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Another Reason To Dislike RFID

Rumors, Conspiracies, etc.

from the no-passport-for-you dept

Mon, Oct 31st 2005 9:14am — Carlo Longino
RFID continues to come under increased scrutiny as it gets used more frequently, not just in commercial applications but also in things like passports. Privacy concerns are nothing new, but there's another reason to shun RFID, according to a couple of authors: it could evolve into the "mark of the beast" referred to in the book of Revelation. There's some wiggle room, though. The Bible specifies the mark will appear on people's right hands or foreheads, and an RFID vendor says both of those spots are impractical for human implants. Then there's also that part about how the mark is 666, and the authors are "not sure how the 666 part fits in."
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25 Comments

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  • identicon
    Pete Austin, 31 Oct 2005 @ 9:20am

    That Spooky Link (Working)

    That Satanic vision of RFID's potential is confined to a highlighted box toward the end of the 270-page "Spychips," which was published by Thomas Nelson. But Ms. Albrecht has previously made it clear in interviews, videotapes and DVD's sold through religious Web sites like www.endtimes.com that the Biblical warning that "no man might buy or sell, save that he had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of the beast" looms large in her attack on RFID.
    http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/31/technology/31spychip.html

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Mousky, 31 Oct 2005 @ 9:34am

    No Subject Given

    By any chance did the RFID vendor have a tail or horns on their body? If yes, I would be wary of his interpretation of the bible ;)

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Pete Austin, 31 Oct 2005 @ 9:38am

    More Spookiness

    Is the biochip the Mark of the Beast? The biochip technology was originally developed in 1983 for monitoring fisheries - Dial-the-Truth Ministries
    Is the barcode the Mark of the Beast? - Dial-the-Truth Ministries

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Craig, 31 Oct 2005 @ 10:12am

    RFID *is* the mark of the beast, and I have proof.

    Convert RFID into binary and it's as plain as day: GearBits -- Is RFID Satanic?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      HateMissuses of Technology, 31 Oct 2005 @ 10:29am

      Re: RFID *is* the mark of the beast, and I have pr

      Grow up, this is just parlor tricks on math. You are using one method of making numbers, manipulating it to make what you want it to be. This is no different that statements like "4 out of 5 dentists who recommend chewing gum recommend dentine". You have to fine 5 dentists who recommend chewing gum. Here you took ASCII code for letters in binary form from an acronym of three words, add in a multiplier that only you know why it is that, and say this is PROOF???????

      I hate people who try this crap and then want others to be paranoid like they are.

      BTW, if you are a person who is trying to state you know when the end of times is, you are known by bible terms as a "false profit" as Jesus claims in Mark that only the Father knows. Mark 13:32

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        CloakedMirror, 31 Oct 2005 @ 10:52am

        Re: RFID *is* the mark of the beast, and I have pr

        Just have to laugh at responses like this. First, I am sure that the enemy (i.e. Satan, the Devil, insert your favorite name here) is not going to put his name or mark out there for everyone to see what he is. Attempting to discern who are his agents is not wrong, and unfortunately is something that too many people are willing to ignore.
        Second, if you are going to quote Bible verses, learn to use the proper words. I am sure that Jesus didn't talk about "false profits". I'm not sure how a profit can be false, unless it was gained through some kind of fraud.
        The term I am confident you meant to use is "prophet", and it means one that speaks forth a truth. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with telling the future, but does have everything to do with speaking (or attempting to speak) a truth, or revelation, as the speaker received it from God.
        So, when Jesus talks about "false prophets", what He is refering to are those that will proclaim to have knowledge of a truth that runs counter to the truth as it comes from God.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Craig, 31 Oct 2005 @ 11:23am

        Re: RFID *is* the mark of the beast, and I have pr

        Dude...read my blog entry. It's a joke. Sheesh.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2005 @ 11:39am

          Easier kill

          It will be quite enjoyable to scan your household when I want to determine which houses to break into and rob.

          I'll ignore the geeks with their Diablo & D &D shit and go straight for the homes that have imbedded chips in their plasma screen TV's, high end computers , etc ...

          Fear not, I am thankful you sheep are laughing @ RFID.

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Bert, 31 Oct 2005 @ 3:50pm

            Re: Easier kill

            And just how are you supposed to be able to scan these items from outside the house when companies trying to use the kind of tags that will go on items (someday in the future) are having trouble getting them to work reliably from about 18 inches away?

