I am OK with that. Why? Because it is truth. Is it impossible still to believe a women riding a beast over many waters? It still can be true wether there is more then one meaning.
True but it helps if you understand the ancient paganism. The harlot goddess that has influences over the sea is Ashtoreth as the moon goddess with control over tides. She was both the consort and mother of Baal. Baal (anti-christ spirit) is the beast 'out of the sea' (he came out of her) while Molech is the 'beast out of the earth', ie Asherah (mother earth). Molech and Ashtoreth were the twin children of Asherah by the pagan El (mighty one, father of the gods). You have to understand the symbolism associated with the ancient pagan deities to understand the characters (principalities) that are dealt with in the symbolism of Revelation.
The 'great harlot' is the principality behind all Jezebels. Even the biblical queen Jezebel was a high priestess of Ashtoreth as well as a powerful witch. The ancient paganism was riddled with witchcraft by worshiping major principalities of hell. Ashtoreth's spiritual domain is over the bitter waters, ie 'the sea'. She is dominant over Baal as his mother but in an impure relationship over him. Her primary role is in destruction of the prophets. For example the Romans called her the 'great goddess Diana (Diana Luciferah)' in Ephesus where her followers tried to destroy Paul. Her cup is full of the blood of the saints.
She is NOT as some assume, the RCC although all the Mary veneration within the RCC is her corruption in it with all their prayers (witchcraft) to the 'queen of heaven'. She is also behind much of the goddess worship witchcraft worldwide (with Asherah behind the rest) as well as all Jezebel's influences in the churches. She is a major principality.
Revelation is about a spiritual changing of the guards so to speak. Major principalities alternate who is in charge over different world powers in a time sharing fashion. For example the winged lion over the Babylongian empire, the bear over Persian, leopard over the Greek. It is the 'anti-christ' spirits turn to rule the next major empire. He was also over the Greek empire until it was split to the 'four winds/spirits' where they each took 1/4. He took over the Syrian branch of the empire and was behind the desecration of the temple by offering a pig on the alter. Pigs were offered to Baal.
You have to know the symbols for different things to understand the significance just as you have to know the 'eye of the needle' was a gate in the walls of Jerusalem or you draw the wrong conclusions from the picture presented. For example, many Old Testament references to the sun and the moon pertain to the pagan sun god Molech and the moon goddess Ashtoreth.
Another example, who christians call Lucifer is actually a reference to the ancient pagan sun god. Lucifer is a latin translation of an epitaph of the sun god meaning 'shining one' or 'light bringer'. It is the equivalent to Pheobus in the Greek, a title of Apollo. Lucifer is identified as 'ben Shachar' (son of the morning) while Shachar was a Canaanite deities as well that was a 'son of El' or Hadad, 'the thunderer' to the Syrians and Zeus to the Greeks. It is a reference to the pagan god Molech (shameful king) of the Old Testament. His title in Tyre was Melqart meaning 'king of the city' and is also directly referenced in Eze 28 with the prophecy to the 'king of Tyrus', ie Melqart. The Greeks call him Apollo, ie Apollyon, the son of Zeus.
So when you know the symbols, who the four angels bound at the Euphrates, and who the major characters are Revelation makes a lot more sense. Revelation is about the return of the pagan gods and the angels that fell into error that had children at the time of Babel to bring forth those 'gods'. The demonic realm is thrown into chaos, a kingdom divided against itself, then Yeshua returns.
Most common doctrine on the enemy realm is rooted in Augustinian doctrine propagated by the RCC into Christianity and carried on by works like Paradise Lost that influence modern interpretation of scriptures instead of actually study of what scripture says. People need to stop basing their doctrine on Paradise Lost. For example the 1/3 of the 'stars of heaven' that are pulled down by the dragon is NOT some pre-adamic rebellion of 1/3 of Yah's angels but 1/3 of the demonic 'host of heaven' that is referenced all over the old testament as part of the paganism of the 2nd heaven, ie prince of the powers of the air. This event happens
during the tribulation and is a re-ordering of demonic forces due to the 'father of the gods' being released from his prison.
) other ways. Personally, I believe all the parables are fictional stories; you believe they are a factual. Either way, we both receive the truth of them. 
