檢視 Babylon Magdalena 的原始碼

[[Image:Whorebab.jpg|right|thumb|300px|巴比倫大淫婦騎在七頭的獸身上]]
'''巴比倫大淫婦'''，又譯為「巴比倫大妓女」，是《[[聖經]]·[[啟示錄]]》中提到的寓言式的邪惡人物，<!-- one of several [[基督教]]和[[塔法裡教]]（Rastafarian）. --> 她與[[敵基督]]與七頭十角的獸有關。

<!-- She makes her appearance in 啟示錄17章, in which she is described as:
<blockquote>「你來，我要將坐在眾水之上的大妓女所要受的刑罰，指給你看。地上的君王向來與她行淫，住在地上的人喝醉了她淫亂的酒。」（啟示錄17章1-2節[[聖經恢復本]]）</blockquote>

She bears the title, "'''奧秘的大巴比倫''', 地上妓女和可憎之物的母", and is described as being 「喝醉了聖徒的血，和耶穌見證人的血。」（啟示錄17章5-6節）啟示錄中還[[預言]]她將要 at the hands of the kingdom with seven heads and ten horns. -->

==表號==
[[Image:Whoreofbabylon.gif|300px|right|thumb|15世紀末德國出版的木版畫]]

<!-- 《聖經·啟示錄》中的「大妓女」出現在第17章和第18章。其中許多經節充滿了象徵意義：

啟示錄17:4 那女人穿著紫色和朱紅色的衣服，用金子、寶石、珍珠為妝飾，手中拿著金盃，盛滿了可憎之物，並她淫亂的污穢。 

啟示錄17:5 在她額上有名寫著：奧秘哉！大巴比倫，地上妓女和可憎之物的母。 

啟示錄17:6 我又看見那女人喝醉了聖徒的血，和耶穌見證人的血；我看見她，就大大的希奇。  

啟示錄17:9 在此需要有智慧的心思。那七頭就是女人所坐的七座山，

啟示錄17:10 又是七位王。五位已經傾倒了，一位還在，另一位還沒有來到，他來的時候，必須存留片時。

啟示錄17:11 那先前有，如今沒有的獸，就是第八位；它是出於那七位，且要去到滅亡。

啟示錄17:12 你所看見的那十角，就是十王，他們還沒有得國；但他們要和獸同得權柄，作王一個小時。

啟示錄17:15 天使又對我說，你所看見那妓女坐著的眾水，就是多民族、多群眾、多邦國、多方言。

啟示錄17:18 你所看見的那女人，就是有國權轄管地上眾王的大城。

==認為羅馬和羅馬帝國是巴比倫大淫婦的觀點==

許多聖經學者同意冠以大淫婦頭銜的巴比倫<!-- is meant as an [[allegory]] of [[羅馬]] &mdash;也許在當時 specifically to some aspect; of Rome's rule (殘忍、greed, 異教、or even a servant people that does the bidding of Rome.[[羅馬天主教]] 註釋 of ''[[Jerusalem Bible]]'', 新教[[福音派]]註釋 of ''[[New International Version]] [[Study Bible]]'', the [[Rasta]]farians and 新教自由派註釋 of the ''[[牛津大學出版社|Oxford Annotated Study Bible]]'' all concur that "Babylon is the symbolic name for Rome" and that ([[1st century]]) "Rome" is the "[[type (theology)|type]] of any place where evil is supreme." (''Jerusalem Bible'', commentary to Rev. 17)

Elsewhere in the [[新約]], in [[First Epistle of Peter|1 Peter]] 5:13, "Babylon" is possibly used to refer to Rome. This is bolstered by the remark in [[啟示錄]] 17:9 that she sits on "七座山", which could be 眾所周知的諺語[[羅馬的七座山]]. "Rome" would therefore be the 'new Babylon' and all of the symbolism characterizing Babylon as a wanton "whore", would be transferable to Rome, according to this view.

However, the author of Revelation elsewhere refers to [[Jerusalem]], as "that great city, which spiritually is called [[Sodom and Gomorrah|Sodom]] and [[Egypt]], where also our Lord was crucified." (Rev. 11:8)

There are a number of smaller symbolic clues that some see as suggesting a link between Rome and Babylon &mdash; the [[羅馬帝國]] in its 軍事佔領巴勒斯坦, its repression of the Jewish nation and religion, its [[destruction of Jerusalem]] following Jewish revolts in [[70]] [[AD]] and [[135]] [[AD]], and its [[persecution of Christians]], would lend meaning to the imagery of the 'whore, drunk with the blood of [[martyr]]s,' as a wantonly violent and bloodthirsty entity.

