Mark of the Beast? or Good technology?

[Rev Jazzman]

People will always speculate on what is the Mark of the Beast. For years, it was credit cards. I have even heard it was the Euro. Next, it is going to be a new hat or something.

LoL, souleman! But you forgot the social security number... That was the mark of the beast too! Oh yeah! And tatoos! Remember tatoos?!?

For reasons I'm not even going to attempt to get into here, I am quite certain that it is not "the mark."

I think it's a good idea, though (as long as it remains optional)... and ONLY if it can NOT be used to track people down. As long as it can be used for scanning needed data (and it's only activated by authorized scanner equipment), then I think it's a great idea (but that's me). I'd volunteer for it.

Oh yeah... One more stipulation I would put on it... It can not be used by those cheesy advertising agencies (you know... those people that seem to get their jollies off by recording the purchase behavior of unsuspecting victims!)

Rev

[Louie]

Everyone acts as if the Mark of the Beast is a bad thing. Nothing like spending eternity in hell!

[lord_darkside_x]

well preacher man summarized what i was going to say... but as for the statement about people disappearing... WTC was not the rapture (people disappearing then presumed dead) the rapture is supposed to be world wide not just one place. all believers are supposed to go to heaven, not just random people.

[The Old Man]

Hmmm. Last evening wife and i were trying out a new car since our old one is about KaPut. Was a pretty fancy auto, but the rearview mirror was not aligned properly. Seeing as how everything else in the car had a control for it i figured the mirror must also, so told wife to see if she could find a control button for the rearview mirror. she obligingly touched the plus button on the mirror, and i heard an outgoing ring then the voice from Detroit (or somewhere) came in loud and clear; "Do you have an emergency (specified our exact location on the highway) is this a medical emergency?" Wife is looking all over for the phone and the voice says; "just speak normally and i can here you, m'aam". So she says she was trying to adjust the mirror, the voice (actual carbon-based lifeform!) chuckles and says thank you and he'll cancel the call. So, when we get back to the dealer she's still laughing and the dealer gets a big chuckle out of it also. He says the owner of the car can program the medical alert with alergies or medical requirements, so that in the event of a crash the OnStar operator will brief the incoming EMT's of any medical problems and they'll be ready to roll when they arrive. This would be an advantage for wife, since she has Type-2 diabetes, and EMT's usually start a sugar needle which would be very bad for a Type-2. To relate this to the discussion at hand, the medical alert needed electrical power and a satellite link to work. I like the OnStar, and there is a family i've seen on the news that would give a million$ to have a tracking chip in their little daughter that has been missing for three days now. I don't think they will be able to actually have a true tracking chip until they can power it from within the body, like a heart beat monitor my Mom used to have. Otherwise, you'd have to wait until you passed a nearby scanner before your position could be fixed and integrated into the database. I don't believe this chip passes muster as the "Mark of the Beast", since it is not visible. As for the car, if i can get the $ together for a new one, i like the OnStar and don't give a hoot who knows where i go in the dang thing. As for the grain-of-rice tracking chip, that one's totally up to each person and how they feel it would end up at the bottom of the "Pro-and-Con" list of benefits and loss of personal privacy. Like i said before, the family i watched on TV would have given a million$ to have a powered-satellite-transmitter under the skin of their little girl. That's just my two bits worth.

[ing]

Well in my case i don't care if it is the mark of the beast or not am not gonna stick that on my body not even for a million dollors
and plus if you really think about it it is scary do you really think the goverment is not gonna try to use that for their advantage am sure they have some sort of way to track you but i don't recomend to nobody to stick that on them plus is it worth it that type of security just to feel safe it interfaces with your libertys and that is not good

we should control the tecnology not the tecnology us
i'll tell you the anticrist will come but you never now how he will come so just open your eyes and watch yourself because even if he doesnt come every goverment wants to have the power to control their ppl and then what is their to live for if you cant choose

sorry for my grammar

[The Old Man]

Preacherman481 said it best: The "Mark of the Beast" is to be the visible token of those who deny Christ and worship the AntiChrist, who, as far as we know, has not surfaced as yet. In the meanwhile, i'll take as much technology as i can get my small brain and wallet around, 'cause i'm sure the other side will have it also. When the next offering of technology smells like i have to deny the Christ then i'll hunker down with whatever i have at the time and see what happens. I'm not a religious fanatic either, in fact most preachers would probably throw me out for some of my bad habits. But then, there's that thing called "Poker-Odds"!! (one of these days i'm gonna get serious, honest...)

[Wizeman]

Maybe this is just me, but I always like to take the bible in a very non-literal way. I think one can get a lot more out of it if they take a look at the broad storylines in the bible rather than the minute details. Having said that, I don't believe that the "Mark of the Beast" will be a visible mark, nor will it be a giant 666 or some other junk. The whole point of the AntiChrist story in revelations is that one day, if we are not careful, we could begin workshipping something or someone as if they were God (or Allah, or insert your diety of choice here). I do believe that a chip similar to the one spoken of in the original post could be seen as a "Mark of the Beast," especially if those who refuse to put use it are labeled as criminals, or if this chip is necessary to live legally in this country, or any other.

Everyone seems to believe that the AntiChrist is going to be some politician that is going to come on tv and announce that he is the AntiChrist...this is obviously not going to happen. I mean if you really read Revelations in a way that is not so literal, then you can start to see where America could be seen as the AntiChrist, or the United Nations even. The point of Revelations is, be true to your faith and personal beliefs despite the torments that the world sometimes places upon you for those beliefs.

Regards,
Wizeman

[8*B@LL]

i gotta agree, atleast partially, with you Wizeman...i dont thin that most of the bible(and ESPECIALLY revilations) is suposed to be taken 100% literally. i mean, if sombody just came out and was like "I am the anti-christ, worship me", do you honestly think that people, knowing what would happen in the end(damnation to hell), would actually follow him/her?

thats just crazy. and saying that "the mark of the beast" ABSOLUTELY HAS to be "666" on the head/arm/whatever bodyparts you want to name, is also equally counter-intuitive. it would make far more sense for it to be something a little less obvious than that, because people would clearly see that "the end" was near and they better straighten up and fly right or they will get screwed FOREVER.

honestly, that is what agrivates me most about a lot of die-hard christians, they tend to not use their mind, but just read word for word and belive this and that, because thats what it says to believe("it" being the bible/church/whatever). it is in things like this that i see the downfall of humanity, not in carving 666 into your forehead. the way to AVOID falling into the traps of satan/the antichrist/whatever "evil" you want to name, is to use your MIND as well as your heart/belief. i mean, who knows? some parts of the curch could be seen as "political"...perhaps when he comes the antichrist will be a pope. maybe all the blind followers of the church will wind up getting screwed by that. maybe its only the ones who believe, but also think for themselves are the ones that will be saved.

[huntx7]

I don't think those chips are "The Mark Of The beast." But to be honest, I wouldn't get one right now.