An act of faith, or just plain silly?

Tell yourself, how silly am I not to believe in God.Advice yourself to respect, love and obey God as we do so to Him.

Our faith to God is based on the words of God in the bible not you as human being like us.

jtm

I never respect someone else's beliefs just because they strongly believe in them. They may, for instance, believe that banana pudding is the primary ingredient of "blue gravity." In other words, they could be insane, or make no sense at all. Of course, they could be just plain silly or be absolutely rational and correct.

I like to base my respect on how accurate someone is about their beliefs and how strongly they fight for what is right. I have no respect for someone who stands for what they believe is right, if what they believe has no proper basis or reasonable foundation. I do understand that it is possible for them to have a reasonable foundation in their beliefs which is hidden from me, so I like to keep that in mind.

To me this means that everything must be taken on a case-by-case basis. In the case of the article entitled "God-fearing villagers snub ‘satanic’ bar codes" the bar codes may indeed be satanic, the article does not say whether or not this is the case. The article implies that this is merely a standard bar code, but this is not made clear either.

I believe that they have the right to refuse the passports based upon a reasonable argument. They want this checked out and they do not want to have anything to do with it until it is. Why? Because they love God and do not want to have anything to do with satan. What is wrong with that? What is silly about it? Nothing is wrong with it, and it is not silly, their requests are reasonable.

The article has a quote which states, "They have these bar codes and people say they contain three sixes. We are against that." It is highly likely that this is a bad example used just to make the villagers look foolish and ignorant. Regardless, their fear should be addressed and they should be given the information that they need in order for them to know if these things are indeed satanic or not. It would be unfortunate if they were all convinced that it was satanic if it was not.

What many people do not understand is that "666" is not a satanic number or symbol by itself, but it is what the sum of the number of the man, known as the beast, adds up to. In other words, this is a clue to the man's identity. The beast and satan will take this number and use it as his own.

Therefore, if and when we see this number being used, it should be suspect. This could be a just like a sign saying "Property of Satan". Also, it could merely be the number after 665 and before 667, without relevance or meaning. In other words, it depends on the usage, authority, and intent of the use of the number. I suppose the best way to think of it is as a counterfeit bank note over a legitimate bank note, one is correct on wanting the legitimate bank note and checking to see if it is counterfeit if there is a reason to suspect that it might be.

Also, we are not told what other symbols might be on those documents which could be satanic, perhaps there are many other symbols which are classically known as being satanic symbols. It could be that these villagers have other reasons for suspecting that these documents are satanic, and the article conveniently left all this evidence out.

So are they being silly or faithful? I think that without a doubt that they are trying to be faithful and that there is little evidence of them just being silly. Beyond that, we do not know because the article is lacking in the necessary information and it could be inaccurate, biased, or otherwise suspect.

If I were still a christian, I'd think that they were taking things to an extreme, wait, as an atheist I have the same thought. The Mark of the Beast, mostly likely will not be just a mark or number, it would need some sort of declaration or spiritual implication.

Having a passport with a bar-code on it, is no way a threat to your christian faith, nor does it require you to profess any faith etc.

It is a little known fact that there are a lot of people becoming Christian In the old Russia.

Most of them are Pentecostal.

They have a tendency to be emotional.

I speak from experience.

They are reacting to the prophesy of the coming evil one.

Bar coding has long been suspected in Christian circles as the MARK.

There is equipment in existence that will impregnate your skin with a bar code. I have seen it.

The code can be read by scanners installed at every entrance of public buildings. The code tells who you are. It will be a very little deal to incorporate economics into the code. Credits and debits.

it is a bit of extremeism and misintrepretation of the Word. we are told that we will have to take a mark on our right hand or forehead - this is neither.

Rev 13:16 And he gives to all, small and great, the poor and those who have wealth, the free and those who are not free, a mark on their right hand or on their brows;

17 So that no man might be able to do trade but he who has the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. He who has knowledge let him get the number of the beast; because it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty-six.

Rev 14:9 And a third angel came after them, saying with a loud voice, If any man gives worship to the beast and his image, and has his mark on his brow or on his hand,

10 To him will be given of the wine of God's wrath which is ready unmixed in the cup of his wrath and he will have cruel pain, burning with fire before the holy angels and before the Lamb:

11 And the smoke of their pain goes up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, who give worship to the beast and his image, and have on them the mark of his name.

It's silly. They do not understand what the mark is or truly about. Someone has fed them alot of hooey. The mark of the beast will be attached to a world religion that all must conform to. If not, you will be beheaded. Sound familiar?

Jumping the gun a bit with the mark of the beast....

We haven't even see the man of perdition yet.

Do we really know what the mark of the beast is they are standing in what they believe in.

a little of both--they stopped collecting their pension checks, which is commendable that their faith is that strong, but would God want them to suffer without an income that they had earned?

It's an act of confusion.