However, it must be noted that in Matthew 23:35 and Luke 11:50-51, Jesus himself assigned all of the bloodguilt for the killing of the prophets and of the saints (of all time) to the [[Pharisees]] of Jerusalem. And in Revelation 17:6 and 18:20,24 almost identical phrasing is used in charging that very same bloodguilt to Babylon. This along with the characterisation of Jerusalem as "Sodom" and "Egypt" in Revelations 11:8 would tend to cast doubt on the theory that John was referring to Rome as Babylon.

In Rastafarian ideology both Babylon and Rome are also equated with this modern world in which we live. The Rastas have popularised the name Babylon to refer to what they see as the fundamentally evil modern society. -->

==認為以色列國是巴比倫大淫婦的觀點==
[[Image:Woman of Babylon by Durer.jpg|right|280px|thumb|<small>巴比倫大淫婦</small>]]

許多基督徒學者指出雖然在寫作[[啟示錄]]的1世紀是主要的異教勢力，<!-- 巴比倫大淫婦的表號refers not to an invading infidel foreign power, but to an apostate false queen, a former "bride" who has been unfaithful and who, even though she has been divorced and cast out because of unfaithfulness, continues to falsely claim to be the "queen" of the spiritual realm.<ref>[http://www.catholic.com/library/Hunting_the_Whore_of_Babylon.asp Hunting the Whore of Babylon]</ref><ref>[http://www.apocalipsis.org/rev-17.htm Ch 17: Babylon the whore.]</ref>

This symbolism did not fit the case of Rome at the time.

In this view, [[以色列]] or [[Judea]] ruled by the self respecting Jews who did not accept Jesus Christ as their [[Messiah]], is seen by the uneducated and by Pagans as being a 屬靈的[[妓女]]. (Some connect this interpretation to [[猶太人]] as a whole and especially to [[以色列國]].)

This was not a new "Christian" metaphor. Several Old Testament [[prophet]]s referred to Jerusalem as being a spiritual harlot and a mother of such [[harlot]]ry (Isaiah 1:21; Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 3:1-11; Ezekiel 16:15-18; Ezekiel 23).

Some of these Old Testament prophecies concerning Judah are in fact very close to the text concerning Babylon in Revelation, suggesting that John may well have actually been citing those prophecies in his description of Babylon.

For example, in Jeremiah 13, Judah is warned that because of her whoredom: the cups of all the people will be "filled with wine", they will be "made drunk", and then the nation will be suddenly destroyed. This is identical to the scenario in Revelation 17-18. It also correlates with the warning of Jesus that Jerusalem would be suddenly invaded and destroyed just prior to his return to Earth, in Luke 21: 20-22.

So according to this view, John's prophecy about Babylon was merely a detailed repetition of warnings already given by many Old Testament prophets and by Jesus himself in Matthew Chapter 23.

There are other clues in the book of Revelation supporting the idea that Jerusalem is Babylon.

啟示錄17:15-18 says the ''"woman"'' (Babylon) is ''"that great city"''.

In Revelation 11:8 , speaking of two final [[endtime]] witnesses slain by the government of the "beast", it states that ''"their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also Our Lord was crucified."'' [[Jesus Christ]] was crucified in [[Jerusalem]].

Babylon's trappings of gold and silver and her clothing of diverse colours could refer to the Jewish temple services and the [[Kohen Gadol|high priest]]hood of [[Judaism]], according to this [[exegesis]] of Revelation, and thus to a possible [[Third Temple]] of the future in Jerusalem, in which the [[Antichrist]] person might seat himself according to the epistles of the [[apostle Paul]], which was written while the Second Temple still was intact. 

These riches are also considered by some to refer to the Jewish nation's historical involvement in the trade of precious metals, jewels, textiles, and other merchandise. -->

<!-- Re-word this please - it doesn't "lend credence" to the idea that Jerusalem is 'Babylon' - rather it serves to possibly disprove the idea that Rome is Babylon.....

Another point that lends credence to the idea that Jerusalem is Babylon: 
Rome is not built upon seven [[mountain]]s as the city of which Revelation speaks is, but rather upon seven [[hill]]s of which the [[Vatican Hill]] was never a part.
-->
<!-- 耶路撒冷, however, is built on seven [[mountain]]s: Mt. [[Goath]], Mt. [[Gareb]], Mt. [[Acra (fortress)|Acra]], Mt. [[Bezetha]], Mt. [[Zion]], Mt. [[Ophel]], and Mt. [[Moriah]].<ref>http://bibleprophesy.org/rev1718.htm#4</ref>

Both the Old and the New Testament use different words for hills and mountains.<ref>[http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/NewTestamentGreek/grk.cgi?search=hill&version=kjv&type=eng&submit=Find Greek] and [http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/OldTestamentHebrew/heb.cgi?search=mountain&version=kjv&type=eng&submit=Find Hebrew] lexicons - [[Strong's Concordance]]</ref> Scripture calls the small mountains of [[Jerusalem]] by the very word ''"mountains"'': ''"As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever."'' &mdash; [[Psalms]] 125:2

Those scholars who defend this position believe that Earthly [[耶路撒冷]] would ''"ride the beast"'' that is control and manipulate the Satanic power behind the various 'pagan' or 'worldly' nations.

