“Digital money represents a dystopian totalitarian system of control from which no one can escape.”
I recently posted a warning on Facebook about the soon to be implemented digital dollar for pandemic relief payments (see here). After reading a comment or two below my post, it became painfully clear that very little is understood about this new technology or its implications. So let me explain why this technology represents a crucial development in Bible prophecy and the mark of the beast in particular, and how it will dramatically alter our lifestyles.
But first, what is digital money? Digital money is simply electronic money that is stored in a computer database. Examples of digital money include cryptocurrencies, virtual currencies, central bank digital currencies, and e-Cash. The latest developments in digital money are primarily based on blockchain technology.
So why is digital money any different than transacting with a credit card or sending someone funds through PayPal? What many don't realize is that all electronic payments are currently run by the universal SWIFT system (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) and represent the distribution of cash bank notes. This means that whether you swipe your card or pay in cash, your bank account is depreciated of tangible paper money. But once digital money is fully implemented cash is no longer available, nor is it tangible. All financial transactions are merely electronic notations in a computer database and they are based on digital tokens, not physical money.
Now you might be wondering, what's so bad about switching over to a fully cashless economy based on digital tokens instead of physical cash? To answer this question, let's take a look at some of the following consequences that follow such a shift in order to better appreciate the danger it poses:
1. Serious Privacy Implications:
All buying and selling will be fully regulated and supervised by the government. Anonymous cash transactions would no longer be possible.
2. Negative Interest Rates:
Central banks could implement negative interest rates as they are currently doing in Europe and Japan. This means that people would be FORCED to pay interest on their money sitting in a bank account somewhere. Removing money from the bank in order to store it interest free would no longer be possible.
3. Mass Job Loss:
Perhaps a quarter or more of the economy's jobs will be forever lost due to electronic automation. Computer algorithms will replace bank tellers, public accountants and tax preparers, government employees working in financial services, and maintenance people servicing these financial institutions. Special computer software and AI (artificial intelligence) will enable digital transactions to occur automatically and without the need for human oversight on many different levels.
4. Economic Collapse:
Prior to a cashless economy based on digital tokens a complete economic collapse is necessary in order to replace the old financial system—AS IS HAPPENING NOW (see here). This enables the government to force the population of its nation to embrace the new currency. So the current health crisis is a convenient mechanism to facilitate the global economic collapse needed to usher in the now looming cashless society. To confirm this, both the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and the World Economic Forum have openly called for a global economic reset or a new economic system due to the coronavirus (see here and here).
Yet even the secular world can appreciate the threat of a system based on digital transactions. Doug Casey, a Wall Street financial analyst and currency expert, has repeatedly warned about the threat to personal privacy and freedom represented by digital money (see here).
Now nootice the following excerpts from an article titled “Cashless society: A huge threat to our freedom”, written by CNBC:
“...a cashless society would certainly give governments unprecedented access to information and power over citizens. Currently, we have little evidence to indicate that governments will refrain from using this power. On the contrary, the U.S. government is already using its snooping prowess and big-data manipulation in some frightening ways. ...the U.S. government is becoming very fond of seizing money from citizens first and asking questions later via 'civil forfeiture.' Amazingly, the government is permitted by law to do this even if it is only government staff members who have a suspicion, not proof, of wrongdoing. By seizing a citizen's or a firm's money, the victim/defendant has almost no choice but to settle.
“If current government trends continue, a cashless economy could thus very well lead to an econgularity. Imagine a future in which soon, a government staff member could suspect an individual of some misconduct, or perhaps deem that person's politics or speech unacceptable. It would take just a few keystrokes to order all financial institutions to decline any withdrawal or payment from that individual and to transfer any deposits or payments of that person to the government, or at least freeze any access to funds. Perhaps this would need to be reviewed by a secret court that would approve 99.7 percent of all requests, but would provide a veneer of due process. It is fair to think that the targeted individual might starve to death. This could be insured by cutting off access to the payment system of anyone suspected of helping the targeted individual” (see here).
And then there are these excerpts:
"A future where all payments are trackable is terrifying... Attended the 'wrong' protest? Your bank balance is now zero. Bought a suspicious book? Expect a visit from the police. Annoyed someone in power? They can trawl through your transactions until they find something juicy enough to leak.
"Your movements can be tracked, your friends identified, your political affiliations analyzed and cross-correlated to your reading habits. No part of your life is private when every form of money is digital and every transaction can be tracked, blocked, seized, and deleted. Your life savings are yours only as long as you don’t offend someone in power... Combining surveillance of communications with complete control over money will result in tyranny the likes of which the world has never known" (see here).
So what does this mean and how does it relate to the mark of the beast described in Revelation 13? To help you better connect the dots, allow me to describe a very real scenario. Say the US becomes hostile towards Christianity and passes into law severely anti-Christian legislation which would prohibit Christians from congregating outside of officially sanctioned channels or preaching the Gospel freely (a very real scenario in China). And let's just say that any pastor or individual found in violation of these new laws will have to face imprisonment. So how do such individuals mount an escape to avoid an unjust prison sentence? After all, they are now living in a cashless society and the government just froze their account, which means that they can no longer buy food or purchase fuel.
But now consider the fact that the above scenario can just as easily play out if Christians were to try to avoid taking the mark of the beast. With a single keystroke, our ability to buy or sell can be instantly suspended and we would have no choice but to accept the government's terms...or else suffer the consequences. Do you see the incredible danger here? But perhaps this concern is completely unfounded. Perhaps we can trust our morally integritous government to never betray us or abuse such tremendous power. My friend, if such is your hope, then I guarantee you will be sorely disappointed. The reality is that we are living in the midst of a deeply prophetic season at this time, and what we are presently witnessing is just the beginning of a much larger dragnet being set for God's people. Are you ready? If not, hasten to prepare before it's too late!
