Comment National ID VS. Mark of the Beast (Score 1) 1040
Uniform Driver's License Standards vs. The Mark of the Beast
This document explores the ways the SSN does not qualify as a violation of the warning of Revelation Chapter 13 concerning the mark of the beast. And why there is a new system coming soon that will come far too close. And given the drifting useage of the SSN, this new system is guaranteed, by design, to be in full violation of the warning, once the technology takes its logical course.
This new system of nationally uniform drivers license standards are standards written by the federal government that change licensing entirely. In fact it's a nice bit of newspeak to call it anything BUT a National ID card. It makes this turkey an easier sell. I, however, will call it what it is.
Since 9-11, many countries are working on National ID cards, including the United States. The plan is actually harder sell in liberal Europe than the US because Europe still has memories of how Nazi Germany used travel documentation in WWII as a means of control.
Tony Blair has opted for a voluntary cards. "However, it will be virtually impossible for anyone to live a normal life without the new ID card in England - possession of a valid card will be necessary for boarding an aircraft, buying gas, opening a bank account, starting a job or claiming government benefits." So much for "voluntary", unless you don't need to go anywhere. Like out of Germany in the late 1930's.
In the US, the voices against the National ID plan are almost exclusively pro-immigration groups. Seeing the majority of the population, including the church, relatively unsympathetic towards immigrants, and often downright hostile, is unfortunate. Especially considering the balance of the church's time is spent preaching, in a sense, what comes around, goes around. It reminds me of the poetic account of the rise of Nazi Germany.
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I did not speak out
because I was not a communist.
When they came for the social democrats,
I did not speak out
because I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists
I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews
I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew;
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
-Martin Niemöller (1892-1984)
To think that these IDs are someone else's problem is a falsehood in the first place. Such an ID card, if put into place, will be a gift to identity thieves, who will now be able to get all the information they need from multiple sources as seemingly innocuous as your video rental store. State DMVs have already been targets for break-ins and thefts of ID information
Also, having standardized card readers will expand the use of such readers immeasurably, leading to an unspeakable destruction of privacy for all Americans, not just visitors from other lands. Every grocery store who now data mines their club cards will likely switch to this universal card system. Standardized machine readable cards, as required by this legislation wii alos make countless new uses and invasions of privacy cost effective, leaving a paper-trail of everything you do that will trounce your credit card records. And it will all be in the filing cabinet of the federal government.
The stated goal is to track undesirables in our country. What if these so-called illegals aren't stupid enough to apply for an ID or driver's license? Who then is left to be tracked? Are you feeling safer yet?
The Bible on kindness to foreigners (strangers):
The OT Hebrew word is Strong's #1616: Stranger, sojourner, foreigner, alien.
Lev 19:10; 23:22; 25:35
Deut 10:18; 14:29; 16:14; 24:19-21; 26:11-13
Ps 146:9; Heb 13:2
We need to stay sympathetic to those who are looking for things to be better than they have it now. Because what comes around, does indeed go around. We should prefer to be worthy of kind treatment when our time of need comes.
I am not saying immigration is not a problem. It is. Our borders are porous. It is too easy for someone seeking to do us ill to get in. Take our border with Mexico. Legendary for its ineffectiveness. Here are volunteers that give their time to tip the immigration officials off when illegals are about to cross the border. Many, including GW Bush, have called these volunteers "vigilantes." That sure is the wrong word to use in my opinion. Shouldn't the government consider itself fortunate that there are citizen volunteers willing to give of their own time to do a job the government should have been doing. A job the government has been complaining isn't getting done for decades. A job that now has volunteers willing to do it for them, thereby saving the government money, and increasing the security of our nation. These same volunteers are labeled "vigilantes" by many, including high government officials. The federal government's behavior on this issue should make anyone question if the true goal is security.
