Devil's fish: I am the Antichrist
In a dream I had in September of 2000, I was under the control of Satan, who was making my life miserable. I was stooped over and could feel the weight of his power on my back. His method of control was very clever and seemingly foolproof, but as the dream progressed I forgot the secret of how he exercised his power. I also had a vague recollection that he had a female companion.
The devil then turned me into a fish. I remember swimming in a small stream and thinking that being a fish wasn't so bad. But as soon as I grew accustomed to this form, I was turned back into a man. Now I was in a fish restaurant accompanied by a small boy. I am carrying a tray with fish dinners for both of us. As I walk down the aisle, I see an angry man in a booth who I realize is about to trip me or shove me down. However, as the man gets up to attack me, he is thrown to the floor by some invisible person, who hits the man with invisible punches. I realize that the invisible man is the devil, who is now protecting me.
Next, I see the devil standing in a pitch-black room under a bright light, which puts him in great agony. His dark clothing begins to change. First he is dressed as Superman, next as Batman, then as a football player. As the football player, he starts running down a field with the ball and is knocked out of bounds.
What did Satan look like before being transformed into a superhero? I don't recall an exact face but he did not have horns, a tail, a pitchfork or any of the cartoon features usually associated with the devil.
Last Supper As the fish is a symbol representing Christianity, the dream seemed to suggest that I am the devil's fish and, thus, the devil's Christ or Antichrist. The fish dinners, suggestive of the Last Supper, symbolize my divinity, which I am sharing with the boy, who represents a future generation. The devil who had tormented me has now become my "hero" after being exposed to the Light of God. Satan will defend me against attacks and "carry the ball" for me.
In December of 2000 the devil seemed to make a real appearance as Superman when a man dressed as the superhero carried a sign proclaiming “The End” as he protested before the U.S. Supreme Court, which was weighing the issues in the disputed Presidential election. To me it seemed that this hero (S is for Satan?) was marking the beginning of the end for our pseudo-democracy and preparing the way for my rule.
The devil as Batman spread his wings in September 2004 when a protestor fighting for fathers’ rights perched on a ledge of Buckingham Palace: a dark but comical warrior against the excesses of feminism.
I wonder how long Satan has been following me. In 1961, while on an extended visit among relatives in Texas, my mother bought me a devil costume for Halloween. At one stop, I was met at the door by a priest who gave me a $5 bill with the comment, “I always wanted to do this.” My mother was aghast that I would accept money from a priest and seemed unaware of the irony behind the gift. She thought I had knocked at the door of the rectory, although in the dark it seemed like an ordinary residence. She tried to return the money the next day, but the priest refused the offer. It was time for the Catholic Church to give the devil his due.
While serving as a reporter on the Cal State Long Beach newspaper back in the early 1970s, I interviewed the cultural director, who said his job was at risk and depended on the success of the upcoming Renaissance Faire on campus. After the fair, which did well, he called me on the carpet, berating me for falsely reporting his position had been at stake. I felt humiliated although I thought I had made accurate notes of our conversation. As I recall, a few days later he was seriously burned when he used lighter fluid to stoke the flames in a fireplace.
Perhaps those who obstruct or humiliate me will suffer their own hell.
Heads Up As a fan of televised Texas Hold 'Em, I discovered a poker-playing counterpart: Dave "The Devilfish" Ulliott, a reformed safe cracker and famous English poker player whose last name, like mine, begins with a "U" and has seven letters. I don't know if he has ever played "heads up" against another respected player, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, but such a showdown would certainly be interesting: the poker Christ versus the poker Antichrist.
Dissing Jesus George Washington may have been the Antichrist who saved the American Revolution. Believing the Hessians to be in a stupor from too much holiday merriment, Gen. Washington in 1776 chose Christmas night to cross the Delaware River and launch the Battle of Trenton. Instead of honoring the Prince of Peace, Washington exploited the sacred day to kill an unsuspecting enemy.
One could say the Arabs and Egyptians followed Washington’s example in 1973 when they chose the holiest day in Judaism to launch what became known as the Yom Kippur War.
Change In the 1999 movie The Omega Code, conspirators with a hidden agenda use computers to translate the “Bible Code,” a series of messages hidden in scripture, particularly the apocalyptic Book of Daniel and Book of Revelation.
Casper Van Dien portrays Gillen Lane, a motivational speaker with a Barack Obama message: “My goal is simply to create an environment to see change in peoples’ lives . . . We are the higher power.” In a Tom Cruise-like appearance on a female-hosted talk show, Lane jumps over a sofa and exhorts the audience, “Somebody out there say ‘change’!
Lane is tempted by the Antichrist, a European tycoon and politician, Stone Alexander, played by Michael York. Alexander tells Lane, “Like you, I’d like to create a climate to foster change in peoples’ lives.” Of course, the Antichrist wants to use Lane’s “change” message for his own purpose. I too will use Obama’s “change” to achieve my ends.
Alas, The Omega Code suffers from its determinism. It’s hard to hate the Antichrist when his every move is scripted by scripture. What kind of villain lacks free will?