耶路撒冷的影響 and the [[Pharisees]] may also have contributed to the anti-Christian activities of 古[[羅馬]] biblical scholars say.

The [[Holy See|See of St. Peter]] however in its essence would not fall due to this influence, neither did the Church of [[使徒彼得]] in Rome fall due to the persecutions of [[Nero]] these scholars say. [[Papacy]] in itself would remain ''"until the end of time"'' according to the [[First Vatican Council]].

根據這種觀點，啟示錄中的「大城」, the Earthly [[Jerusalem]] of those who 拒絕了基督(see [[猶太教]] and [[Talmud]]), is opposed to the spiritual, heavenly, new [[Jerusalem]], which is the Christian Church of the faithful of [[Jesus]] (the bride): ''"And I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."''

In this sense Earthly 耶路撒冷 is also considered by some to be tied to a world rule of hedonism and (religious) relativism, to have its centre of power in Jerusalem,以色列國。<ref>http://bibleprophesy.org/rev1718.htm</ref> It might linked to an establishment of [[Noahide Laws]] combined with a world-wide body of religious unity, a [[One World Church]] or [[One World Religion]] eventually coming forth from it, which would have its centre in [[Jerusalem]], [[State of Israel]]. This latter view is a fairly modern interpretation, though the idea of an establishment of a One World Church is not, for against this One World Church [[Pope Pius X]] explicitly warned in his condemnation of religious [[laicism]] called [[Notre Charge Apostolique]] (Our Apostolic Mandate).<ref>''"Alas! this organisation which formerly afforded such promising expectations, this limpid and impetuous stream, has been harnessed in its course by the modern enemies of the Church, and is now no more than a miserable affluent of the great movement of apostasy being organised in every country for the establishment of a One-World Church which shall have neither dogmas, nor hierarchy, neither discipline for the mind, nor curb for the passions, and which, under the pretext of freedom and human dignity, would bring back to the world (if such a Church could overcome) the reign of legalised cunning and force, and the oppression of the weak, and of all those who toil and suffer.''

''We know only too well the dark workshops in which are elaborated these mischievous doctrines which ought not to seduce clear-thinking minds."'' - [[Pope Pius X]], Notre Charge Apostolique, On the Sillon Movement and false notions of Equality, Human Liberty and Fraternity, 1910. [http://www.americancatholiclawyers.org/encyclical%20-%20notre%20charge.htm]</ref>

It is tied, in this interpretation, to the establishment of a [[New World Order|universal world government]], against which [[Bonum sane]] of [[Pope Benedict XV]]<ref>"The advent of a Universal Republic [some translation say: 'world state'], which is longed for by all the worst elements of disorder, and confidently expected by them, is an idea which is now ripe for execution. From this republic, based on the principles of absolute equality of men and community of possessions, would be banished all national distinctions, nor in it would the authority of the father over his children, or of the public power over the citizens, or of God over human society, be any longer acknowledged. If these ideas are put into practice, there will inevitably follow a reign of unheard-of terror", Benedict XV Pont. Max., 1920, Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 12, pp. 300-317.</ref> warned. --> 


==認為羅馬天主教是巴比倫大淫婦的觀點==
<!-- ===Protestant Reformation===

Some pre-[[宗教改革]] writers and most of the Reformers themselves, from [[Martin Luther]] (who wrote ''[[On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church]]''), [[John Calvin]], and [[John Knox]] (who wrote ''[[The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women]]'') identify the [[Roman Catholic Church]] with the Whore of Babylon.  This opinion influenced several generations in [[England]] and [[Scotland]] when it was put into the [[1599]] edition of the [[Geneva Bible]].  

Identification of the Pope as the Antichrist was written into Protestant creeds such as the [[Westminster Confession of Faith|Westminster Confession]] of [[1646]].  The tradition of identifying the Roman Catholic Church with the Whore of Babylon is kept in the ''[[Scofield Reference Bible]]'' (whose [[1917]] edition identified "ecclesiastical Babylon" with "apostate Christendom headed by the [[Holy See|Papacy]]") and pro-Reformation writings such as those of [http://www.swordofthelord.com/biographies/HaldemanIM.htm I.M. Haldeman], and it is kept alive by contemporary figures such as [[Ian Paisley]] and [[Jack Chick]].  The "drunkenness with the blood of saints and martyrs", by this interpretation, refers to the [[veneration]] of [[saint]]s and [[relic]]s, which is viewed by the Reformers as [[idolatry]] and [[apostasy]].  Those who accept this tradition use the phrase "Whore of Babylon" to refer to the Roman Catholic Church.

