Mark of the Beast: Legitimate Concern?

Originally posted by divegeester
The bible does not say that carrying the mark is "mandatory",nor does it say the mark will be "implanted".
I'm certainly not claiming that smartphones are the mark of the beast.

As I said earlier, nobody wants to consider cell phones because that would be admitting that they may have already accepted the mark of the beast - and there is no way they are giving up their cell phones.

Originally posted by whodey
I would not accept an implanted device at all, even if it meant ending my life.

How bout you?

I would certainly not die rather than be chipped. Whether I would accept one voluntarily would depend entirely on the costs/ benefits as I see them at the time.
If it were a prerequisite for working for a good company like say Google, and the salary was high enough, I would accept it.

I strongly suspect that you and other posters here would change your interpretations of revelations and accept being chipped if there were enough benefits to doing so.

Originally posted by whodey
I would not accept an implanted device at all, even if it meant ending my life.

How bout you?

I am not fond of the idea, but I am not convinced that it has anything to do with the mark of the Beast.

Originally posted by twhitehead
I would certainly not die rather than be chipped. Whether I would accept one voluntarily would depend entirely on the costs/ benefits as I see them at the time.
If it were a prerequisite for working for a good company like say Google, and the salary was high enough, I would accept it.

I strongly suspect that you and other posters here would change you ...[text shortened]... terpretations of revelations and accept being chipped if there were enough benefits to doing so.

I struggle to accept that Whodey would die rather than be chipped; I could be wrong, but when I see the lack of general and Christian principle being displayed here ever week, I can't imagine some of them accepting death rather than a microchip which tracks (for example) critical health factors like BP, glucose, heartbeats etc,

Originally posted by KellyJay
Think about this, if you have a chip in you and they are always taking pictures from above,
and else where so at any time if you ever become a person of interest they could simply
check to know who all of your friends are just by reviewing your life whenever they have
you in their sight. No one would be free and at any time they could put together who al ...[text shortened]... ata storage and being able to retrieve it, which we are getting
very good at both of those now.

1984

Originally posted by KellyJay
Think about this, if you have a chip in you and they are always taking pictures from above,...

I have to point out that 'pictures from above' are not a real concern. Satellite photography simply isn't particularly useful for tracking people. Until we have drones everywhere, 'pictures from above' should not be a problem. The security cameras at your place of work, shops, public places and maybe even your home should be of much greater concern.

And a surprising number of them are publicly accessible on the internet.

Originally posted by twhitehead
I would certainly not die rather than be chipped. Whether I would accept one voluntarily would depend entirely on the costs/ benefits as I see them at the time.
If it were a prerequisite for working for a good company like say Google, and the salary was high enough, I would accept it.

I strongly suspect that you and other posters here would change you ...[text shortened]... terpretations of revelations and accept being chipped if there were enough benefits to doing so.

Revelation states that those who do not accept the mark will be killed. It also says that those who take the mark will be damned.

Now would it be in my best interst to gain a life that will be lost soon anyway, or gain life eternal?

I say it's in my best interest to reject the mark.

Originally posted by RJHinds
I am not fond of the idea, but I am not convinced that it has anything to do with the mark of the Beast.

So let's say you don't know and you are being told you needed to be marked in your right hand or forehead.

Do you take the mark?

Originally posted by divegeester
I struggle to accept that Whodey would die rather than be chipped; I could be wrong, but when I see the lack of general and Christian principle being displayed here ever week, I can't imagine some of them accepting death rather than a microchip which tracks (for example) critical health factors like BP, glucose, heartbeats etc,

Of course, I have my faults but I would hope I would not value my life more than my faith in Christ.

Hopefully instead of denying Christ like Peter did to save his skin I would buck up and take my lumps and take up my cross.

As Jesus once said, whatever or whoever is more important than me is not worthy of me. Those who seek to save their lives will lose it, and vice versa.

Originally posted by divegeester
The bible does not say that carrying the mark is "mandatory",nor does it say the mark will be "implanted".
I'm certainly not claiming that smartphones are the mark of the beast.

