The Science of Conspiracy Theories

The Mark of the Beast conspiracy

The Mark of the Beast conspiracy

Thanks to @hrb264 for this idea.

This is another technology twisted into a religious conspiracy. Barcodes are those bars and spaces symbols that you see on retail goods like groceries, clothing and many other items. I wrote an essay on barcode technology and how it works in my "Theory of Nothing' series. In this essay I want to discuss the idea that barcodes are proposed to be the mark of the beast mentioned in the book of Revelation.

The reason that a barcode is considered the Mark is because the word used in the Bible is a Greek word (charagma) that means palisade or a picket fence. Barcodes resemble picket fences. However the word can also be translated to mean an etching, stamp, or a graven marking. So, the idea that it's a picket fence mark is a stretch.

The reason why the barcode is associated with the Mark is because in Revelation 13:17-18 it says that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of the man. That number is 666.

This number refers to the antichrist, who is supposedly coming back to confuse everyone but true Bible believers and pave the way for the Devil to take over.

The 'Mark' is described by John as the mark of the Antichrist's name. A barcode would not be a good way to do this because the human skin can stretch. In order to read a barcode one must print the barcode with a high tolerance. Besides, the mark is supposed to be '666', which is the number of the beast or the number that represents Nero's name, the emperor that most people thought was the antichrist. However, the antichrist label has applied to many evil people down through the ages.

Where did this crazy idea come from? Actually, it came from several sources. A 1993 British movie, Naked, had a conversation where a barcode was named as the Mark of the Beast because UPC barcodes are divided into two parts using three sets of lines, which are represented by the number six. So, the maker bars secretly read six-six-six. This is ludicrous because why would the number 6 be hidden. It has nothing to do with the barcodes readability, and it's not meant to read as 6. There is no hidden 6 numbers in a UPC barcode.

In 1988, the author of 'Your Money Fails, says that the "666" System is Here, and The New Money System 666, Mary Steward Reife, believes that the barcode is the Mark.

A San Antonio teen's family is suing her school district because student ID badges have barcodes on them and this is prophesized in Revelation as the Mark of the Beast.

There is no antichrist in a UPC barcode. It's a false claim and not even technically reasonable. This goofy idea comes from people who believe that there are hidden signs in everything: money, product symbols, U.S. government buildings, movies, TV shows, video games, Disney movies, you name it.

Don't believe this nonsense.

Thanks for reading.