The Protestant reformers were not the first people to call 羅馬天主教稱為巴比倫大淫婦。There was a fairly long tradition of this kind of name-calling by opponents of the Papacy.  [[Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick Barbarossa]] published missives that called the Papacy the Whore of Babylon, and the [[Pope]] the Antichrist, during the course of his protracted quarrel with [[Pope Alexander III]]. [[Dante Alighieri|Dante]] equated the [[political corruption|corruption]] and [[simony]] in the office of the Papacy with the Whore of Babylon in Canto 19 of his [[The Divine Comedy|Inferno]]: 

:''Di voi pastor s'accorse il Vangelista,<br> quando colei che siede sopra l'acque<br>puttaneggiar coi regi a lui fu vista. . .''
::("Shepherds like you the Evangelist had in mind when he saw the one that sits upon the waters committing fornication with the kings.")  

When the [[Florence|Florentine]] religious reformer [[Girolamo Savonarola]] also called the Papacy the Whore of Babylon, he meant something closer to the Reformers' usage.  These claims, however, were based chiefly on social and political disagreements with Roman Catholic policy, or at their strongest accuse the Papacy of moral corruption.  The Protestant reformers, by contrast, seriously considered the Papacy to be at least potentially the apocalyptic figure mentioned in Bible prophecy, and included the claim in Bible commentaries as well as polemics.  They meant something more than to accuse the Roman Catholic Church of political or moral corruption; they claimed that as a church it taught a [[Satan]]ic counterfeit plan of [[salvation]], one that would lead its faithful to [[Hell]] rather than to [[Heaven]]. -->

<!-- ===Latter Day Saint movement===
{{main|great and abominable church}}

In [[Latter Day Saint movement]], which accepts the ''Bible'' as scripture, there are additional books within the [[Biblical canon]] that describe the whore of Babylon as a "[[great and abominable church]]". According to the religion's ''[[Book of Mormon]]'', the great and abominable church was formed soon after the life of [[Jesus]] and is responsible for killing the [[Apostles]], and for the [[Great Apostasy]] ([[First Nephi|1 Ne.]] 13:5-6). The church was said to be instrumental in corrupting the ''Bible'' and removing from it "the most plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb" (1 Ne. 13:34).

Although some followers of the religion's founder [[Joseph Smith, Jr.]] have understood the great and abominable church to refer to the [[Catholic church]] or [[Protestantism]], the book also states that there are "two churches only", one that follows Jesus and another that follows the devil (1 Ne. 14:10-11); therefore, many adherents understand the references in the ''Book of Mormon'' to refer metaphorically to all followers of [[Satan]]. -->

<!-- === Swedenborgianism ===

根據[[Swedenborgian]]的教義，巴比倫大淫婦symbolizes the lust for power within羅馬天主教. It is believed that 啟示錄is a spiritual allegory for the downfall of 傳統基督教, and its revival into a [[New Church]]. Each symbol in Revelation is thought to have [[correspondence]] with some aspect of the spiritual state of the Christian Church. In the book "Apocalypse Explained" Swedenborg expounds an explanation of Revelation, including judgements on the Catholic Church as 巴比倫大淫婦。

=== 天主教的回應; disuse of the epithet ===
羅馬天主教會否認 the claim that it is the being referred to by 啟示錄 as 巴比倫大淫婦; at the height of the Reformation era tensions, Roman Catholic authors often accused specific Protestant leaders of being potential Antichrists; these leaders, however, did not include St [[Robert Bellarmine]], who taught that a personal Antichrist would arise before the end of the world, as do most Protestants who take a position today.  

The use of the idiom appears to have dwindled, along with the rise in secular terminology to replace religious symbolism.  Among the explanations are that the term is contrary to [[福音派]] methods and goals and socially unconstructive, and so the tradition is kept only internally if it is kept at all.  The rise of [[dispensationalism]] as a school of interpretation of [[end times]] has also caused many [[Protestantism|Protestants]] to revise their interpretation of these passages in a way that diminishes the certainty of their identification of the Whore of Babylon with any present religion. -->

<!-- === Traditionalist Catholics === -->

<!-- A handful of [[Traditionalist Catholic]]s and [[sedevacantists]], who do not accept the [[Mass of Paul VI|1969 revision]] of the rite of [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]] and consider the recent popes to be heretics, believe that the official Roman Catholic Church as it has existed since [[Vatican II]] or the election of [[John XXIII]] is in fact the Whore of Babylon.<ref>[http://www.mostholyfamilymonastery.com/Issue-4_Is_the_Vatican_II_Church_the_Whore_of_Babylon.html]</ref> They differ from the Protestant view only in that they consider the Catholic Church before the [[Second Vatican Council]] to be the "real" Catholic Church, with which they claim continuity. In their eyes, the present-day Roman Catholic Church is a blasphemous mockery. -->

