Unique ID In India Causes 'Fear of the Beast'

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Unique ID In India Causes 'Fear of the Beast'

Posted by timothy on Thursday July 1, 2010 @05:32AM from the seems-fair-enough dept.

bhagwad writes "India's attempts to tag everyone with an ID number has run into a roadblock is some Christian villages. Apparently the villagers fear they will be associated with the devil since according to the Bible, everyone having the 'mark of the beast' will go to hell. These people are not afraid of punishment. They relish this opportunity to prove their faith because the Bible also proclaims that they will be persecuted."

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Blah by religious+freak · 2010-07-01 05:34 · Score: 4, Insightful

Always good to see uneducated crazies are all over the world. I was worried that it was just the USA. Phew! /sarcasm

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If you can read this... 01110101 01110010 00100000 01100001 00100000 01100111 01100101 01100101 01101011
1. Re:Blah by ragefan · 2010-07-01 06:09 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  >>>Always good to see uneducated crazies are all over the world.
  Always good to see people who are intolerant of Christians. If you can be tolerant of gays, and tolerant of people speaking ideas you disagree with, why can't you be tolerant of Muslims, Jews, and Christians too? They have as much right to "pursue happiness" as anybody else, even if you disagree with their religious philosophy.
  Maybe it's because gays just want to enjoy the same rights that you enjoy; whereas Muslims, Jews and Christians want to remove the rights they feel disagree with their beliefs.
  Their right to "pursue happiness" stops when they try to impinges on the rights to pursue happiness by others.
2. Re:Blah by Draek · 2010-07-01 07:20 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  You assume the GP has it. He doesn't, for instance, if the person he loves is a minor, an octopi or his own sister.
  And before you reply "but that'd be disgusting!" be aware that the same can be (and has been) said of homosexuality as well.
  
  --
  No problem is insoluble in all conceivable circumstances.
That's silly... by painandgreed · 2010-07-01 05:35 · Score: 5, Funny

How could they possibly believe that is actually the mark of the beast? Everybody knows those grocery store "loyalty cards" are the real Mark of the Beast!
1. Re:That's silly... by boristdog · 2010-07-01 05:40 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  Everybody knows those grocery store "loyalty cards" are the real Mark of the Beast!
  I've always wondered: If you have more than one "loyalty card", does that make you a traitor or just a whore?
2. Re:That's silly... by TheVelvetFlamebait · 2010-07-01 06:03 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  The parent isn't kidding. The official user number of Anonymous Coward is 666. Log in and click here for proof:
  http://yro.slashdot.org/zoo.pl?op=check&type=friend&uid=666
  
  --
  You know, there is a difference between trolling and pointing out the flaws in your reasoning. Just saying.
3. Re:That's silly... by EdIII · 2010-07-01 06:05 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  That's why years ago I started using loyalty cards with other people. By my count now we have probably a hundred different people on one card alone.
  Other than the supposed savings (they're are an illusion just like you pointed out) you maybe get some savings on Gas. However, there are usually 1 or 2 places in a 100 mile radius that you can get the gas from. So you waste all the time driving there, wear and tear on the vehicle, just to save a few cents on gas that usually does not offset what you lost getting there. Unless you live less than 5 miles away from the super special gas station you can cash in your rewards on, it is just stupid.
  In some stores you don't even need your loyalty card either. Enough people complain that they won't purchase the items unless they get the "discount" price that cashiers will just give you a new card on the spot or swipe a card they have with them. I have seen that a lot.
  Personally, I enjoy my method a heck of a lot more. The original information on the account is bogus and the demographic information they glean from it must be hilarious.
Good! by Just+Some+Guy · 2010-07-01 05:38 · Score: 4, Insightful

I really don't care what arbitrary reason they picked. I'm just glad to hear of someone - anyone - standing up and saying that they refuse to be tagged like cattle. Good for you, Indians!

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Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
1. Re:Good! by quietwalker · 2010-07-01 05:47 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Wait, it's india. Wouldn't they relish the chance to be treated like cattle?
2. Re:Good! by corbettw · 2010-07-01 05:54 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  These are Christians in India, not Hindus. There's a difference: one believes a magical zombie died so they can live forever but that if they don't follow the zombie's teachings very closely, they'll burn in a lake of fire forever; the other one thinks the stupidest creature on four legs (and also one of the tastiest) is a magical creature that we should all aspire to become in a future life, but in the meantime we should give rats milk and bath in the most polluted river in the world so that when we die we can finally be happy...until we get reborn into a new body and have to be unhappy again.
  Bah, bunch of nutters, the lot of them. Why anyone bothers with religion is a mystery to me.
  
  --
  God invented whiskey so the Irish would not rule the world.
3. Re:Good! by wtbname · 2010-07-01 06:05 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  We do it for the chicks.
Uneducated by Anonymous Coward · 2010-07-01 05:43 · Score: 5, Insightful

If you meant that it takes years of indoctrination before a normal human being is willing to let other human beings tag him like an animal, then yes, I suppose these people need more "educating".
They may be wrong about WHY consolidated power is dangerous, but they are absolutely correct that it IS dangerous.
1. Re:Uneducated by JAZ · 2010-07-01 06:33 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  And regardless of who wrote these religious texts (divine inspiration, folk story, philosophers or old fashioned kooks), it is really interesting that someone as acknowledged and feared the idea of someone taking authority over and tagging the population for literally thousands of years.
  