My basic complaint about the Department of Homeland Security is that it has very little it can do. It can think about the catastrophic possibilities of someone hitting a nuclear reactor, or a chemical plant, with an airplane. It can close the borders (which it does not appear to have much interest in doing). These are good goals. But to think that doing anything but eliminating the existence of terrorists can ultimately be the real solution to the problem is absolute madness. When you harden one target, you just bump up the next softer target on the list. And that, I can assure you, is a game with no end. I could site many examples, but there is no sense in giving anyone any ideas. In short, to end terrorism, you must eliminate terrorists.
Brainstorming on what might be done, this Homeland Security department floated the idea of a National ID card. But they sell it as standardizing drivers licenses. There is nothing wrong with making things a bit more uniform when it comes to drivers licensing. The right way to do that is to have the security people of the government submit a list of changes to the states that they would like to see, and what goals those changes are trying to reach. Then ask the states, let that be emphasized, ask the states to brainstorm as to what improvements are and are not to be had, and float other solutions to the DHS's stated goals. In fact, that is precisely how the public was told this would work
But things have changed rapidly. The White House originally said it would not call for these ID standards. But now supporters say, "We need a national ID card with our photograph and thumbprint digitized and embedded in the ID card" Regardless, sweeping changes are coming our way.
The Bible goes on to say that no one who accepts the mark will see the kingdom.
[In the context of this in the book of Revelations is mentioned a dragon, heads of nations, rising from the sea, with seven heads. Aside from possibly the "G8" countries, I can not see a context for this today. I have to pass on speculation on this, it would be, well, too speculative.]
So where are we with today's technology with respect to the possibility of the mark of the beast? Certainly more than anyone could have imagined when this was written! Think of what this prophecy must have sounded like 2,000 years ago. They would almost certainly see the SSN as so near in violation that most would not want one. But today we are far more comfortable with such technologies. We know that today, if we wanted to enact such a system, we could build it from parts already approved by the FDA.[1]
So what does the Bible warn us about, and what should we be looking for?
1) A requirement that is universal.
2) Involves some sort of mark on the hand, or forehead.
3) A requirement that in necessary to participate in commerce.
4) Involves numbers. Since nearly everything today involves numbers, I will not discuss this requirement.
Let's compare these warnings to how the SSN works. I would like to note that we were promised the Social Security Number system would never become a defacto ID number. (You can see how long that lasted.) The SSN seems to not fit the warning because it has nothing to do with a scan of the hand or forehead. Or does it?
When anyone gets their fingerprints taken, they are sent to a central databank and digitized. Fingerprints are scanned and sent to the FBI's IAFIS lab, analyzed, and the data returned instantly with cross-references to criminal histories and whatever else the computer may know. Which soon will be just about everything.
Then when any prints need to be searched, they are sent to the one database to be compared to the prints on file. These representations of one's fingerprints are on file with the person's name, SSN, and perhaps other info. I note that fingerprints are not a mark "on" one's hand or forehead. Rather, it is a mark "of", or "from", one's hand or forehead. This is a small difference, and at the same time it is a big difference. I will continue from here with the assumption that requiring a mark "of" or "from" (not "on") one's hand in order to conduct business is in violation of the Biblical warning.
We need a Social Security Number to legally conduct business. Those who have had their fingerprints taken, (since this is not universal, it is not in violation of the Biblical warning) do have a scan of their hand on file, and that file is referenced to their SSN. So the bank requiring, and having my SSN is OK, as long as they do not have ready access to my fingerprints. This is with the understanding of the fact that if you have access to both, then requiring the number is as good as having scanned my hand. If you think that is an overstatement, you really need to understand the implications of the IAFIS link. Maybe an everyday example will help. To demonstrate how important numbers are, and how much value is placed on using numbers to verify other, more important data. Have you ever purchased gasoline with a credit card? No one sees your face. Often there is no camera. There is no way for the seller to know who is driving off with $30 of their product, outside of the numbers encoded on the magnetic strip on your credit or debit card. That information on the magnetic strip is instantly uploaded and checked for creditworthiness. The machine, having your number, instantly referenced your credit, and in an entirely automated fashion, in real time, determines that you are good for the loan, and approves the sale. That number was as good as having your credit report infront of the retailer, analyzed robotically, and the machine sells you services. In short, one number is as good as another, if it can be electronically cross-referenced. Just as fingerprints are to your SSN, and everything else in the same database.