==認為美國是巴比倫大淫婦的觀點==

<!-- The use of the "[[Great Satan]]" metaphor by some fundamentalist followers of [[Islam]] makes an implicit comparison of the [[United States]] to ancient Babylon and Rome. Those who equate the US with Mystery Babylon liken the United States to the Roman Empire &mdash; and therefore to Babylon &mdash; because of what they charge is its high-handed treatment of other countries as a [[military]] [[superpower]]. South American intellectuals from the '60s and '70s political movements have been known to use this metaphor as well. [[social conservatism|Conservative]] [[moral]]ists, including some in the US, especially those associated with the [[religious right]], see United States [[popular culture]] as [[decadent]] and evil, obsessed with sex and violence.

Not only is Mystery Babylon, in Revelation 17 and 18, described as a great consumer and superpower, but she is destroyed by the beast kingdom of the [http://www.lastdaysmystery.info/the_antichrist.htm Antichrist] with its seven heads and ten horns. The beast with [http://www.lastdaysmystery.info/beast_which_has_the_seven_heads_and_ten_horns.htm seven heads and ten horns] is a reference to Daniel's description of the kingdom of the Antichrist, in {{bibleverse||Daniel|7:23-25|NIV}}.  Additionally, the [[Statue of Liberty]] bears relatively close resemblance to the Whore.  The statue was modeled after the Roman goddess Libertus, which is claimed to have come from the chief Babylonian goddess Ishtar.<ref>[http://www.aoreport.com/mag/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=68&Itemid=47 The Idols Of America]</ref>  Moreover, the only modern city or town to bear the name Babylon is on [[Long Island]].  Babylon (or the Whore) is also described as sitting upon many waters (Revelation 17:1).  This may apply to either the United States, which stretches from sea to shining sea and which has a trading empire across the oceans; or to the Statue of Liberty, which sits in [[New York Harbor]].  Furthermore, if the "beast" is identified as the [[United Nations]], then the US might be seen as being its rider, since it is one of the five members of the [[UN Security Council]] and hosts the [[United Nations headquarters|UN headquarters]] in [[New York City]].  Another aspect of interest is that the United States has "conquered" the historical capital of Babylon in [[Iraq]] during the War on Terror.  By virtue of tradition, this means that America has taken up the mantle of the Babylonian Empire.  However, the United States is not apparently responsible for the "blood of the saints" as of this time (Rev. 17:6), unless an apocalyptic interpretation is applied to American support of Kosovar Albanians, despite their persecution of Christian Serbs and widespread destruction of ancient Orthodox Christian Serbian churches and monasteries. -->

==認為歐盟是巴比倫大淫婦的觀點==
許多基要派新教作者認定[[歐盟]]是羅馬帝國的繼承者，根據[[羅馬條約]]成立，是巴比倫大淫婦。<!-- 

在布魯塞爾歐盟總部的前面，比利時 is a 雕像 of "[[Europa (mythology)|Europa on the Bull]]" which can 一個女人騎在一個獸上。This can be interpreted as a reference to 啟示錄17, where we learn of a woman riding a scarlet coloured beast.

在斯特拉斯堡歐盟總部前，[[法國]] is modeled after the [[The Tower of Babel (Brueghel)]]{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. Pieter Brueghel's famous painting of 巴別塔 was used as a model for this EU Parliament building. -->

==認為蘇聯是巴比倫大淫婦的觀點==
在冷戰期間，<!-- 美國 popular culture was engendered to view the former [[蘇聯]] as a "Babylon" of sorts &mdash; a monster to be defeated. Dispensationalist [[study Bible]]s and commentaries such as the ''[[Scofield Reference Bible]]'' and ''[[The Late Great Planet Earth]]'' typically identified the Soviet Union, or earlier [[Russia]], with [[Gog and Magog|Gog]], also an allegorical figure of evil that appears in Revelation and the [[Book of Ezekiel]] (although it is important to note that Gog and Magog are themselves defeated by the Beast who rules Babylon). A great many parallels could be drawn to the [[Soviet Union|USSR]], and for that matter, the [[British Empire]], and [[Nazi Germany]]. The demise of the Soviet Union has led dispensionalists to revise their commentaries. -->

==耶和華見證人==

<!-- [[耶和華見證人]]相信大巴比倫，大淫婦([[New World Translation|NWT]]) symbolizes 世界帝國 of false religion, including, but not limited to, [[Christendom]], a term they use to refer to all religious organizations who tell lies about the true identity of God almighty and His purpose with mankind. Among John』s visions recorded in the book of Revelation appear pronouncements of judgment against 「Babylon the Great,」 as well as a description of her and of her downfall.—Re 14:8; 16:19; chaps 17, 18; 19:1-3.

