[Alas Babylon!]

The Bible foretells that in the last days before the return of Jesus, an international religious figure will rise on the scene.

It says no such thing. Religious? Was that even a term then?

The very scripture you quote below doesn't say the Anti-Christ is religious or not. Yeah, he's worshiped, but that makes him a god, not a temple priest who serves God. Case in point Caesar and his subsequent emperors were all lauded as gods, but they weren't religious leaders, even though their minions forced others to worship them.

I think it is awful when people put into scripture concepts or ideas--or in your case words--that are not there. PLEASE, let it stand on its own!

[Jan_Sobieski]

In Revelation 19 the second beast is called the “false prophet”...prophets are religious figures.