            Surely, your RF reader has God-like qualities! (Can I buy them from you? I could sell thousands to companies trying to get this stuff to work!)

            [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Cowherd, 31 Oct 2005 @ 9:41pm

        Re: RFID *is* the mark of the beast, and I have pr

        'BTW, if you are a person who is trying to state you know when the end of times is, you are known by bible terms as a "false profit" as Jesus claims in Mark that only the Father knows. Mark 13:32'
        Er...you mean "false prophet"?

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Chris H, 31 Oct 2005 @ 10:24am

    No Subject Given

    Whew! Thank God I'm not religous :)

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Kelly, 31 Oct 2005 @ 10:38am

    RFID

    Read your post on another reason to hate RFID this morning. Thought you might find this interesting: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28129213@N00/sets/430646/ Amal is the tech-dude for us here at WireCutter.
    best,
    Kelly

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2005 @ 11:44am

    No Subject Given

    someone, please pass the popcorn.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    James, 31 Oct 2005 @ 1:22pm

    Mark, Beast. and other interesting things

    If you look at what the book and bible says, it actually says that the number is NOT the mark. It is the number of a man, a single man. It also says it is the number 'of his name' or in modern terms the number of his title.

    The mark thing ... about hand or forehead is not a physical mark but rather symbols for someone believing, the mark in the forehead, or enforcement, the right hand.

    Amazing what you get when you read ...

    My $.02

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    jeremiah, 31 Oct 2005 @ 3:59pm

    Jesus is pretend.

    Thank god Jesus is pretend....

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Father Dan, 31 Oct 2005 @ 4:03pm

    666 Got Demoted - Please Redirect Your Fear

    Google Link to multiple sources. Sorry Fundies and Satanists . .

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    jabbrass, 31 Oct 2005 @ 6:35pm

    The mark of the beast: 666

    The mark of the beast in Revelation simply means people will accept a false belief with their minds (foreheads), they will make a deliberate decision in their head to follow a certain false doctrine. In their hands means they will then do something about it, or act on their decision. They will go and do something commanded by the false teaching. Obviously this comes nothing close to what RFID's are. RFID's have nothing to do with accepting a false doctrine.
    And 666 simply means a false trinity -- the antichrist -- will establish the false doctrine followed by all, that then recieve the mark on their foreheads and hands by believing and then following the false christ's teachings.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Emily Helton, 1 Nov 2005 @ 5:25am

    not even original

    They are certainly not the first with this thought. As the literal "interpreters" of the Bible tend to fear technology and innovation, plenty of people try to cast anything they don't understand as evil and in league with satan. Also, Lyda Morehouse has a really nicely done series of scifi books, where this is one of the concepts.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    John Shoemaker, 1 Nov 2005 @ 5:29am

    Stupid stories

    Please do not waste your credibility by writing commentary on really stupid stories like the mark of the beast and 666. Come on! The authors are playing an old line to sell books to idiots. Then you guys fall for it and think it is worthy to put in your reporting.

    Really stupid.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Gator, 1 Nov 2005 @ 7:05am

    666

    Oh, I thought the 666 was supposed to be hidden in the bar code??? You losers need to either lighten up, or move into woods and wait for Armageddon.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    John, 1 Nov 2005 @ 10:07am

    RFID

    Funny - they said that about bar codes 20 years ago. I don't hear too many people fearing that "mark of the beast" now

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Professor James, 1 Nov 2005 @ 10:12am

      Re: RFID

      They said the same thing about the ZIP code when it was introduced and made mandatory.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Max, 7 Dec 2005 @ 6:11am

    Mark of the Beast & the End Times

    Heh, basically, the Mark of the Beast is only one of the things mentioned in the Bible about the End Times. I think it is very interesting how so many people get side-tracked by minutiae. Yes, I know that the Mark of the Beast seems like important stuff, but there is something more important for Christians to be working on: Matthew 24:14!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Pete Smith, 5 Dec 2006 @ 6:50pm

    I can't believe it

    This is heathenry! The end of the world must be near, the AntiChrist is upon us. RFID chips are the Mark of the Beast, I found a company - http://limbidsystem.com that implants 6 of the devil marks into people to identify their limbs in the event of dismemberment. There is no use for RFID chips or readers in HELL where their souls will eternally be roasted by fire!!!! Contact them, as I am urging my church to do, and tell them there is still a chance for redemption through the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]


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