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The Apocalyptic Metaphor: Satan, the AntiChrist, and Scapegoatin
The Apocalyptic Metaphor - Part 1
Satan, the Antichrist, Millennialism, and Scapegoating
In western culture the tendency to frame political, social, religious,
or cultural conflict as a battle between good and evil is distinctively
shaped by the apocalyptic prophesies in the Bible's book of
Revelation, which describes a battle between faithful Christians and
deceptive Satanic agents that precedes God's penultimate victory and
a millennium of peace. Claims of demonic conspiracies have
flourished during periods of millennial expectation or apocalyptic
fervor, and are doing so again as the calendar creeps toward the year
2000.
The process of demonization is central to all forms of conspiracist
thinking. Author and activist Leonard Zeskind considers all
conspiracy theories "essentially theologically constructed views of
events. Conspiracy theories are renderings of a metaphysical devil
which is trans-historical, omnipotent, and destructive of God's will
on earth. This is true even for conspiracy theories in which there is
not an explicit religious target." As Zeskind has observed, it is
impossible to analyze the contemporary right, without understanding
the "all-powerful cosmology of diabolical evil." So to fully
comprehend the subtext of those US movements that utilize
demonization and conspiracist scapegoating, we have to briefly
dance with the devil.
There is a deep division with modern Christianity between those
who personify evil and identify it with specific groups--gays and
lesbians, feminists, liberals, Jews--and those who see evil as the will
to dominate and oppress. Within mainstream denominations,
independent evangelical churches, progressive Christian
communities, and followers of liberation theology, are many
Christians who are painfully aware of those historic periods when
some Christian leaders sided with oppression and used
demonization as a tool to protect and extend power and privilege.
This discussion seeks to honestly explore that historic dynamic, but
not to stereotype all Christians as complicit with the heritage of
apocalyptic demonization.
The binary model of good versus evil is not unique to Christianity,
but is found in the spiritual beliefs of "all the peoples of the earth,"
and is considered by some "a necessary phase in the evolution of
human thought." "Nothing is more common in history than the
change of the deities of hostile nations into demons of evil," wrote
Paul Caras, who noted that Beelzebub, a Phoenician god, "became
another name for Satan," for the early Jews. In fact, the word Satan
means "enemy." In religious traditions based on early Judaic texts,
the devious covert nature of "Satan, the tempter and originator of all
evil" is highlighted in the story of Adam and Eve in the Biblical
book of Genesis. In his early descriptions Satan is a faithful servant
of God sent to test the faithful.
At the time when Jesus of Nazareth broke from Jewish tradition,
apocalyptic thinking was common to both Jews expecting the
Messiah, and then early Christians who saw Jesus as the Messiah.
The word apocalypse comes from a Greek root suggesting unveiling
hidden information or revealing secret knowledge about human
events.
The idea of Satan as an evil demon opposed to God who recruits
human allies appears in early Christian culture. Elaine Pagels traces
demonizing references in the New Testament Gospels of Mark,
Matthew, Luke, and John. The term Antichrist appears in the
Epistles of John, in warnings against "deceivers," especially those
who reject Christ. Warnings against false prophets are common
throughout the Bible. Especially demonized in early Christian
culture were Jews who refused to accept the crucified Jesus as the
true Messiah, Roman civil authorities who punished Christians for
refusing to carry out certain rituals seen as proving loyalty to the
emperor, and those Christians who promoted unacceptable
alternative theological positions.
Sponsored by Political Research Associates
120 Beacon St., #202, Somerville, MA 02143-4304
Find out how to obtain more information
Copyright 1997, PRA
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