It's Official: Obama's Not the Antichrist

I can't believe we're even having this dialogue in this country.

Last night CNN aired a segment wondering aloud whether or not Obama is the Antichrist. It's just the latest step in making what ought to be an outrageous and nonsensical bit of religious nuttery into an actual campaign issue. Raw Story has the details:

CNN notes that regardless of its intent, though, the [McCain campaign] ad seems to have spurred increased interest in the baseless speculation. At least one entire blog is devoted to the question and a Google search for "Obama Antichrist" returns nearly 1 million returns.

And regardless of CNN's intent, it too managed to handle the story in such a "fair and balanced" fashion that the interest of which it speaks will, in turn, ratchet up yet another notch.

But the Supreme High Authorities on All Things Antichrist have spoken, and the verdict is: not so much.

First up from the God machine this week is good news from some popular end-times authors — they don’t like Barack Obama, but they’re pretty sure he’s not literally the antichrist. (via Ron Chusid)

John McCain’s campaign ad “The One” has generated a lot of buzz regarding the “Left Behind Series.” Political commentators are comparing McCain’s portrayal of competitor Barack Obama with the blockbuster apocalyptic series’ depiction of the antichrist. But even the series authors Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins don’t think Obama is the antichrist. What may have been created as a farce has generated a firestorm of controversy on the internet.

LaHaye and Jenkins take a literal interpretation of prophecies found in the Book of Revelation. They believe the antichrist will surface on the world stage at some point, but neither see Obama in that role. “I’ve gotten a lot of questions the last few weeks asking if Obama is the antichrist,” says novelist Jenkins. “I tell everyone that I don’t think the antichrist will come out of politics, especially American politics.”

“I can see by the language he uses why people think he could be the antichrist,” adds LaHaye, “but from my reading of scripture, he doesn’t meet the criteria. There is no indication in the Bible that the antichrist will be an American.”

First, I guess this is good news. A lot of strange folks really do consider LaHaye and Jenkins “authorities” on Biblical end-times prophecies, so if they announce Obama’s in the clear, those who take this seriously may very well believe them.

Okay? Can we stop being so outrageously fucking ridiculous as to actually debate on fucking CNN whether or not a presidential candidate in America is really truly the fucking Antichrist?

People sometimes wonder why I can't stand religion. Seeing the kind of bullshit that arises, the breathtaking insanity, the never-ending fuckery, I wonder how in the fuck they can possibly ask that question.