To: Sidney Reilly who wrote (2573 ) 9/2/2004 8:01:19 PM From: Cyprian Respond to of 5569 >> I personally favor that the harlot riding the beast is the Church << oh really? i find it peculiar how people just come up with ideas out of their head, whatever sounds or seems good to them. if the great whore of revelation is the united states, then tell me what city it is. for mystery babylon is called a great city eight times in revelation! if it is the Church, then what city is it that represents the Church? >> The Church is very deceived today << agreed, yet there is always a faithful remnant to the Church. but in revelation 18:4 Christ instructs His people (the Church) to come out of mystery babylon, just as he instructed old covenant israel to come out of literal babylon. you are saying that Christ is telling people to come out of his Church???????????? the Church which the gates of hell will not prevail against? Christ is telling the Church to come out of itself (mystery babylon)? >> And the true saints will come out of the Church, abandon the Church. << you are speaking utter blasphemy. i'm sorry if i sound harsh, but there is no other way to describe it. telling Christians to exit the Church is evil. Christ has guaranteed that He is with us, even unto the end. Christ is one with his Church. they are one flesh! telling people to forsake the Church is telling them to forsake Christ! for they are both one body, and Christ is the head.Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. --Hebrews 10:25 as the day of the Lord approaches we are not supposed to forsake going to church, but we are supposed to assemble and exhort ourselves even more! perhaps you just don't attend the right church. if you are going to convince anyone that you know who mystery babylon is, you should at least be able to tell them what great city represents mystery babylon. mystery babylon is not called a great city eight times in revelation for no reason.