Religious beliefs on bitcoin

[FinShaggy]

Would anyone be interested in starting a "Church of Development". Where "god" is "the future", and we worship by making it better. Basically just a developmental coin charity that religiously works towards the future.

I am a certified minister and I will work to get non-profit status in my state, but here is the base for the organization, I already have 200 members:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=213405.0

If anyone wants to get married or exercise demons, I can legally do the ceremony

[crumbcake]

I thought you were going to mention how Muslims can only use certain forex brokers for some weird fucking reason.

The "weird fucking reason" being: making money from money is considered haram (sinful) in Islam. Which is exactly why the Islamic Bank of Bitcoin doesn't take interest.

So on one hand Islam is a logical friend of bitcoin, due to the whole "deconstructing traditional banking" thing.

On the other hand Islam is a logical enemy of bitcoinERS, due to the... just look at the marketplace and you'll get it.

On a happier note, lending at a profit is perfectly fine for Christians ... as long as they don't bother reading the Bible:

If thou lend money to any of my people with thee that is poor, thou shalt not be to him as a creditor; neither shall ye lay upon him interest. Exodus 22:25, American Standard translation (to avoid archaic use of usury In KJV)

[QuestionAuthority]

I thought you were going to mention how Muslims can only use certain forex brokers for some weird fucking reason.

The "weird fucking reason" being: making money from money is considered haram (sinful) in Islam. Which is exactly why the Islamic Bank of Bitcoin doesn't take interest.

So on one hand Islam is a logical friend of bitcoin, due to the whole "deconstructing traditional banking" thing.

On the other hand Islam is a logical enemy of bitcoinERS, due to the... just look at the marketplace and you'll get it.

On a happier note, lending at a profit is perfectly fine for Christians ... as long as they don't bother reading the Bible:

If thou lend money to any of my people with thee that is poor, thou shalt not be to him as a creditor; neither shall ye lay upon him interest. Exodus 22:25, American Standard translation (to avoid archaic use of usury In KJV)

I reserve the right to interpret the bible any way I see fit to match my lifestyle. In my version GOD loves lending, interest and hookers.

[crumbcake]

I thought you were going to mention how Muslims can only use certain forex brokers for some weird fucking reason.

The "weird fucking reason" being: making money from money is considered haram (sinful) in Islam. Which is exactly why the Islamic Bank of Bitcoin doesn't take interest.

So on one hand Islam is a logical friend of bitcoin, due to the whole "deconstructing traditional banking" thing.

On the other hand Islam is a logical enemy of bitcoinERS, due to the... just look at the marketplace and you'll get it.

On a happier note, lending at a profit is perfectly fine for Christians ... as long as they don't bother reading the Bible:

If thou lend money to any of my people with thee that is poor, thou shalt not be to him as a creditor; neither shall ye lay upon him interest. Exodus 22:25, American Standard translation (to avoid archaic use of usury In KJV)

I reserve the right to interpret the bible any way I see fit to match my lifestyle. In my version GOD loves lending, interest and hookers.

He certainly loves hookers (one of the Marys), and possibly blow, but lenders?  Not so much.  Pretty tough to make a soft & fuzzy tracting of the Bible where Usury is concerned.  I remember first it was like Son of Man raging at all the money lenders and then it was like royal pwnage on the cross.

[townf]

I'm going to attempt to put everything in perspective (bitcoins, the bible, this particular topic, etc) and boil it all down to a convenient little nugget with just this one post. 

Let's say that the guy who originally wrote this section of the bible (like any observant person) understood that whoever controls the monetary system controls people overly, and said as much. Whatever he originally wrote got interpreted and translated a few major times, more or less by fruitcakes, and we're left with the bizarre edition we have now, although the original idea is roughly the same.

Let's also say that this forum is already half full of topics pointing out many, genuinely viable vectors of takeover of bitcoin by the current (or new) power elite.

Let's also say that with current technology, marking or implanting yourself to be able to spend and accept money without any tokens or externalities as a matter of convenience (or fear or "national security") is very easily achieved. This would give control of the population at least an order of magnitude higher to the monetary system controllers than what exists now, if everybody was doing it.