That's true, it wouldn't be 'mandatory' in the strict sense of the word. But if not having one means you cannot buy food or pay your rent or be paid for working, then in the minds of many people this would be tantamount to having no choice. No will forcibly hold you down and put 'the mark' on you against your will, but looking at this realistically (which can be done regardless of whether you believe it or not) how many people do you think would be willing to suffer the consequences of not taking the mark?

All that the naysayers have proven here is that the technology and means to impliment it already exists, so it's just a matter of time before this 'non-mandatory' way of surviving in the modern day world will someday become the norm. A 100 years ago this would all sound like science fiction that couldn't actually happen. But not today, what it takes to make this happen now exists... I don't know if it will happen in my lifetime, but it will happen soon.

The ability to track someone through GPS is basically a non issue as far as the prophesy goes, because it only says you will not be able to buy or sell without it... it's a money issue, and without the 'mark' (whatever it happens to be) you will be cut off from any and all money transactions. It doesn't actually matter much right now if you believe this prophesy or not, but if you happen to live long enough to see it happening (it could happen in your lifetime) then you won't be able to blame God for not forewarning you if you decided to spare yourself some pain and indignity by accepting the mark.

Originally posted by whodey
So let's say you don't know and you are being told you needed to be marked in your right hand or forehead.

Do you take the mark?

One must consider the options at the time. Then make a decision. I took a credit card. 😏

Originally posted by whodey
Of course, I have my faults but I would hope I would not value my life more than my faith in Christ.

Hopefully instead of denying Christ like Peter did to save his skin I would buck up and take my lumps and take up my cross.

As Jesus once said, whatever or whoever is more important than me is not worthy of me. Those who seek to save their lives will lose it, and vice versa.

Sorry to offend you, but that is a bunch of meaningless sanctimonious platitudes if you are wrong about what it is you are dying for. What has "giving up your faith in Christ" and "denying Christ" got to do with you giving up your life in order to avoid having a micro-chip implanted, which you may have mistaken for being the mark of the beast?

Originally posted by lemon lime
That's true, it wouldn't be 'mandatory' in the strict sense of the word. But if not having one means you cannot buy food or pay your rent or be paid for working, then in the minds of many people this would be tantamount to having no choice. No will forcibly hold you down and put 'the mark' on you against your will, but looking at this realistically (which ...[text shortened]... forewarning you if you decided to spare yourself some pain and indignity by accepting the mark.

Your whole premise is based on the assumption that the thing you decide is restricting your buying and selling must be the mark of the beast. What about money itself? Without it you cannot buy or sell; do you use money? Do you think money is the mark of the beast? No, I'm sure you don't. What about a credit card, cash card, "chip and pin"? So why assume a a "chip" is the mark of the beast? At what point does this "chip" become the mark? If you have it in your wallet (Chip and Pin in the UK), is that the mark?

Originally posted by divegeester
Your whole premise is based on the assumption that the thing you decide is restricting your buying and selling must be the mark of the beast. What about money itself? Without it you cannot buy or sell; do you use money? Do you think money is the mark of the beast? No, I'm sure you don't. What about a credit card, cash card, "chip and pin"? So why assume ...[text shortened]... hip" become the mark? If you have it in your wallet (Chip and Pin in the UK), is that the mark?

How long have you played the Christian unbeliever?

Do you think no one notices anything odd about someone who poses as an unbelieving believer?

Originally posted by lemon lime
How long have you played the Christian unbeliever?

Do you think no one notices anything odd about someone who poses as an unbelieving believer?

Do you think the stuff you went on about in your previous post about technology, "the mark", and "naysayers" is a core Christian belief and that not agreeing with your analysis means someone is somehow an "unbeliever" ~ or a 'lesser' Christian than the likes of you and whodey? I have met many Christians who find current 'it's-happening-now paranoia/superstition-driven theories about stuff like the "end times" and "the mark of the Beast" to be - at best - unconvincing. Do you question their Christian beliefs too?