In my opinion, because that is all we really have on this subject[or any discussion containing religion for that matter], the Anti-Christ [referring to the apocalyptic AC] would be completely unaware of the fact that they are such, up until the actual realization of their purpose. I believe this because,

1. Their "soul", for lack of a better word, would be submitted to a task, but the conscious awareness of such a purpose could change that.
2. Lack of knowledge is a strong protection against alteration from the "task" of the AC.
3. I think that the AC could be a being of opportune choice, they could become the AC at the time needed because of many reasons.
such as:
- The AC could be created by open choice on the individuals part
- The AC could be deceived into the actual position
- The AC could later accept the idea of what they would become based on events or beliefs
etc etc....
4. A "soul" can be affected by many things, if they even exist, so the less things that can vary, i.e. self awareness, the less likely there will be faults in the final design.

"Assumptions are the mother of all f*** ups" kind of a family motto :p

For us as humans to *assume* that we know everything, or even anything, regarding the apocalypse or AC already, weather it be through books, bibles, or scriptures etc, is not only counter-productive, but blatantly arrogant in the first place. We, collectively as an entire race, have NO PROOF to solidly support any OPINION or THEORY[for there is nothing more than an opinion or theory right now] regarding the AC, due to the fact that we haven't reached that point in time, and the future is not "set in stone". So what can we do? Create more theories, argue who's religion is right, argue if any of this even matters, become offended if our own theory isn't right[fight amongst ourselves as animals do] or work forwards, at any pace, together as educated minds?

I don't understand the reason for all this... I don't know... worry, paranoia, conspiracy. There is so much going on right now, sure, I can see why people can feel like Armageddon is just around the corner. But frankly people, there have always been bad eggs, there has always been killing, disease, famine and just about every imaginable or even unimaginable horrible thing happening every day since the wake of civilized society.
And assuming that there is a being out there that will bring on those string of events Christianity seems to dwell on (the good stuff at the end of the book) that person is only human, and nothing more special than Hitler or Stalin, even Pol Pot. And if its one thing humans are good at, it's brutally offing the ones we don't like. We act like we are helpless to this obscure date, figure, or whatever it is. I mean, I don't think I believe it...... But that's exactly it! This thing has everyone on their knees! A lot of us who have what we think is rational and scientific thinking, have this feeling in the back of our heads that maybe something big is going to happen( not saying a religious mindset is ignorant.. because its not). That maybe, just maybe there is a grim future ahead of us. I look at history and see the pattern though, stuff like this has been happening every decade of all of existence, every decade we find some reason to believe that our decade is the last to be because of all the bad thats being wrought on it.
But I need to cut my rant short before I get too irrelevant. So I'll answer the question instead of skirting around it. If there is an Antichrist I do think he could possibly know. But he or she... or it, would have to be the absolute most evil thing to realize that it's bringing the end of billions of lives in a very long painful and terrifying manner. Yes, Hitler killed between 9 and 13 million Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, and a variety of different people he did not like. Yes, Stalin locked up close to 60 million of his own people and killed up to, well not verified, 50 million Russians( he was a Georgian National, and 20 million deaths are not accounted for officially, so the number comes out to 32 million on the records), and there is no excuse for what they did. But it would take something completely different to completely dehumanize and systematically disassemble an entire civilization of 6 point some billion people, something I am confident our already unpredictable and cruel universe would not create out of the little love and compassion existence it self has. Of course that doesn't leave out the possibility of some cosmic or natural event like a huge rock or ray of light that will incinerate the planet.
While I am at it I'm going to take a stab at what he/she/it may look like according to the physical appearance of the average abomination, dictator, and or psychopathic killer. The Antichrist is tall, pale, wearing a hoodie, perhaps one from a summer camp where he was molested by teacher or counselor as a child, has a dark mustache that's well kept, maybe bald, could be well groomed to keep the world guessing, um out of shape, probably scrawny. He might have a black beard even, and some rubber outfit thats made of dark colors and has a pair of very sinister aviators (uni-bomber). What else, If it's a girl refer to ( Sarah Palin).
But as a 17 year old I would like to believe that I can at least live out my one year in 2012 long enough to buy alcohol, and even see the world turn for the better. Would it be so hard to drop this Mayan calendar thing and live life like we would. There is so much to live for, like how about 2013, THE BIO TERROR ATTACKS. And all those scientific innovations, like the South Koreans want a robot in every house in at least twenty years. Thats F***ing cool people!!!

What normal people don't understand is that fate can be rewritten if you are strong enough.
The way I see it, the best weapon in the great war is from the other side of the fence.
Media publication will tell you that a dark hero is much more, and again proof that you can change. It can be done... I will try

Read this in memory of me.

In relation to the AntiChrist....please understand that he exists because God allows this and indeed is a messenger of God in a round about way.....

God could easily purge Satan yet this is the whole point..............He is there because God allows him to exist as well as the AntiChrist. He is on a mission from Satan who's real boss is God and thus we have free expression of free will to make a choice good and bad to grow to learn to have "knowledge". This is the source of understanding and remember that we are part of the source energy that is God....

