Re: Two anti-anti Bible posts in one...

1) Sex offender registries are like making a list of names with data. It doesn't really fulfill 'mark of the beast' because it's not something you put on people, but something you write about people. Plus, it's not being advocated for the entire populace, but for people who break laws. Maybe I'm missing it due to a lack of familiarity with revelations, could you explain what prophecies it is fulfilling specifically and how?

2) 'Killing their soul' is a metaphor. I really doubt an anti literally believes that. A lot of antis who use the expression probably don't even believe in a literal soul. What it means is probably more along the lines of killing your capacity to be happy and interact with people effectively. It's probably not the best choice of words, but then again so are a lot of expressions that people use in the heat of the moment.

In regards to your Jesus analogy, someone with a 'killed soul' (even if you took it literally) would still be able to topple his rule. Prophecies regarding Jesus had nothing to do with his requiring a soul to topple Herod. The prophecy did not say "Jesus will topple Herod with his divine soul" as far as I can recall, just that he meant the doom of Herod. As far as Herod's concerned, Jesus' soul could survive and remain divine, so long as his body died he was not a physical threat to him. Herod may not have even believed in souls, do we have any information about the guy's religious beliefs at all?

Obviously the guy's no Christian considering Christians didn't really exist at the time (even when Jesus was a kid they probably didn't, Christianit only really started when Jesus began inspiring people with miracles and gathering disciples and stuff) so Herod wasn't one, yeah. Especially since he was trying to off him and stuff. You sort of stop being a Christian at that point (like Judas) but Herod was never one to begin with.

'Scarred for life' people can still cause a fuss and topple people in power and unify a populace for a cause.

Another thing I should probably bring up, is when people talk about 'killing the soul' I personally think it is more strongly in reference to when people are manipulated under the guise of friendship or mentorship only to get them to consent to sexual acts against their best interests, forcing them into secrecy and to not be believed and stuff like that.

In a lot of ways, outright rape does not have those side effects. Rape is awful in its own way, but when done by complete strangers (such as if Herod ordered his soldiers to) it doesn't have the same things about betrayal or being called a liar and stuff. Especially since in such a scenario it would have happened to everyone, you're going to be united in mutual outrage against it. It's really just not a smart idea: realistically, you're more likely to start a revolt that way. To say Herod would do such things is ridiculous. If I found out someone raped me as a baby I'd think they were an awful person and want to get revenge on them and stuff.

Plus... the scriptures don't detail the minutia of every single thing that happens. It's possible the soldiers did do that before (or after) killing the babies, either on Herod's order or of their own accord. Very doubtful of course, but you never know. Maybe some atrocities of the past are so bad even the scriptures don't detail them? If such a thing were ever mentioned in the new testament I really doubt the catholic church would have chosen it as holy. It makes you wonder about all those books that never made it in.

Another thing is that Herod had them killed right when they were born in stuff I think. Usually to scar someone horribly from an experience (especially in the way aforementioned, with psychological manipulation) someone's usually got to be old enough to HAVE a psyche, which I don't think babies have much of (nor do they really remember much later in life).

That'd mean Herod would have had to wait for them to get older, and by that point they're a way huger threat because they're able to run and gather food on their own and murder attempts are more likely to fail. Especially in the case of Jesus, he was already studying scriptures and on his way to gathering followers and making miracles at a young age. If Herod had an inkling of what was building up there (maybe he did) it would've been smart to not procrastinate on offing him.