"Technology itself is neither good nor bad. People are good or bad."
Naveen Jain
Actually i believe the Revelation as described in the Bible already happened, about 60 AD. And the beast with the number 666 has to be identified with the Roman Empire and Caesar Nero.
But inspired by this blog, i will give a modern interpretation a try, so feel free to join me in an alternate and speculative world paradigm...
Technology is the Antichrist, and computer driven AI is the peak of technology.
Over 10000 years ago we left Garden Eden and started the neolithic revolution, we started to do farming and keep livestock, we started to use technology to make our lifes easier, but over the centuries and millennia, we forgot how to live with mother earth in an balanced way.
Revelation 13:4
"And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?"
[update 2024-02-22]
An AI as Antichrist, Chess as war game, who is going to beat the AI in Chess?
Revelation 13:18
"Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six."
Using the english-sumerian gematria system, which is based on 6 - A=6, B=12, C=18...Z=156, the word "computer" counts to 666.
The first human to mention the word computer for people doing computations was Richard Braithwait in a book called "The Yong Mans Gleanings" in 1613.
Using the english-sumerian gematria method, the name "Braithwait" counts to 666.
Rev 13:18 could act like a puzzle with an checksum, "computer" is the name of the beast, but the name (the number) was coined by a man, and the man who coined the name has the number 666 too.
Revelation 13:16-17
"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."
Nowadays, without an Smart Phone (or upcoming Smart Glasses), or an computer, you are limited in your daily business, from renting a car to doing payments.
So the mark is already here, the Smart Phone in the right hand, the upcoming Smart Glasses in the forehead, and the computer in general.
Revelation 13:15
"And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed."
An image of the beast is given life and people are going to worship it...AI God Religion Spotted
Rev 16:2
"And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image."
Considering computers as the mark of the beast, the sore could be cancer caused by radiation.
Rev 16:3
"And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea."
Our sea world is dying, overfishing, plastic particles, acidification, etc.
Rev 16:4
"And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood"
Blood in Judaism is impure and Jews are not allowed to eat it, this could mean that our rivers get poisoned.
Rev 16:8-9
"And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory."
Climate Change causes already increasing heatwaves and droughts.
Rev 16:10-11
"And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds."
This one can be interpreted as God shutting the internet down, the kingdom of the beast. Some scientists conclude that a pole-shift is currently underway, this could cause the magnetic field around earth to collapse, so the electro-magnetic waves from the sun could damage computer chips worldwide.
[update 2020-11-04]
Pretty obvious the Internet seems a natural fit to be the kingdom of the beast (a computer driven AI) so what does it mean it was 'full of darkness', hehe, ever wondered about the dark-web, fake-news, hate-speech etc.? Darkness.
Rev 16:12-14
"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."
This one is clear, the Euphrates river dries up, and it is scary to watch it really happen. Dunno about the frogs and kings.
Rev 16:17-21
"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her thecup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great."
An earthquake, so strong, never happened before during mankind.
[update 2023-06-16]
Maybe the seventh bowl is global nuclear war/strike? The final.
There are many passages in the Revelation i can not interpret in a way that the computer is the Antichrist. The seven heads, horns and ten crowns of the dragon, the mortal wound, or the first and second beast, etc.
The Roman Empire with Caesar Nero as Antichrist simply fits better.
But please leave a comment, if you have further puzzle pieces for AI Antichrist.
So, considering the pure potential of the meme AI Antichrist,
i give -1 points for the Singularity to take off.