First of all the Antichrist will most definitely know who he is when it is time him to make himself known to the world you will know who he is as well. If you read the scriptures in Revelation and the book of Daniel you would know that the only person who could possibly fill those shoes is the Catholic head call "The Pope". The pope is the only religious head throughout the whole world that people must bow down to and kiss his hand on top of calling by God's name "Reverence". The book of Revelation speaks about a "Lamb like Beast" and the destruction and havoc he is going to perform. The key here is lamb like beast. When Satan saw that he could break the "True Faith and Love of Christ" by torturing Christians he decided to bring about a church that give the resemblance of God True Church and deceive people through religion.

Revelation tells us the whole earth has been deceived by the whore who rides the beast, drunken with her fornication and whoredom. How do you think the world has been deceived? The catholic church!!!! Obama is not the Antichrist; he does even start to have the power that this figure is going have to pull off the greatest lie ever told. As far as Nostradamus speaking about the world ending in 2012. There is no way the world can come to an end by 2012. This nonsense goes against all that the prophets and the Lord speaks of in the Bible. There are prophecies that must be fulfilled before the end can come. Rome is already showing support in Israel and with the respect that the world has for the pope it would be real easy for him to slip in and stand in the holy place section of the temple of which has not yet been built. Remember also that the end can not come until the True and Living Word of God has been witnessed throughout the entire world. Sorry but that has for sure not happened.

Ooh! let's also ask if the anti-christ has a dental plan. How about his credit card number! Has anybody prophesied that? I want that one.

Seriously, break down the meaning people. anti-: against Christ. He will definitely know if he thinks he hates the Christ who is to come. He probably won't know if he really does hate the Christ, which is what the Christ who is to come stands for. Love, truth peace, patience, etc.

If you really want to get everyone ready for the antichrist, you should probably start telling everyone you know how Jesus saved your life. You should start being for Christ denying yourself. Get out there and dent the anti-christ's proverbial Mercedes!

You mean the beast-not Antichrist. You have swallowed the lie of the Catholic power. The Antichrist can be anyone who denies the Father and the Son. The beast is the papacy. Do not worship the pope or the papacy and receive the mark. Read your bible only and the history books . 666 is the number of the man it says. It is the number of astrology. The masons, and any religious power that worship the sun moon and stars. (horoscopes) etc... They will not tell you about the truth till it is too late. Don't believe the lie! Shalom!

Just a theory here,but the Antichrist is here, he's been here for quite a while too, it's called science. Science toppled our blind faith, gave us explanations for every "wonder" that once was held in superstition. If you really think about it science has been proclaimed our god. We depend on it to keep us healthy and give us security. And if the Antichrist is supposed to cause great global harm, let's look at some examples. The atomic bomb, biological warfare, the danger anti matter poses if anything goes wrong (which matches a whole lot of end time biblical scenarios) Guns,the list could go on. Do you really think there is some one person that can cause that much damage? If anything it would be a group. Like I said though, this is mere speculation. I just have a hard time believing that mankind as a whole would be that ignorant to go along with any one person, but America has followed Bush for this long, Germany followed Hitler, just like lemmings follow the leader off of a cliff.

Well...I wouldn't consider myself very knowing of the bible, but what I do know and is said in the bible is that the Antichrist is not referred as the Antichrist. It's a name that we have given him. In the bible he's referred to as the beast. Also people like to speculate...even me; gives us something to do, but the Christian bible tells us that no one knows times end not even the Son (Jesus). So while we can guess all we want if you have faith/believe in the Christian faith or anyone of any kind will never know when the end comes....So, you can take that as meaning that anyone telling you the end is nigh; is just using scare tactics to get you to join religious cults, show them some attention, or buy their latest book.

A little advice. Live each day as if it were your last. Make it count, cause whether the end is nigh...life is short, life is hard, life can suck, and so on. So make the best of it while you have time.

Hello All, From what I have studied and have been taught, the Antichrist probably knows who he is and what his mission is because either he is being groomed or has already been groomed by the people who know who and what he is. Just like we are looking and hoping for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, some people are doing the same only they are waiting for the Antichrist to come. I do not know how accurate this is but I read this on another site the other day that said the Antichrist was born is Syria in 1962 and is of Jewish and Muslim ancestry. I cannot verify this is true and I only tell you guys this because of this forum, otherwise no one would hear my opinions. One other tidbit for thought, in the United Nations security council all of the seats are numbered and seat number 666 has not been filled yet and they are waiting for the one who will fill it. I know I may have gotten off track from the original question, and I apologize, but I enjoy talking to others about prophecy and the last days we are in. Some of the candidates who I think could be the Antichrist are:
1. Prince Charles who wants to be King of the European Union which is a known fact and him and his sons have been "chipped". Prince Charles still holds the title of King of Israel because of his bloodline that goes back to the crusades.
2. Prince William because of the grooming he has had growing up by virtue of being a prince and an heir in line for the throne of England , and especially since he has been in the military.
3. King Juan Carlos of Spain. He has his tentacles spread all over the world and into everything and he is a very, very influential person and a charismatic speaker when it comes to politics.
4. maitreya- This character may very well be the Antichrist. He materializes out of thin air to large crowds(so it has been said). He claims to be Jesus Christ and Buddha, and the messiah that the Muslims are looking for
5. Tony Blair-Former British Prime minister and is now the first fully fledged President of the European Union. He was the youngest prime minister of England to become prime minister, very ambitious and charismatic and people admire him. He has escalated from former prime minister to EU president over night.
Thank you for allowing me to join in the forum and express my thoughts. God bless everyone and Happy New Year. If you gain something from my statement, please give God the glory.