revelations made by Jesus to the apostle John.
The revelations have been interpreted in many ways. When we take a look at this book, and compare its content with the occurrences surrounding the persecution of Falun Gong in today's China, we can find quite a few parallels.
However first I would like to apologize in advance should anyone take offence over this essay. It is not my intention to be disrespectful towards the Bible, its contents or interpretations thereof. I simply wish to present here some facts and similarities that I myself, as a Falun Gong practitioner, find remarkable. I will mainly focus on Book 13 and leave it to the reader to decide whether these things are merely coincidences or not.
The Red Dragon
Revelations 12:3 speaks of: "...a great red dragon, having seven heads ... and seven crowns upon his heads." The colour of communism is red, as is the flag of the People's Republic of China. During the period after the 15th Party Congress (from 1997 till 2002) the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) counted seven heads. The members of the Central Committee are the supreme rulers within the CCP; hence the heads wearing crowns. Given its history of bloodshed and suppression, it is not unbefitting call the CCP a 'dragon."
The Beast
(13:1) "And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea ..." Former Party Secretary Jiang Zemin was born in the city of Shanghai, where he also began his political career. Shanghai in Chinese literally means "rise from the sea."
(13:2) "Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion." In literary circles, the old communist bloc has often been nicknamed "a leopard." The grizzly bear was the mascot of the Soviet Union. Thus, having the feet of a bear may symbolize the beast walking down the same path as the old communists.
The verse continues: "And the dragon gave him his strength, and his throne, and great authority." In those days Jiang was supreme military commander (strength), head of state (throne) and Party Secretary of the CCP (great authority).
Just like the dragon, the beast also has seven heads (13:1): "Having seven heads ... and upon its heads the name of blasphemy." This probably refers to the seven main culprits of the persecution, namely Jiang Zemin and his henchmen Luo Gan (head of national security), Li Lanqing (head of the 610 office, a Gestapo-like organization created to eliminate Falun Gong), Liu Jing (vice head of the 610 office), Ding Guangen (minister of propaganda), Zhou Yongkang (governor of Sichuan province) and Zeng Qinghong (head of organization CCP).
As for blasphemy, Falun Gong practitioners believe that the principles of truthfulness, benevolence and forbearance are the principles that govern both heaven and earth; they represent the nature of all that is good and divine. Truthfulness, benevolence and forbearance were criticized by Jiang's regime, as "having nothing in common with the Socialist and cultural development that the CCP pursues." A hate campaign followed, ridiculing these principles, theism, and the like.
(13:3) "One of his heads ... had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marvelled and followed the beast." In 1999, minister of propaganda Ding Guangen temporarily retreated from politics due to illness and disagreements with Jiang Zemin over economic reforms. For a while it looked like his career would be over, but Ding returned as a member of the Politburo and vice head of the 610 office. After opening up the Chinese economy, "all the world marvelled and followed the beast."
(13:4) "...and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" Opening up the Chinese economy after 50 years of isolation was met with cheers the world over. As a nuclear force with an army of over 2 million soldiers, who would dare to attack Jiang's regime?
(13:5) "And [the beast] was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months." As party Secretary, Jiang had the CCP's enormous propaganda machine at his control, which he used to smear and demonize Truthfulness, benevolence and forbearance. A typical aspect of propaganda is its inflated rhetorical style, hence "speaking great things."
On June 13, 1999, the Central Committee issued an official document, pressed by Jiang, which ordered all of the CCP's departments throughout China "to engage in combat with Falun Gong." In the days that followed, the CCP's propaganda machine began with the preparations for a full-blown nationwide hate campaign against Falun Gong and all that it represents: truthfulness, benevolence and forbearance.
Exactly forty-two months later, on November 15, 2002, during the 16th Party Congress of the CCP, Jiang resigned as Party Secretary. For Jiang it meant the end of his authority over the CCP's propaganda machine.
(13:7) "It was granted to him to make war with the saints..." The definition of a saint is someone who has overcome the evil inside himself and has attained great wisdom or ascended to heaven; in other words someone who has succeeded in cultivation practice. What has been called "a Saint" in the West, has always been called an "Enlightened One" in the East. Both are the same.
Falun Gong practitioners also practice cultivation. They believe that leading a life strictly according to the principles of truthfulness, benevolence and forbearance, will lead them to overcome their negative side and human shortcomings and enable them to achieve enlightenment in the end.
Falun Gong practitioners believe in the principle that good is rewarded and evil meets with retribution. Therefore they adhere to the principle "don't hit back when beaten, don't talk back when scolded." Perhaps this is what is referred to in verse 13:10: "He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints." Even after eight years of persecution, Falun Gong practitioners have never used violence or force against their oppressors, which can be considered proof of their faith and extraordinary forbearance.
Verse 13:7 proceeds: "And power was given [to the beast] over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." At the outset of the persecution, nearly all the world's press and media unwittingly copied the lies and slander of the CCP's hate campaign against Falun Gong. Jiang travelled all over the world and personally handed out propaganda leaflets to various heads of states, thereby misleading the whole world. Through its embassies and consulates, the CCP has slandered and harassed Falun Gong practitioners and intimidated government officials worldwide. Fortunately the tide has turned, and everyone can now clearly see who the wicked ones truly are.
The Second Beast
Verse 13:11 speaks of a second beast: "Then I saw another beast ... and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon." This wouldn't be referring to the present Chinese leader Hu Jintao, who has always ignored the persecution. A better candidate would be Zeng Qinghong, vice secretary of the CCP, and this for three reasons. One, the two dashes above the Chinese character of his last name Zeng (曾) Resemble the horns of a lamb. Two, "speaking like a dragon" refers to Zeng being a hard-line communist. Three, Zeng is one of Jiang's closest trustees; he is the second most powerful man in the CCP at present. Verse 13:15 says: "He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed." It is mainly Zeng who keeps Jiang's persecution policy going.
(13:13) "He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men." The Olympic flame is ignited with the aid of sunbeams and a lens. It was Zeng Qinghong who officially unveiled the Olympic mascot in Beijing on September 6, 2007.
(13:16-17) "He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." This is similar to the way the CCP issues economic licenses. Such licenses can often only be obtained when one is affiliated with the CCP or has performed certain duties for the CCP or has bribed a CCP official. One is admitted to some companies or schools only when one is a member of the CCP. In some companies everyone or even young children in schools are forced to join the CCP. The initiation ceremony has the new CCP member raise his right fist as he pledges his willingness to give his life for "the Party."
The hats of the Chinese police and military have a red star, the symbol of the CCP, "on their foreheads."
666 - The Number of the Beast
Zeer interessante interpretatie!
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