be next?
Is Michael Schiavo the devil incarnate, or merely an incubus?
By Deanna Swift
VATICAN CITY--The recent deaths of Terri Schiavo and Pope John Paul were as untimely as they were unexpected. But despite the obvious parallels between the two—both were physically disabled persons who were fed through tubes—some religious leaders are beginning to question whether the Florida woman and the now deceased pontiff may have shared a darker connection: deaths that were the result of devilish intervention.
According to scripture, the hand of the devil will become increasingly obvious after the period known as 'the Rapture,' the long-foretold event in which God welcomes his most faithful followers into the heavens. The rapture is believed to have occurred last month, meaning that nonbelievers are now well on their way to a tumultuous period known as the tribulation. To date fewer than 50 Christians are confirmed as having been raptured.
Is Schiavo the devil?While the hand of the devil seems to be everywhere in our coarsened, secularized culture, a growing number of observers believe that they can now match a face with the name of the Antichrist: Michael Schiavo. In recent weeks, internet chat rooms and conservative talk radio stations have been dominated by reports that Schiavo planned to murder his wife Terri in order to keep her from revealing that he was, in fact, the Antichrist.
But not everyone agrees with that assessment. While they are quick to condemn Mr. Schiavo, some Christians are reluctant to officially tag him with the Antichrist brand. During the years of Tribulation, marked by earthquakes, catastrophic floods and the end of traditional marriage, the Antichrist is expected to emerge as a charismatic leader of the global community—more akin to Colin Powell or Bono than Michael Schiavo, who has no diplomatic experience and has not declared that he intends to seek global office.
Or merely an incubus?The 'anti' camp in the Antichrist debate say that it is more likely that Mr. Schiavo is merely an incubus: a male demon that practices his dastardly deeds in the dark hours of the night.
"Anyone who has been following the story of Terri has to recognize that this guy is the devil in some form," says Mark Bruschi, a former security guard who left his job in Dayton, OH, and traveled to Pinellas Park, FL, to join last month's vigil in front of the hospice where Terri Schiavo lived. "Is he the Antichrist? It's still too early to tell. The Tribulation is just getting started—we haven't even seen the wrath of the lamb yet," says Bruschi, referring to the period during which God is expected to unfurl his vengeance on the earthly world. "Get back to me then and I'll let you know if Schiavo is your guy."
Who will be next?
Lost in the fanfare over first Ms. Schiavo's untimely death, then the Pope's unexpected demise, was the near death of another American religious icon: the Reverend Jerry Falwell. Hospitalized with pneumonia last month, the 71-year-old founder of the Moral Majority and Liberty University had to be resuscitated. While his doctors say that Mr. Falwell's health is much improved, he faces an uncertain future.
That's got some Christians worried about which of their leaders may have been scheduled for the next departure. "It could be any of them: Dobson, LeHaye, Colson. It's a terrible thought but that's how the devil works," says Sandy Slokum, executive director of Defend Our Marriages, an Arlington, VA-based advocacy group that seeks to amend the constitution in order to ban adultery. "These are dark days. Dark days indeed."
I totally disagree with this assumption. Yet the two deaths may be parellel in some aspects, the hand of the beast has nothing to do with it! Go read more biblical theories and apply them accordingly...
Posted by: adrian | April 21, 2005 at 04:31 PM
Have you considered the alternative theory?
Does Christian Prayer Kill?
http://www.presidentevilonline.com/sn_prayer.html
Posted by: D X Stone | April 19, 2005 at 12:17 PM
I alwasy thought W was the anti-christ
Posted by: mOnkeyboy4 | April 07, 2005 at 01:36 PM
Love the posts, but don't some of the comments scare the hell out of you, or at least make you despondent for the future?
Posted by: Stephanie | April 07, 2005 at 12:33 PM
Uh, KenO? That's satire. Learn to recognize it.
Posted by: swmbo | April 07, 2005 at 09:58 AM
Sorry, but the entire premise of this post was lost with the beginning line.
"The recent deaths of Terri Schiavo and Pope John Paul II were as untimely as they were unexpected."
Untimely?? Unexpected?? Both deaths were imminent and HIGHLY expected. Why the attempt at deceit?
Posted by: KenO | April 06, 2005 at 09:01 AM