Rev 13 vs. The National ID card
1) Required universally. Yes.
2) Can contain (is designed to fully integrate this data in the future ) fingerprint and / or retinal scan information. (So it is not a mark placed by the beast.)
3) Is necessary to participate in commerce.
On point number 2. It is not a mark received from the beast. It is a mark already on us from our creator. I am sorry, though. We are going from a 2,000 year old text that could hardly imagine any of the rest being true, let alone we propose the writer would not see the National ID card as being in violation on such a small technicality. If that is our safety margin between safety and righteousness, and eternal damnation, I am not good with it.
Also, consider projecting the capabilities of this technology out another generation. We could simply say this is not in technical violation yet, but we can not pretend to be ignorant of what is coming next. We have no excuse for our laying the foundation for the next step, which will be in direct violation. That technology is here also, for over a decade. After these cards are counterfeited, or some such excuse, it will be proposed that we put the information from the National ID system into a database to be referenced just as our creditworthiness is today. And use the current credit check infrastructure to reference the data when an RFID chip implanted in the skin asks for the account info [29]. That, my friends, is the end game, is it not? If you are waiting to "see the whites of their eyes" as far as the mark of the beast, welcome to 2005. It has arrived.
So what can we do? One thing I would like to say is, to those who have used their credit cards heavily with the sole purpose of getting a few pennies "cash back" on the transaction, or for a small amount of convenience, shame on you. Frivolous transactions helped pushed the costs lower, unnecessarily speeding up the day of this unfortunate event. And to those of you who use these "club cards" at the grocery store. You are giving up information you don't even realize when you do that. There is value in that data, or they wouldn't be, in effect, bribing you for the data through discounts. Use them sparingly. But if you are not paying cash, take the discount. They know who bought the stuff anyway, so you may as well be partly reimbursed for your loss of privacy.
I believe the church needs to say - we"re Bush fans, but that doesn't mean we will accept this ID card. No way. Some states have said they would fight it. We know we live in a country of red states and blue states. During the election, there was talk of a divided America. I believe Christians must soon be willing to pick up and move to the states where there are more like-minded people, in order to have the effect we will need to live under conditions we find acceptable. Like states who have said they would fight this ID law. The only Republican votes against this turkey of a bill, to my knowledge, came from Reps. Howard Coble of North Carolina, John Duncan of Tennessee, and Ron Paul of Texas. [To read Ron Paul's comments on this legislation, click here] To those representatives, I say thank you!! If we continue to allow our votes all around the country to be mixed with people who are hostile to our "lifestyle choice", and ultimately lose by a few votes, we have lost.
Prepare brothers, if this passes, your lives will change. Are your traveling papers in order?
This legislation is far along the course to becoming law. The next stop for this legislation is President Bush's desk. Please write president@whitehouse.gov to oppose this legislation. Or use the White House web mail link.
Further reading For more information on how bad this bill is in an entirely different sort of way, this article points out that the way part of this bill is written, the Secretary for the Dept. of Homeland Security could install himself or herself as dictator of the United States, with no judicial oversight, if he or she, in their sole discretion, deems a dictatorship necessary to carry out certain goals of the Department. No I am not kidding. Go, read.
What privacy is lost, and why nothing will be gained.
Much more information available about fingerprinting is available from this link.
UK is building a fingerprint database in the guise of passport requirements. However, "There are no international obligations on the UK to put fingerprints in passports
But it looks like the US" own Secret Service has its own invasive collection techniques.
