Well, that's not what Matthew says, but let's just pretend that it does.
Please excuse me if I take some time in responding, as managing both the Secularistic Agenda and the Homosexual Agenda take some time - not to mention lots of paper!
Paul makes it quite clear that he expects the end any year. He talks about how people shouldn't even worry about marriage, because the end of the world is near. All of the books continue to reference how close the end is. 20 centuries later, and there's nothing. The only unambiguous prophecy didn't occur. Name one other thing from the Bible that can be used as predictive value to test its accuracy.
Seriously, though, I have no problem with you believing that Revelations is yet-to-come - that's just fine by me. But you're *Really* stretching your definition to try and see Vatican City as being Mystery Babylon, versus ancient Rome. Rome, which literally sat on 7 hills, whose colors were Red, Gold, and Violet; who quite literally killed many Christians; etc. There's no question at all - on every front, it is far closer than the Vatican. Rome, who was hated in Paul's time, was viewed as the center of extravigance and sin, who exploited the labor and resources of its provinces....
quote:
come hell or high water
The former of which you seem to feel is ruled over by the Vatican.
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"Illuminant light,
illuminate me."