posted June 06, 2006 01:52 PM         

Sullivan, of Otsego, says she wants to make this birthday particularly special because on 06-06-06, Jamilyn will be 6 years old.

``I probably should have made the party for 6 p.m., but I made it for 6:30,'' she said, laughing. ``My daughter will never have this happen to her again.''

Sullivan, who attends St. Margaret's Catholic Church in Otsego with her husband and three children, said she wasn't aware that the number six, especially in the combination of 666, had any negative meaning.

But 666 is the biblical number that represents the mark of the beast, the Antichrist. Biblical scholars point to prophetic passages about 666 in the Book of Revelation.

``I wouldn't be surprised that some people are worried,'' said Jon Paulien, chairman of the New Testament department at Andrews University, a Christian school in Berrien Springs. But he called tomorrow's date an ``accident in history.''

Marketers are taking advantage of the date. A remake of 20th Century Fox's ``The Omen,'' retitled as ``The Omen 666,'' appears in many theaters on Tuesday. The movie is about an evil child named Damien who turns out to be the Antichrist.

Also set for Tuesday is publication of ``Godless,'' a book by conservative columnist Ann Coulter about the United States being driven deep into sinful activities by godless liberals.

In addition, the California rock band Slayer is launching a tour on June 6 featuring its brand of ``satanic speed metal music.''

``This (666) seems to be a big deal with marketers,'' said Steve Waldman, editor-in-chief of beliefnet.com, which bills itself as ``the world's largest online religion and spirituality community.''

In a phone interview, Waldman said the date 666 is of greater interest to those hoping to make money from it than it is for the vast majority of Christians.

``Even when you talk to people who watch and pay close attention to the signs of a coming Apocalypse, they don't seem to think 666'' is worth worrying about, Waldman said.

Paulien at Andrews University said the number 6 did have a negative connotation for groups of people in the days of the Old Testament. The calculation of 666 in the Book of Revelation, he said, ``underlines an unholy trinity ... the three-fold nature of evil at the end of the world.''

Scholars do not agree, however, on 666 referring to any specific person or incident, he said.

Brian Wilson, chair of the comparative religion department at Western Michigan University, said people have long been fascinated by numerology -- the study of numbers and their meaning.

posted June 06, 2006 06:52 PM         

quote:

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Also set for Tuesday is publication of ``Godless,'' a book by conservative columnist Ann Coulter about the United States being driven deep into sinful activities by godless liberals.

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