Let's say the current power elite have control of the biggest mass media FUD machine ever seen in the history of the earth, bombarding most everybody with FUD and misinformation all the time and convincing the stupid of whatever they want.

Let's say that there are a lot of stupid people and not a few ambitious, powerful control freaks.

As far as actually realizing this bizarro Revelations bible thing with bitcoins, I guess it all boils down to how mainstream bitcoin gets and how many stupid people there are marking or implanting themselves and how strong the ambition and power of the control freaks is.

That's about all I got.

[Sitarow]

I introduced bitcoin to a friend and they started talking about how the bible predicts a currency take over and its the start of the Revelation.

Has anyone else run into this problem?

I have had people say things like that to me, not that I'd label it a problem. But I can certainly understand where this is coming from. When I was much younger, and still under the influence of the religious views of others, I recall hearing about the "Mark of the Beast" and, probably more than 20 years ago, had discussions with people about implanting chips in our bodies to use as money. I used to tell myself, "No way! I'd never do that. I'd die first!". I'm much wiser today. Most people aren't.

When I look back at all of the atrocities committed by mankind recently and throughout the millennia, I find that most of them were done in the name of religion. I can see time, after time, after time again, where people were basically brainwashed into doing what was right for the religious leaders but far from righteous. I can see now how a prophecy of something like Bitcoin could scare these leaders. I can see now why we might be lead to believe this is the Mark of the Beast and should avoid it at all costs, when really it's just a matter of self preservation for the unrighteous leaders of church and state.

As far as the "problem" goes, don't worry about it. You cannot argue with irrational people so don't even try. These people, as nice as they might be, are sheep. They have proven that by their current belief systems. And just like sheep, when the world begins adopting Bitcoin, they too will fall in line. Try to find better people to have philosophical discussions with and stick to talking sports and weather with these types.

Who knows your friend may be onto something, out of the mouth of babes.

I do not think the reference to the mark of the beast, is correct for this situation.

Perhaps your friend was suggesting a relation between Bitcoin playing the role of a catalyst for the vision described in the book of Daniel Chapter 2.

"The second chapter of Daniel contains the prophetic vision (received by King Nebuchadnezzar) of the great image that Daniel by inspiration showed to represent the march of Gentile world powers, ending with their destruction by the Kingdom set up by “the God of heaven,” which Kingdom then rules earth wide."

http://biblehub.com/daniel/2-34.htm
http://biblehub.com/daniel/2-35.htm

"34 You kept on looking until a stone was cut out not by hands, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and of molded clay and crushed them."

"35 At that time the iron, the molded clay, the copper, the silver and the gold were, all together, crushed and became like the chaff from the summer threshing floor, and the wind carried them away so that no trace at all was found of them. And as for the stone that struck the image, it became a large mountain and filled the whole earth."

Daniels vision today is expected to serve as a prophetic precursor to events still to occur. We can only speculate as to what it will be (hind site is 20/20 after all).

Edit: Photo Update

The image depicts the succession of world powers starting with Babylon and ending with all of them being crushed and replaced by the Kingdom of God (2:1-49)

It is believed that the iron, the molded clay, the copper, the silver and the gold are a reflection of today's fractured political and economic global condition.

Like elements poorly forged together, it would take little effort, in this case Bitcoin and its adoption, to bring change to today's current economic, financial, and political global landscape.

If you would like to read more about the book of Daniel and come to your own conclusions regarding it's implications for the future, then give this link a read.

Listen to the Bible in your language online.



Edit: Some may find the image depicted below humorous.




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[acceptance2]

everything will be fine because we have a ministry

ministryofbitcoin.com

In Crypto We Trust

[EndTheFed321]

Sorry I only go to www.ministryofBitdust.com     In Bitdust we trust

[Lauda]

everything will be fine because we have a ministry

ministryofbitcoin.com

In Crypto We Trust

Haha i like this

[ReCat]

LOL. Yeah. The one-world currency, the first tool of the antichrist. Seems fitting, until you realize that it doesn't fit the criteria.

1. The one world currency proposed in the bible requires that a chip be implanted on someone to make transactions, and that no other means are allowed, this would require the currency to be controlled, and centralized.  Not bitcoin.

2. Bitcoin has many alternatives

3. There's some scenarios where bitcoins just will never be viable. Specifically the places where simple cash is most used.

