Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: kwilson@urbana.mcd.mot.com (Kent Wilson) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: 666's and Beasties everywhere. Message-ID: Date: 5 Jun 91 04:21:03 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Motorola MCG, Urbana Design Center Lines: 49 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article , st74044@oregon.uoregon.edu writes: |>Here's a fact for all of you people that are trying to figure |>out 666. In Belgium right now, there is a supercomputer... [deleted text] |>...in Belgium, which ironically is called-the BEAST. [deleted text] Our moderator writes: |>[This is clearly an "urban legend". There are certainly efforts at a |>cashless society, but all of that I know of involve "smart cards" that |>you carry. They're not physically embedded anywhere. The formats |>that I know of have a good deal more information than 18 digits. |>Perhaps some of our European readers can comment in more detail. If |>you're hearing this information from a Christian source, you might |>suggest to them that spreading absurd claims is a really bad idea -- |>it causes Christianity to become a laughingstock. --clh] I do not have sources before me so please forgive my inability to present "hard evidence" (its been a while since I hear the original story)... As for this supercomputer named the BEAST... I saw a Christian show where this matter was brought up. The host read an article (which I am pretty sure was from a *secular* source) which described this BEAST computer. I believe the only point the host of the show was trying to make was that Europe is moving full-speed ahead into a cashless society (which surely is only a shadow of the Beast's future monetary system requiring a mark, [my opinion]) and that the means, or at least a part of the means, (the BEAST computer) existed to bring it about. I also believe the host was struck (as I was) in the irony (?) of the computers name. Anway... before you dismiss it out of hand you might want to research it a bit (just for the sake of accuracy). As for smartcards and what-not... Sorry Chuck but they are way beyond smartcards. A doctor in Florida (I believe) is waiting for a patent on device which which can be implanted into humans under the surface of the skin. It would make the "mark" a reality. Similar devices have been in use in animals for a while. Kent ===============================================================================