[wreckedangle]

The Franciscans taught me in school that 666 referred to Nero. Nero may have been evil, but 666 was not a code name for the devil. Also, the Apocalypse is not about the end of the world per se. It recounts events they thought was the "end of their world". For example, the four horsemen referred to the barbarians that were attacking the roman empire and they were named after the diseases they brought with them. FWIW...

[redgolum]

The 666 referring to Nero is also what I was taught, and the "mark of the beast" was probably a signed letter stating that so and so sacrificed incense to the emperor, and hence wasn't a Christian.

I am reading Eusabias again, and it is amazing how persecution they had to go through!