4. The bible is dumb.

The best way to become an atheist is by reading the bible.

xD

If you just accept the things how they are, and don't ask why and how you really are a dumb person, ignorant...
That's why there are many atheists, they realized some things on time.

I voice my opinion, you voice yours. Let's not go so low as to start shooting out insults without even using proper grammar.

[Akka]

everything will be fine because we have a ministry

ministryofbitcoin.com

In Crypto We Trust

Haha i like this

It gets even better: http://www.bitcoinchurch.org/

[Lauda]

everything will be fine because we have a ministry

ministryofbitcoin.com

In Crypto We Trust

Haha i like this

It gets even better: http://www.bitcoinchurch.org/

hahaha atleast it made me laugh
In Crypto We Trust - I like this one

[aquarius]

the only thing you need to ask them is: "do you believe that by you refusing to use Bitcoin, the Apocalypse will be avoided? could this be Gods test for you to see if you accept his creation, or go straight to hell for being ignorant?"

[MrVivaldi]

If there is clear non refutable proof that Bitcoin is of the beast system. Every Christian will drop Bitcoin for commodities.

[Rassah]

If there is clear non refutable proof that Bitcoin anything at all is of the beast system, every Christian Atheist, nonbeliever, or polytheist will drop Bitcoin for commodities become a Christian, since that will be irrefutable proof that Christian religion is true, and faith will be replaced by fact.

[Lauda]

If there is clear non refutable proof that Bitcoin anything at all is of the beast system, every Christian Atheist, nonbeliever, or polytheist will drop Bitcoin for commodities become a Christian, since that will be irrefutable proof that Christian religion is true, and faith will be replaced by fact.

+1
Exactly my thoughts.

[QuestionAuthority]

If there is clear non refutable proof that Bitcoin anything at all is of the beast system, every Christian Atheist, nonbeliever, or polytheist will drop Bitcoin for commodities become a Christian, since that will be irrefutable proof that Christian religion is true, and faith will be replaced by fact.

That's deep. 

[crumbcake]

If there is clear non refutable proof that Bitcoin anything at all is of the beast system, every Christian Atheist, nonbeliever, or polytheist will drop Bitcoin for commodities become a Christian, since that will be irrefutable proof that Christian religion is true, and faith will be replaced by fact.

Sorry, that dog won't hunt.  Availability of proof would make Christian faith (Christianity) impossible.  In other words, faith based on facts & reason is not faith (see definition of faith)

[cardcomm]

I have seen this Bible quote many times, and first started thinking about it in detail many years ago, well before the Internet was a possibility.

"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." (Revelation 13:16-17)

At that time, I could conceive of NO POSSIBLE WAY that someone could be prevented from trading by a mark on their hand or forehead. The very idea was absurd! Who would possibly accept all the massive social changes that would be required to make that happen? I was firmly in the midsts of a certain counter-culture of the late 70's, and it was inconceivable to me that ANY determined individual could be prevent from trading, by any government. Simply put, in the late 70's, this could not POSSIBLY have happened.

Now, here we are in the 21st. century. The world has changed in fundamental ways that no one could predict. Information on any topic is instantly available at one's fingertips. Financial transactions that used to take days now clear in seconds.

I don't think there is a single person reading this forum that would argue the possibility that one could eventually be denied the means to trade. Yes, there is the possibility of one world currency that could require significant identification to spend. Or one could be denied the chance to buy things simply by denying them access to certain technology. There are any number of minor, incremental developments that could be used to prevent certain people to trade. Some people already do transactions at POS systems that just require them to swipe a RFID near the terminal. From there, how big a jump is it to a place where all our spending can be controlled by the government?

The Bible can be interpreted in many ways, and is often quoted/mis-quoted to one's advantage. But I have to say this:

The idea of one central way to control or prevent ALL purchases by a particular individual seems MUCH more likely to me now than it did back in the old "sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll" days.

[crumbcake]

I have seen this Bible quote many times, and first started thinking about it in detail many years ago, well before the Internet was a possibility.

"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." (Revelation 13:16-17)
...

Bwahhhhahahaha!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microchip_implant_(human)
http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/photos/uncategorized/2007/08/01/rfid.jpg