In Revelation 17:3-5, Babylon the Great is described as a woman arrayed in purple and scarlet, richly adorned, and sitting upon a scarlet-colored wild beast having seven heads and ten horns. Upon her forehead a name is written, 「a mystery: 『Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth.』」 She is also depicted as sitting on 「many waters」 representing 「peoples and crowds and nations and tongues.」—Re 17:1-15.

The luxury and the dominion attributed to 大巴比倫 do not allow for simply equating her with 字面理解的美索不達米亞的巴比倫城。公元前539年古巴比倫被波斯滅亡以後，失去了過去支配世界的權勢，它的俘虜，包括猶太人，都被釋放。儘管巴比倫城一直存在到使徒的時代，約翰寫作啟示錄的時候，但已經喪失了在世界上的重要性，最後終於衰落成為廢墟。Thus, Babylon the Great must be viewed as a symbolic city, one of which 字面的巴比倫城 was the prototype. Because the ancient city gives the mystic city its name, it is helpful to consider briefly the outstanding features of Babylon on the Euphrates, features that provide clues as to the identity of the symbolic city of John』s vision.

古巴比倫的特徵。巴比倫城建造在示拿平原 was concurrent with the attempt at建造巴別塔。(Ge 11:2-9) The popular cause to be advanced by the tower and city construction was, not the exaltation of God』s name, but that the builders might 「make a celebrated name」 for themselves. The ziggurat towers uncovered not only in the ruins of ancient Babylon but elsewhere in Mesopotamia would seem to confirm the essentially religious nature of the original tower, whatever its form or style. The decisive action taken by Jehovah God to overthrow the temple construction clearly condemns it as of a false religious origin. Whereas the Hebrew name given the city, Babel, means 「Confusion,」 the Sumerian name (Ka-dingir-ra) and the Akkadian name (Bab-ilu) both mean 「Gate of God.」 Thus the remaining inhabitants of the city altered the form of its name to avoid the original condemnatory sense, but the new or substitute form still identified the city with religion.

The Bible lists Babel first when giving the 『beginning of Nimrod』s kingdom.』 (Ge 10:8-10) Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures the ancient city of Babylon is featured prominently as the longtime enemy of Jehovah God and his people.

Though巴比倫在公元前7世紀和前6世紀 became the capital of a political empire , it was outstandingly prominent during its entire history as a religious center from which religious influence radiated in many directions.

Professor Morris Jastrow, Jr., in his work The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria (1898, pp. 699-701), says regarding this: 「In the ancient world, prior to the rise of Christianity, Egypt, Persia, and Greece felt the influence of the Babylonian religion. . . . In Persia, the Mithra cult reveals the unmistakable influence of Babylonian conceptions; and if it be recalled what a degree of importance the mysteries connected with this cult acquired among the Romans, another link will be added connecting the ramifications of ancient culture with the civilization of the Euphrates Valley.」 In conclusion he refers to 「the profound impression made upon the ancient world by the remarkable manifestations of religious thought in 巴比倫and by the religious activity that prevailed in that region.」

巴比倫宗教 influence is traced eastward to India in the book New Light on the Most Ancient East, by archaeologist V. Childe (1957, p. 185). Among other points he states: 「The swastika and the cross, common on stamps and plaques, were religious or magical symbols as in Babylonia and Elam in the earliest prehistoric period, but preserve that character also in modern India as elsewhere.」 Thus, ancient Babylon』s religious influence spread out to many peoples and nations, much farther and with greater potency and endurance than did her political strength.

Like mystic Babylon, the ancient city of Babylon, in effect, sat on the waters, located, as it was, astride 幼發拉底河 and having various canals and water-filled moats. (Jer 51:1, 13; Re 17:1, 15) These waters served as a defense to the city, and they provided the thoroughfares upon which ships brought wealth and luxuries from many sources. Notably, the water of the Euphrates is depicted as drying up prior to Babylon the Great』s experiencing the wrath of divine judgment.—Re 16:12, 19.

Distinguishing Features of Mystic Babylon. The symbolic woman bearing the name Babylon the Great is 「the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth,」 a kingdom that allows her, in effect, to sit on 「peoples and crowds and nations and tongues.」 (Re 17:1, 15, 18) A kingdom over other kingdoms and nations is what is defined as an 「empire.」 Babylon the Great places herself above earthly kings, exercising power and influence over them. She rides the symbolic seven-headed beast, beasts being used elsewhere in the Bible as symbols of political world powers.

