Two thousand years ago (Revelations 13) it was prophesied that he (meaning the antichrist) would cause all to receive a mark in their hand or forehead. And that you would not be able to buy or sell without this mark. When I read this 25 years ago, even then I thought how could this ever be possible? I couldn't imagine it, and thought it must have some other meaning. Have you seen all the news reports lately about the microchip implant that they are now starting to use for people to retain their medical info.? 80 hospitals are joining the program and they hope 200 will be participating by the end of the year. If all of our financial info. was in a microchip, there would be no more robberies. If all we had to do was swipe our hand over the bar code detectors in the stores, the stores would not even need to have cash on hand. If this was unimaginable just 25 years ago, how could anyone make something like this up 2000 years ago, unless they truly did have a vision from God? Some people may think this should go under the religion threads, but the government is going to be the ones implementing this program, not religion.

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"Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey Him." Luke 8:25

NEW WORLD ORDER

Just a couple of points:

First, who is this "antichrist"? Capitalism? A corporation? The profit motive? Businesses (including health care) move towards efficiency because efficiency costs less and brings more profit. You can't get much more efficient than waving your hand over a scanner to pay for something.

Second, this wasn't "unimaginable" 25 years ago. Science fiction writers (the good ones) look towards the future and write about where technology may take us. They have been doing that for a lot longer than 25 years.

Third and last, it's always nice when prophesies leave a lot of room for interpretation. Makes it a little easier to be right.

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Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in awhile.

It's the sign of the times. Here's an article that hints at the shape of the economy.

http://www.boston.com/business/artic..._12_year_high/

AP

"WASHINGTON -- Late mortgage payments climbed to a 2 1/2-year high in 2005's final quarter as Gulf Coast homeowners struggled to recover from the hurricanes and lofty energy prices and rising interest rates squeezed others across the country.

The Mortgage Bankers Association, in its quarterly mortgage survey, reported yesterday that the percentage of mortgage payments that were 30 or more days past due for all loans tracked rose to 4.70 percent in the October-to-December quarter.

That was up from the prior quarter's 4.44 percent delinquency rate and was the highest since the second quarter of 2003."

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I've been informed....don't blame Bush, he's "not in control"
That must make him out of control

If the process is automated, the government can tax you for ridiculous and trivial things like loitering, staring, crossing streets, etc. In a sense, they will always have one hand in your pocket in a cashless society.

Isn't that what makes it a cashless society?

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I've been informed....don't blame Bush, he's "not in control"
That must make him out of control

I would have a very hard time functioning without this modern convenience. I think that's the hook. As more of us find that we cannot do without this, we're set up to put more and more of our lives out there for consumption and inspection.

Any system, used properly, can make us more efficient. But without protections from abuse, which the U.S. government has not shown itself willing to do or capable of, the warning in the Bible seems more and more prophetic. If our government would allow or undertake abuses, imagine what some others would/could do. And the U.S. government that we see now may not look anything like the one we see in 10 or 15 years. It could be MUCH more power hungry.

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"Tweeter was a Boyscout before she went to Vietnam and found out the hard way... nobody gives a d@mn."

Yeah the onlyproblem is the "geniuses" fail to comprehend is that when you have major disasters. . .there is no power. . . then even the richest man is broke when they depend on "plastic money". . . . . all those people after the hurricains this year found their cash cards were worthless plastic. . . .a few years ago our town lost power. .they had to shut all the store since no cash register would work. . . .yeah new and improved (aka progress) is "always better". . . . .

No amico, if it came down to basic survival, I would still be set. I was born on a farm... hunting, fishing and slaughtering livestock. I doubt the average Eagle Scout has much on me if it came down to just surviving.

These days I choose not to hunt and I have no time for fishing. But that doesn't mean that I couldn't or that I don't know how.

If there comes a time when sports cars and cute suits mean nothing... I wouldn't care. H#ll, if nothing else, I could trade bullets for anything I couldn't raise or kill.

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"Tweeter was a Boyscout before she went to Vietnam and found out the hard way... nobody gives a d@mn."

Shamgar's here, somehow or another this must be the Jew's fault!

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All you need to know about the energy crisis:
ANWR Exploration Republicans: 91% Supported. Democrats: 86% Opposed.
Coal-to-liquid R's: 90% YES. D's: 78% NO.
Oil Shale Exploration R's: 90% YES. D's: 86% NO.
Outer Continental Shelf Exploration R's: 81% YES. D's: 83% NO.
Increased Refinery Capacity R's: 97% YES. D's: 96% NO

SUMMARY: 91% of House Republicans have historically voted to increase the production of America’s own oil and gas. 86% of House Democrats have historically voted against.