"Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. "

There will be many antichrists before the world bears witness to the lawless one. The Church teaches us that " Before Christ's second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the "mystery of iniquity" in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. The supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah come in the flesh."

Many suspect the scenario in my opening quote from the Book of Revelation (the mark on the right hand or the forehead that will be a requirement of commerce) will be a feature of the reign of Antichrist.

How about another bible quote?

"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."

When the day comes in which visible allegiance to that faith, which is against Christ, is a requirement of commerce, most people will go along with it. How do I know this? Because many people are going along with it now.

The mark of the beast (public allegiance to a faith opposed to truth who is Christ) as requirement to do business is not some far off prediction of the bible, it is today's reality. It is reality in Chicago, Boston, and so on.

If you believe in the Church's teaching on traditional marriage and by saying so publicly you foreswear that secular religion (which is opposed to Christ) which demands your allegiance, in the view of many people in and out of government, you forfeit your right to do business.

If you believe in the Church's teaching on abortion and contraception and you are inconveniently still breathing, you are no longer able to run your business in a way compliant with that belief.

All in the name of tolerance, of course.

Tolerance, a Christian concept, originally a guide stick meant to keep one on the true path, has now been transformed into a bludgeon meant for the head of anyone who still proclaims there is a true path.

Today's tolerance seethes. The plowshare has been beaten in to a sword by the father of all lies. With it, he will try cut off the little faith that is left.

So many people today have bought into this perverted notion of tolerance. Genuine tolerance sometimes requires you to grit your teeth. If you are baring your teeth instead, trust me, you are doing it wrong.

Many people today, just as they will be in the time of Antichrist, will happily denounce truth and cheerfully believe a lie if that is the price of doing business.

I have often wondered what it would be like in the time of Antichrist when real Christians, those who refuse the mark, are scattered and seemingly alone. How will they know each other?

Simple. They will be the ones eating a chicken sandwich without a rainbow lapel pin.