  --
  
  "Karma can only be portioned out by the cosmos." -- Homer Simpson
Two things... by Anonymous Coward · 2010-07-01 05:43 · Score: 5, Informative

As a long-time minister I can tell you two things that are commonly misinterpreted by the nominal Christian crowd.

1. Revelation is almost entirely using symbolic language (it says so in the first paragraph).

2. Nearly everyone goes to hell. Hell is just the state of being dead, nothing more. Even Jesus is spoken of as being in 'hell' when he died.

The 'mark of the beast; is not a literal, physical mark. Rather, it is some kind of behavior or trait associating one with the Devils machinations (i.e. participating (or tacitly approving of) in genocide)
Educated, not crazy and not afraid. by Anonymous Coward · 2010-07-01 05:47 · Score: 4, Interesting

I believe I am well educated with some extensive study in Eschatology.
The Mark of the Beast is interesting and whether you are Premillennial or Amillennial you can find issues with the Mark of the Beast.
I, personally, am mostly indifferent. Mostly.
Here's where the concern is and will continue to be: buying and selling goods. I must make a living. I must pay my taxes. I'm okay with this. What happens when I won't accept an ID chip in my hand or cell phone?
As a citizen I am no longer "free". I pay my taxes but I can't buy or sell without these shackles?
Once a government is able to completely restrict the buying and selling, the means in which I survive, they have become oppressive and abusive. They must be overthrown.
If you think it doesn't matter or this is an unimportant step then we can Godwin this discussion.
And no, I'm not afraid. I won't bow down to another god or man. If the next President says we must bow down to him or his god(s) I will refuse.
Personally I think Christians (practicing their faith in "loving others") are the best kind of citizen one can have. They follow the just laws, they pay taxes and help their fellow men.
1. Re:Educated, not crazy and not afraid. by Creedo · 2010-07-01 06:01 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Funny. Where I live(the US Midwest, FYI), the Christians are at the forefront of attacking human rights, demanding that non-believers kowtow to their deranged fantasies and attacking science when they aren't flailing about in fear of the devil driven liberal conspiracy. That's not what I would call being a good citizen.
  
  --
  All that is necessary for the triumph of good is that evil men do nothing.
2. Re:Educated, not crazy and not afraid. by pluther · 2010-07-01 06:14 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Personally I think Christians (practicing their faith in "loving others") are the best kind of citizen one can have. They follow the just laws, they pay taxes and help their fellow men.
  
  Except that they don't. At least, no more than anybody else. Possibly less, actually.
  In the US, Christians are about 80% of the population, but over 90% of convicted criminals.
  And churches pay no taxes. Those who give money to churches get tax breaks for doing so. Assuming Christians also give to actual charities as much as everybody else does, that would mean they actually pay less taxes.
  As for the "Mark of the Beast", we've had this in the US for a very long time now. Every citizen of the U.S. is given a unique ID number at birth. A number which you need in order to get a passport, or drivers license, or credit card. So we're already regulating the buying and selling of property without it. And have been since before most of us here were born.
  
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  If the masses can keep you down, you're not the Ubermensch.
3. Re:Educated, not crazy and not afraid. by Creedo · 2010-07-01 06:17 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Tell it to the Christians. Or is this yet another stab at the "No True Scotsman" fallacy?
  
  --
  All that is necessary for the triumph of good is that evil men do nothing.
4. Re:Educated, not crazy and not afraid. by Dalambertian · 2010-07-01 06:35 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  I'm rather fond of Scotsmen, not to mention Ghandi when he said "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
5. Re:Educated, not crazy and not afraid. by JAZ · 2010-07-01 06:47 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  more like a noisy and obnoxious minority of a community.
  ...All christians are assholes who try to make everyone conform to they're way of life.
  ...All muslims are terrorists.
  ...All jews are stingy.
  ...All mexicans are illegal immigrants.
  ...All blacks are in gangs.
  ...All canadians are nice.
  ...All slashdot users are nerds who can't find girlfriends.
  anytime you try to associate a trait with a group you're probably oversimplifying the truth.
  
  --
  
  "Karma can only be portioned out by the cosmos." -- Homer Simpson
6. Re:Educated, not crazy and not afraid. by bsDaemon · 2010-07-01 06:49 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Most Buddhists are like Christ, and there are a bunch of those around.
7. Re:Educated, not crazy and not afraid. by Nethead · 2010-07-01 06:54 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  In the US, Christians are about 80% of the population, but over 90% of convicted criminals.
  That's because everyone seems to find Jesus in prison. (ergo, he must be in there too.)
  
  --
  -- I have a private email server in my basement.
8. Re:Educated, not crazy and not afraid. by bsDaemon · 2010-07-01 07:46 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  China rolled into Tibet, slapped the Dali Llama in the face, stole his country and kicked his ass out, and he hasn't gone all Che Guevara to get it back. Or those Vietnamese monks that burned themselves alive to protest the war. Although, if you were to walk up to a Rinzai master, he'd probably cold-clock you with a stick, laugh, and tell you when you understand only then will you be enlightened.
Re:POSIX operating systems are sinful by mangu · 2010-07-01 05:56 · Score: 4, Informative

I had a sysadmin who refused to chmod files to 666 because it was the number of the beast
Anyhow, you have to agree that he was right, for the wrong reason. Giving read/write permissions to everybody is the number of the stupid, not the number of the beast.