My church tradition didn’t talk a lot about the book of Revelation when I was growing up. Or, at least, the church I grew up in didn’t. It’s difficult to decipher and there are about as many interpretations as their are people, it seems. I’d probably heard the verses in Revelation 13 before, but my first recollection of them was - and I realize this is sad - when I became an Iron Maiden fan in high school. The opening to the song “The Number of the Beast” (from the album of the same name) begins with a man speaking two Bible verses - first, Revelation 12:12, followed by 13:18. The song supposedly originated from a dream had by bassist and founding member Steve Harris (who is also often inspired by books and horror movies), and is not some declaration of their religious beliefs, as many have suggested over the years. (In other words, no, they’re not the “devil worshippers” they have been accused of being.)

I’ve seen a number of stories already regarding today’s date - 06/06/06. For example, here, here and here. I saw on GMA this morning that the town of Hell, Michigan, is throwing a big party today. They also mentioned that many expecting mothers near or past their due date are trying to hold on for one more day (I don’t blame them - who’d want that birth date for the rest of their lives?) Ann Coulter’s new book, Godless, is being released today, as well as a new version of the horror classic The Omen. (I complained about remakes a few weeks ago, and this article says it all about this one. It’s a classic that should have been left alone.) And, of course, some are wondering if the end of the world will occur today, or if the AntiChrist will be revealed.

There’s been a lot of speculation about “the” AntiChrist over the years - who it is/will be, where he will come from, when will he appear, and if he is real or only symbolic. Political leaders through the years have been labeled as such, most recently Sadaam Hussein. (Well, actually I’ve also heard Bill Clinton and George W. Bush mentioned as possibilities since I first heard Sadaam.) Other wealthy, successful or otherwise influential people have also been considered. Bill Gates comes to mind. (I suppose Oprah is off the hook since the AntiChrist is supposed to be male.)

Sports figures are less often suspected of being the embodyment of Satan. In March of 1992, I attended the SEC basketball tournament in Birmingham, Alabama - the first year Arkansas was a member of the SEC. While watching Kentucky and Vanderbilt playing an afternoon game, an attempt to reveal the true AntiChrist was made. During a dead ball, when the crowd was relatively silent, a Vanderbilt fan sitting a few rows behind me stood up and, at the top of his voice, shouted:

“Rick Pitino is the AntiChrist!!”

Everyone in our section heard it. We all laughed. As a Duke basketball fan, and one who despised Kentucky basketball in general and, at the time, Rick Pitino as well, I also thought to myself, “That sounds about right.” Then again, I knew in my heart that it was not true. Rick Pitino can’t possibly be the AntiChrist.

Everyone knows it’s Dean Smith.