John D. Brey
Well-Known Member
Andres Serrano's **** Christ generated a whole lot of negative attention from the world of would-be true believers. Naturally so, since the image pictures a crucifix submerged in urine. And yet, far from attempting to demonize Christ, Serrano (a practicing Catholic), is trying, in an artistic light, to examine the fact that Christ is already demonized throughout the scriptures, old and new. The legitimate question Serrano's image asks, is what's the relationship between the demonization of Christ, versus Christ's ability to purify even his own demonization?
The beast which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.
Revelation 17:6-8.
There's a deep and meaningful astonishment going on in the passage above. And for good reason. When we look at what the angel claims is the cause of the great astonishment, it's presented as the fact that the beast-anti-Christ once was, now is not, and yet will come. Mind you, in context, the Revelator tells us that the world is astonished "when they see" the beast-anti-Christ, "because he once was, now is not, and yet will come." In other words, something about "seeing" the beast-anti-Christ, relates firstly to the fact that he already once was, is not, and yet has now come? The nature of this logical construct is the cause of the great "astonishment." It's both the key to the mystery, and part and parcel of the meaning of Serrano's **** Christ.
John, to the churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come.
Revelation 1:4.
The linkage between Revelation 17:6-8, and Revelation 1:4, segues into Serrano's **** Christ even more powerfully when we realize that the beast-anti-Christ is taught to be an incarnation of Satan, while the Hebrew name "Satan" is, etymologically speaking, related to "urine," or more precisely "pissing." The negative astonishment when Serrano's **** Christ was revealed for the first time, mimics the astonishment when the beast-anti-Christ is unveiled in the last days. Which is to say there will be an "astonishing" resemblance/relationship between the beast-anti-Christ ("Satan," that is, **** incarnate), and the person in the crosshairs of Revelation 1:4.
John
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