Growing up in an Adventist church, I was taught about "the mark of the beast" as a computer chip to be inserted into our flesh and used as credit cards. I fantasized about growing up to be one of the mysterious "two witnesses" in Revelation who perform miracles before being martyred by a superhuman villain known as "the Antichrist." Entering Bible college, I had come to believe that a secret occult group known as "the Illuminati," represented by the cryptic symbol of the all-seeing pyramid, was truly working "behind the scenes" to vie for world domination.

In studying the New Age movement, I was providentially led to The New Age Rage by the Spiritual Counterfeits Project (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company), published a year after I had written "The Satanic Empire." One key chapter, entitled "The Final Threat: Cosmic Conspiracy and End Times Speculation" was particularly challenging. Written partly in response to Cumbey, the chapter detailed the history of conspiracy theories and evaluated them rationally.

I learned that it wasn't always wise to believe the legends that occultists invent about themselves. And I was surprised to learn that Nesta Webster, upon whom I had relied so heavily for my information about the Illuminati, was a British fascist and anti-Semite. In later years I learned that many conspiracy theorists unwittingly draw on anti-Semitic sources. The offensive Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a forgery from the French occult underground in the 19th century, outlines a fictitious plan by Zionists to blow up major European capitals. This book, and many like it, continue to be used by conspiracy theorists - including some Bible prophecy teachers - to this day. (Conspiracy books are never really discarded; they continue to circulate and become the basis of other conspiracy theories.)

I continued to believe in a future Antichrist, though early on I shunned the idea of a global Antichristian empire, literal mark of the beast, impending invasions from Russia (interpreted as the "Gog and Magog" of Ezekiel 38 and 39), and so on. In April 1997 I came across a web page written by prophet Monte Judah, which taught that the last seven-year period of human history (the "seventieth week of Daniel") began with the signing of the Oslo peace accords between Israel and the Palestinians. At the midpoint, March 21, 1997, the Antichrist and the false prophet (Prince Charles and the pope) would be in Jerusalem for the setting up of the abomination of desolation in a rebuilt Jewish temple. At that time the Great Tribulation would ensue and God's people would flee to the mountains. Of course, I was reading this two weeks after it was supposed to have happened.

I've now seen dozens of false predictions come and go. What disturbed me so much was that the prophet's interpretation of key Bible prophecy texts - Daniel 9:24-27, the Olivet Discourse, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, and Revelation - was identical to my own. True, Monte Judah had made particular identifications that I hadn't, but I found our mutual interpretation of Scripture unnerving.

I began to ask myself whether I had ever seen any good fruit emerge from this type of teaching. No. All I had ever seen were false predictions, failed hopes, and in some cases, tragedy. The teaching was also fundamentally contrary to the truths of nonviolence, peace, and God's complete revelation in Jesus Christ so clearly spelled out in the New Testament.

At that point, my belief in a future Antichrist finally snapped, and I have been reevaluating Bible prophecy ever since.

you dont sound like a christian ! if you dont belive abit of the bible than you dont belive in Jesus coming to earth to die for you and me !!

I suggest you start being in tune and be aware of global news instead of being ignorant. You are an example of whatt Jesus said "many in the last days will turn away from the truth( you were a bible boeliveing christian but you are "reevaluating- you doubt the words of God !-bible)

Friend hold on to your faith and ask God for forgiving you for your doubt and unbelief !

THE MICRO CHIP PROPHECY IS BEING FULFILLED !! its on TV check it out . you better think twice or you will miss out in the end times my friend !!!!!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URTV128IeD8

It seems that Trevor has come to the realisation that the way nut cases like you interpret the Bible is off in cloud cuckooland!

trevor you will miss out on the rapture !!! be aware of global issues and not only in your country !!! one world government is very slowly taking shape right under your nose but you dont have the knowledge to even comprehend and understand it !!! i suggest you keep watching world new and use the internet to watch AMERICAN ISSUES ! AMERICA IS WHERE THE ONE WORLD ORDER WILL SPREAD OUT TO THE WHOLE WORLD !!!!!!!!!!!!

You're obvious a conspiracy theorist and the conspiracies promoted by conspiracy theorists hardly ever are shown to be correct. Cut out the explanation marks and the ALL CAPS so that at least you won't appear so obviously like a nutter.

It's always good to read a story from someone who was able to wake up and see the light on their own, using their own God given brain. Thanks for sharing.

Very interesting,
once upon a time you could silence the dissenters by calling them heretics. Thus you got rid of them, by having them burnt at the stake.

Now you dismiss them as agents of the Antichrist. This is the worst kind of intellectual dishonesty. You are now believing your own rhetoric, and dismissing everyone else. The worst kind of deception is self-deception.

You guys rock!!!......Ralph.

Didn't the same thing happen to the Jews? After the atrocities that rained down on them in Nazi Germany, they were so determined that it would never happen again that they became almost like the Nazis in the way they treat the palestinians.

Hahahahahah!!! You should know about self deception Raph you are the master meow!!

PS. any pots or kettles in your kithchen or have you used all of them up??????