Jordan Eskovitz on Nostr: This is from a conversation with a slightly different context but it relates in ...

This is from a conversation with a slightly different context but it relates in substance to what you have posted here:

quoting nevent1q…823n

The question, however sincere, arises from an erroneous eschatological reading of Revelation. Buying and selling, as well as the larger theme of being marked, is used throughout Revelation in connection with worship (v. 3:18, 5:9–10, 7:3–4, 13:16–17, 18:11–13). The mark of the beast is contrasted by the seal of God on the forehead. There is a lot more here to unpack but ultimately it is all making a spiritual point rather than painting a doomer end times situation.

Everyone who asks the question about bitcoin and the mark of the beast will require the dignity of a tailored response. Like most questions, there is always more behind what the person is asking on the surface. So the theological context above is mostly for you to consider rather than providing that as some sort of stock answer.

I might start by asking what the person means and what the concerns are. Depending on the openness of the person (if they are asking honestly rather than dismissively) I would walk them through the properties of bitcoin (decentralization, honest, auditable, unmanipulatable, etc) and explain that this would be the antithesis of any "mark of the beast" currency. This might give you an opportunity to contrast it with a CBDC (which has been mentioned already by others here). If I were of the theological persuasion to interpret Revelation as talking about a literal mark of the beast currency or technology, I would be more concerned about a CBDC.