#babylonbeast

I guess I get a lot of questions about the beast. I like the beast. I do have to be clear that the beast is not necessarily my original creation.

Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.  REVELATION 17:3

It’s pretty popular in protestant thought to conceptualize the beast as the nations that recognize the authority of the corrupt catholic church. (The woman is the church, different figure I can also talk about in depth.) there is also an argument to be made about the similarities between nationalism and religious worship. Replacing a religious identity with a national identity or cultural identity tied to one catholic church interferes with "true faith" according to the umbrella of Protestantism. (Soli Deo Gloria)

As an aside, while this criticism is usually leveled at the catholic church by Protestants. A lovely follower referenced Kierkegaard (who i admittedly wasn’t familiar with LOL) and his Protestant condemnation of the (lutheran, but I think this could be any denomination) church as an institution as well. Arguing that no cultural / national entity can claim to be truly devoted to faith. Reasoning that doctrine and practice is not an alternative to living in a christlike manner. It is important to note that nobody in opnero is “saved” on the basis of their perceived devotion to a “correct” faith. Theres an argument to be made from kierkegaard’s perspective that someone who has never even encountered the catholic church could still be more truthfully faithful than the pope.

Anyways. I think discarding ritualized practice because it’s an unthinking “shortcut” presented by a corrupt church is a very eurocentric idea. BUT! interesting way to play with the idea of salvation coming exclusively from the hand of one true god. It could even be argued that the bible itself, as a text penned by humanity, interferes with man’s devotion as well.

here I can posit that nationalism is essentially a form of idol worship, core tenants of nationalism (single shared identity and position of state and nation as ultimate authority, social and economic sovereignty) along with common results of unchecked nationalistic politics (ethnic, racial, religious division, suppression of democracy, etc. the classics.) all indicate a preoccupation with identity outside of ones faith. Not acceptable according to revelation.

Anyways, the beast is modeled after this one. It’s lack of consistent depiction being an intentional choice to reference the inadequacy of human visualizations of biblical concepts. Generally based visually on illuminated manuscripts of revelation and 16th ish century paintings and surrealism in the likes of Ernst and Böcklin. (Also check out Bosch and Michelangelo’s torment of st anthony). The kind of childish misshapen look contributes to the notion that the animal in question is no more than an idiots (me.) symbol for an unknowable evil. To be clear the beast is not actually physically present in any of the images i make of it. I kind of like to think about my illustrations as illumination for a manuscript in a sense.

Though, notably. The beast is only one half of the symbol.

 The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute.They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked;they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. REVELATION 17:16

I hope this is fairly easy to interpret. Scripture has a funny habit of misogyny. LOL! So The beast sans Babylon in my images is also a sexually charged symbol. In the way that sexual obsession can be worship which is then akin to nationalism. The church and it’s nations are characterized as self destructive. So my beast is following this near animalistic impulse to secure an object of worship via the destruction of it’s enemies, but it’s fervor is liable to turn inward to destroy the figure that facilitates it’s worship. Which is an obvious analogue to Danny, but has wider applications to the greater narrative and its context (mid cold war, arms races, nuclear supremacy, etc.)

I fear there is this idea of sin being divided into distinct categories perpetuated by like, hazbin hotel or something. Ultimately in OPNERO all the strife, violence, greed is rooted in a lot of the same amorphous hatred. (Patriarchy? MISANDRIST NEXADON STRIKES AGAIN!!!)