Some scholars assume that Babylon the Great is a political empire, either Babylon or Rome. We have already seen that Babylon as a political empire had long since ceased to exist when John received his prophetic vision. As to Rome, the nature of its political rule does not harmonize with the description of Babylon the Great』s course and her methods of dominating. She is a harlot, committing fornication with the kings of the earth, making them drunk with the wine of her fornication, misleading the nations by her 「spiritistic practice.」 (Re 17:1, 2; 18:3, 23) Rome』s dominion, by contrast, was gained and maintained by its ironlike military might and its firm application of Roman law among its provinces and colonies. Recognizing this fact, The Interpreter』s Dictionary of the Bible says: 「It is not sufficient to identify Rome and Babylon. Babylon embraces more than one empire or culture. It is defined rather by dominant idolatries than by geographical or temporal boundaries. Babylon is coextensive with the kingdom of that beast which has corrupted and enslaved mankind, and whom the Lamb must conquer (Rev. 17:14) if mankind is to be freed.」—Edited by G. Buttrick, 1962, Vol. 1, p. 338.

The symbol of a harlot or a fornicatrix is used frequently in the Hebrew Scriptures. The nation of Israel was warned against entering into covenant relations with the nations of Canaan because this would lead them to commit 「immoral intercourse [「play the harlot,」 RS] with their gods.」 (Ex 34:12-16) Both Israel and Judah apostatized from the true worship of Jehovah God and were condemned by him as having engaged in harlotry, prostituting themselves to the political nations and their gods. (Isa 1:21; Jer 3:6-10, 13; Eze 16:15-17, 28, 29, 38; Ho 6:10; 7:11; 8:9, 10) It may be noted here that God was not viewing Israel or Judah as mere political entities entering into relations with other political governments. Instead God reprimanded them on the basis of their being in a sacred covenant with him, hence responsible to be a holy people devoted to him and his pure worship.—Jer 2:1-3, 17-21.

A similar usage of this figure is found in the Christian Greek Scriptures. The Christian congregation is likened to a virgin espoused to Christ as her Head and King. (2Co 11:2; Eph 5:22-27) The disciple James warned Christians against committing spiritual adultery through friendship with the world. (Jas 4:4; compare Joh 15:19.) The fornications of Babylon the Great and her 「daughters」 are of a similar nature and not some unique exception. (The term 「daughters」 at times is employed in the Bible to refer to the suburbs or surrounding towns of a city or metropolis, as the 「dependent towns」 [literally, 「daughters」 in Hebrew] of Samaria and Sodom; see Eze 16:46-48.)

An additional significant factor is that when Babylon the Great goes down under the devastating attack of the ten horns of the symbolic wild beast, her fall is mourned by her companions in fornication, the kings of the earth, and also by the merchants and shippers who dealt with her in supplying luxurious commodities and gorgeous fineries. While these political and commercial representatives survive her desolation, notably no religious representatives are depicted as still on the scene to share in mourning her downfall. (Re 17:16, 17; 18:9-19) The kings of the earth are shown as having judgment executed upon them sometime after mystic Babylon』s annihilation, and their destruction comes, not from the 「ten horns,」 but from the sword of the King of kings, the Word of God.—Re 19:1, 2, 11-18.

A further distinguishing characteristic of Babylon the Great is her drunkenness, she being pictured as 「drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.」 (Re 17:4, 6; 18:24; 19:1, 2) She thus is the spiritual counterpart of the ancient city of Babylon, expressing the same enmity toward the true people of God. Significantly, it was to the charge of religious leaders that Jesus laid the responsibility for 「all the righteous blood spilled on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah.」 While those words were addressed to religious leaders from among Jesus』 own race, the Jewish nation, and while persecution against Jesus』 followers was particularly intense from that sector for a time, history shows that thereafter the opposition to genuine Christianity came from other sources (the Jews themselves suffering considerable persecution).—Mt 23:29-35.

All the above factors are significant, and they must all be considered in arriving at a true picture of symbolic Babylon the Great and what it represents. -->

==塔法裡教：英國女王是巴比倫大淫婦==
<!-- [[In [[Rastafarian]] ideology it is [[英國女王]] [[Elizabeth II]] who is seen as 今天的巴比倫大淫婦。This alleged relation between the Queen and the Whore was elucidated in [[牙買加]], where the Queen is the [[Head of state]], and where the Rastafarian faith was founded. Rastafarians 相信[[Haile Selassie]] is not only their [[God]] but also their [[國王]], 因此拒絕向女王效忠。 -->

==其它用途==

<!-- The '''巴比倫大淫婦''' figures strongly in [[Thelemic]] theogony, appearing very similarly to Cybele or Ishtar, called under the name [[Babalon]].  The name is also a title bestowed by the [[magic (religion)|magician]] [[Aleister Crowley]] on a number of his female companions and partners in magical rites, most notably [[Leila Waddell]]. [[Jack Parsons|John Whiteside Parsons]] attempted to envoke her in his "[[Babalon]] Working" performed with L. Ron Hubbard.  

