WHAT IS AN ANTI-CHRIST?

May 24, 2025

An anti-christ is a figure neither bound by notions of good and evil nor defined by rebellion, but by an unyielding pursuit of truth.

There have been many antichrists and they have not waged war against faith out of malice, but rather to dismantle illusion with reason, historical scrutiny, and empirical evidence.

Founding Father Thomas Paine was highly critical of Christianity and the portrayal of Jesus in religious doctrine. In his work The Age of Reason, he argued against the supernatural elements of Jesus' story and questioned the legitimacy of organized religion. Paine viewed Jesus as a historical figure whose teachings were valuable but believed that the myths surrounding him were fabricated by religious institutions.

He famously wrote: "The Christian church has set up a religion of pomp and revenue in pretended imitation of a person (Jesus) who lived a life of poverty."

Paine also criticized the idea of redemption through Jesus, calling it an illogical system: "That man should redeem himself from the sin of eating an apple by committing a murder on Jesus Christ, is the strangest system of religion ever set up."

His skepticism extended to the miracles attributed to Jesus, which he dismissed as exaggerated or fictional. Paine’s writings made him a controversial figure, and his rejection of Christianity led to his ostracization later in life.

WHAT IS AN ANTI-CHRIST?

The anti-christ is a figure who exists beyond the simplistic duality of good and evil, defined not by opposition to divinity but by an unwavering commitment to truth.

The Truth-Seeking Antichrist is not an enemy of morality but of misinformation—an individual or movement dedicated to dismantling religious dogma, exposing historical inaccuracies, and challenging faith-based authority through evidence, reason, and discourse. Their mission is neither destruction nor deception, but revelation—shining a light on the mechanisms by which myths are sustained and guiding humanity toward intellectual autonomy. Rather than acting out of malice or rebellion, they seek to liberate individuals from ideological constraints, empowering them with knowledge grounded in science, philosophy, and historical fact. In this sense, the Antichrist becomes less a force of opposition and more a force of intellectual evolution—redefining humanity’s relationship with faith, belief, and empirical reality.

The Antichrist is not a villain, but as a truth-bringer, one who refuses to accept inherited narratives without scrutiny.

Here’s the expanded list of individuals who could fit the idea of a non-supernatural Antichrist—those who challenge dogma, expose myths, and advocate for reason:

Thomas Paine – Revolutionary thinker and author of The Age of Reason, which critiqued religion and championed rationalism.

Paine (1737-1809) was an English-born American Founding Father, inventor, political philosopher, and French Revolutionary. Some say he was America's greatest Founding Father because his ideas and writings inspired the American Revolution and influenced the colonial era patriots to declare independence from Great Britain.

Paine denied that the Bible was a sacred, inspired text; he argued that Christianity was a human invention. Paine argued for the separation of church and state in his 1810 essay The Age of Reason. Paine believed that the clergy's claim to religious authority was fraudulent and that the church and state had an "adulterous connection" throughout history. He believed that the alliance between the church and state allowed organized religion to silence dissent, perpetuate ignorance, and enslave people's minds.

If you know something about Basic Income, you may be aware that one of the first proposals for a Basic Income came from Thomas Paine, hero of the American and French revolutions. In 1797, after a stint in a French prison, Paine wrote the pamphlet Agrarian Justice, which sets out an argument for taxing land and distributing the proceeds among the population at large as compensation for landlessness.

Carl Sagan – Astrophysicist and science communicator who promoted skepticism, reason, and the scientific method in The Demon-Haunted World.

Bart Ehrman – Biblical scholar who has critically examined the origins and evolution of Christian texts.

Christopher Hitchens – Outspoken critic of religion, known for God Is Not Great, where he dismantled religious doctrine.

Richard Dawkins – Evolutionary biologist and author of The God Delusion, which argues against the existence of a deity.

Voltaire – Enlightenment philosopher who fiercely opposed religious superstition and advocated for reason.

Robert Ingersoll – 19th-century orator known as “The Great Agnostic,” promoting secular thought.

James Randi – Magician and skeptic who exposed frauds, including psychics and faith healers.

Susan Blackmore – Psychologist who has debunked paranormal claims and explored consciousness scientifically.

George Carlin – Legendary comedian and social critic who used sharp wit to dismantle religious hypocrisy and challenge blind faith. Carlin’s approach was unique—he didn’t just critique religion, he mocked its contradictions with brutal honesty, making his skepticism accessible to the masses. His comedy was a form of intellectual rebellion, using humor to expose the absurdities of religious dogma.