Even though IAFIS only has 27 million fingerprints on file, it has the computer capacity to run every citizen of the US's finger prints once per year. (http://www.google.com/search?q=IAFIS+NICS+gun+qu
Cynical view based on the drift in the usage of the SSN, applied to the National ID card.
If the above read on Ron Paul has you looking for more, look no further than his historic look at seeking a "Perfect Socialism" AKA- A Republic, If You Can Keep It.
Smart ID card technology can increase recording of where you are and what you are doing by 30 fold.
Other past ID abuse (source available from this link if not listed separately)
- The confidentiality of Census Bureau information was violated in World War II to help move Japanese-Americans to internment camps.[14]
- The FBI criminal history records system, which was designed for law enforcement purposes, is now used predominantly by non-law enforcement agencies and private employers.
- The State of Ohio recently sold its drivers" license and car registration lists to TRW, Inc. for $375,000. [15] At the time, Business Week asked: "Who gave government agencies the right to cash in on information that people are forced to give them in the first place?" [16]
[I note, once state data sharing becomes mandated, that any one of the 50 states might fall to the temptation to sell your data. And once it's sold, you are not getting it back.]
- In early 1995 more than 500 Internal Revenue Service agents were caught illegally snooping into the tax records of thousands of Americans--often friends and celebrities. Only five of those employees were fired for that invasion of privacy.[17]
- The IRS claimed that its new privacy protection measures would protect against this from happening again. But it did happen again in early 1997 with hundreds of IRS agents information of friends, foes, and celebrities.
One "information broker" told the Wall Street Journal, "Everything is available for a price."-
Quoted in G. Bruce Knecht, "A New Casualty in Legal Battles: Your Privacy," Wall Street Journal, April 11, 1995. See also Jeffrey Rothfeder, "What Happened to Privacy?" New York Times, April 13, 1993.
According to Business Week, "The government is actively selling huge amounts of personal information to listmakers."-
"Marketers Know Too Much about Us," p. 98.
Numbered sources:
[1] Commercial availability of RFID
"... commercially available products exist that can be embedded under the skin. The FDA approval was disclosed during a conference call with investors."
[14] On November 26, 1941, Henry Field, an anthropologist working as an aide to President Roosevelt, was called to the office of Grace Tully, Roosevelt's secretary. She told Field that the president was ordering him to produce, in the shortest time possible, the full names and addresses of American-born and foreign-born Japanese listed by locality within each state. Field was completely bewildered and did not know how to begin. Tully explained that it was to be done by using the 1930 and 1940 censuses. Within one week, Field delivered to Tully the names and addresses of all the ethnic Japanese in the United States. Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians, Personal Justice Denied: Report of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians, Report for the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, March 1992; cited in John Toland, Infamy: Pearl Harbor and Its Aftermath (New York: Anchor Books, 1992), p. 22.
[15] Jonathan Berry, "Database Marketing: A Potent New Tool for Selling," Business Week, September 5, 1994.
[16] "Marketers Know Too Much about Us," Business Week, September 5, 1994.
[17] See Daniel J. Pilla, "Why You Can't Trust the IRS," Cato Institute Policy Analysis no. 222, April 15, 1995.
[29]There is an identification system made by the Hughes Aircraft Company that you can't lose. It's the syringe implantable transponder. According to promotional literature, it is an "ingenious, safe, inexpensive, foolproof, and permanent method of identification . . . using radio waves." A tiny microchip, the size of a grain of rice, is simply placed under the skin. It is so designed as to be injected simultaneously with a vaccination or alone.
The chip contains a ten-character "alphanumeric identification code that is never duplicated." When a scanner is passed over the chip, the scanner emits a beep, and your number flashes in the scanner's digital display.-
Martin Anderson, "High-Tech National Tattoo," Washington Times, October 11, 1993.
[Note this technology is a decade old]
