Is Barack Obama the Antichrist?

In some ways it's not surprising that pro-conservative FOX news anchor Glenn Beck brought up the notion, and jokingly, that 2008 presidential candidate Barack Obama could be the antichrist. After all, it's his job to skewer the left, and most people understand that. What is surprising, however, is that there is actually a group of people who do believe that Obama is the living incarnation of Satan.

Predating the FOX segment and the recent Reverend Wright sermon scandal, Google's CustomizeGoogle application has recorded more than 300,000 search hits for the keywords "Obama" and "antichrist." A quick tour of many of these sites reveals a fairly consistent set of six theories as to why many people believe it. However, a closer look into them exposes a hodgepodge mix of rumor, religious theory, and just plain unfounded superstition.

Theory #1: Cult-like following
Obama is criticized for frequently speaking the word "hope," to large crowds of proud supporters who chant his name and cheer wildly to show their support. He has been compared to a "savior" for the country, and that word is one that is usually reserved for Christianity. Additionally, although speaking about "change," Obama has said little about his plans if he were to be elected, adding further weight to the belief that he has supernatural powers of persuasion.