HI,

There are many interpretations of the Beasts...

Some say the Beasts are The United States and the WTO, or IMF.

Others that it is the Pope...

Others Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer - they are called "Linux Programmers" :-)

Personally, I think the US Government and the Federal Reserve could be good options... Certainly they have the military might and claims of supposed "greatness" and "righteousness" which don't really relate to their true actions.

Some say that the seven heads of the beast are seven false religions or philosophies, which, carrying a grain of truth, distort it so it becomes unrecognizable or twisted. These would be:
Judaism
Christianity
Islam
Hinduism
Buddhism
New-Age
Atheism.

Then the ten horns are ten false commandments:

1. There is no God, but if you need to, invent multiple gods and stories about them
2. Worship statues and pictures (Idolatory)
3. God's name is unimportant
4. No Rest. Work, work, work.
5. Diss' your parents
6. Kill
7. Screw around
8. Steal
9. Lie
10. Envy your neighbour, and try to "Keep up with the Jones's."

When Bankcard came out, people said the triple B logo (bbb superimposed) was 666... Now the IMF, which is said to cripple poor countries with a usarious money system under guise of improving the economy.

Really, I think any system of government or religion which encourages, directly or idirectly, the ten false commandments, could qualify as "The Beast" or its accessory, Beast mkII... The Beast, of course, is "Babylon" so I think Rastas would be pre-prepared to identify the beast and its incarnations. Babylon is a thought system...it becomes real whenever anyone thinks this way, and thus then acts this way.

Respect.