電影[[Metropolis (1927 film)|Metropolis]] (1927), the Robot Maria was depicted in one scene as 巴比倫大淫婦。電影[[The Devil's Advocate (film)|The Devil's Advocate]] (1997) 暗示[[紐約]]是巴比倫大淫婦。

[[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]] adapted 巴比倫大淫婦as a working title for her 2004 Re-Invention tour.

Shadwell from ''[[Good Omens]]'' continually uses the phrase "Hoor of Babylon!"

歌曲"[[Dead Sound of Misery]]" by the [[power metal]] band [[Blind Guardian]] includes references to 巴比倫大淫婦。

The [[progressive industrial]] band Babalon based their album [[Descent]] on the concept of 巴比倫大淫婦。 

The song "[[Pure Evil]]" by the [[heavy metal]] band [[Iced Earth]] includes references to 巴比倫大淫婦。

The song "[[Beast and the Harlot]]" by [[重金屬]]/[[hard rock]] band [[Avenged Sevenfold]] includes references to 巴比倫大淫婦。

歌曲"Babalon", from the 1980 album "Laughing Academy" by the band Punishment Of Luxury includes references to 巴比倫大淫婦。

巴比倫大淫婦appears in the PS2 game [[Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne]] as "The Harlot."

In [[Monty Python's Life of Brian]] the "Blood and Thunder Prophet" played by Terry Gilliam preaches that "...巴比倫大淫婦 shall come forth on a six-headed serpent, and throughout the land there shall be a great rubbing of parts!!"

歌曲[[Four Winds]] by [[Bright Eyes]]中也提到了巴比倫大淫婦, in the line "When Great Satan's gone, 巴比倫大淫婦, she just can't sustain the pressure where it's placed.  She caves."

巴比倫大淫婦and associated historical phrases presaging her destruction are the theme of ''Flieht aus der Mitte von Babylon'' ("Flee from (the middle of) Babylon") of the German band [[Glashaus]].

The Steely Dan song "Babylon Sisters" has little to do with the Biblical 巴比倫大淫婦, but does have loose references to prostitution. -->


==參考文獻==
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Paris Hilton.

==參見== 
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*[[Great Apostasy]] --> 
*[[敵基督]] 
*[[撒旦]] 
*[[末日]] 
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*[[Great Satan]] -->
*《[[兩個巴比倫]]》
*[[巴別塔]]
*[[伊甸園]]
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*[[Elohim]] -->

==參考==
* ''Harper's Bible Dictionary'' Paul J. Achtemeier, general editor ([[1985]], Harper Collins), ISBN 0-06-069863-2
* ''The Jerusalem Bible'', Alexander Jones, general editor. ([[1966]], Doubleday & Co.) 
* ''The NIV Study Bible'', Kenneth Barker, general editor.  ([[1995]], Zondervan) ISBN 0-310-92589-4
* ''The New Oxford Annotated Study Bible with Apocrypha'', Bernhard W. Anderson, Bruce Metzger, general editors.  ([[1991]], Oxford University Press) ISBN 0-19-528356-2
* John Coleman, ''Conspirators' Hierarchy'', 4th ed., Carson City: Joseph Holding Corp., 2006.
* R. A. Coombes, ''America, The Babylon: America』s Destiny Foretold In Biblical Prophecy'', Leathers Pub, 1998.
* Walter Wink, ''Engaging the Powers'', Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992.

==外部鏈接==
*[http://www.accordingtothescriptures.org/prophecy/Mystery.html According to the Scriptures] The whore is that great city Babylon revived.
*[http://www.catholic.com/library/Whore_of_Babylon.asp Catholic Answers] on the Whore of Babylon
* [http://www.lastdaysmystery.info/is_america_usa_in_bible_prophecy.htm Is the USA in Bible Prophecy?]
*[http://www.gotquestions.org/whore-Babylon-mystery.html ''What is the whore of Babylon?''] from an Evangelical Christian perspective
*[http://www.enominepatris.com/america Enominepatris.com] America The Great - Mystery Babylon
*[http://www.ianpaisley.org/article.asp?ArtKey=euro1 European Institute of Protestant Studies] EU as the Whore of Babylon
*[http://www.watchtower.org/e/kn37/article_01.htm "The End of False Religion Is Near!"]  - a tract distributed by Jehovah's Witnesses
[[Category:啟示錄]]