By Clifford Denton.
The picture is of a medallion which is, from this year, being issued on some Princess Cruises. One books a holiday cruise and then sends all the usual information that a holiday company requests. One has no choice but to do this and then become part of “The Medallion Class”. One has a achieved a certain status for the forthcoming journey aboard ship. It is easy and there is no pressure. Indeed, it is compelling for the way it simplifies many aspects of taking a up-to-date cruise holiday. The medallion, bearing the name of the owner, is made from recyclable material and is small, elegant in style and convenient to wear on a lanyard, necklace or bracelet. It gives the impression of being part of an elite group called the Medallion Class (though everyone on the cruise holiday is of the Medallion Class and it is impossible to function as a passenger without being a member!).
On registration, the basic personal information is stored on the ship’s computer, including a picture of the passenger’s face, passport, bankcard details and other essential information relating to identity, necessary medical information and visa status. One wears the medallion like an athlete wears a medal on winning a competition. Once registered the entire cruise is streamlined.
No money by cash or card is exchanged during the cruise. Purchases are recorded by scanning the medallion, which contains a small computer chip. One’s running bill can be checked at any time on a computer screen placed conveniently on board, by touching the screen with the medallion. When a passenger disembarks at a port, and later reembarks, the medallion is scanned. The stored photograph and other details are checked on the screen to confirm identity and record departure and arrival. The passenger’s cabin (State Room) door automatically unlocks when the presence of the medallion is sensed at a range of 2 meters. The passenger’s photo appears on a screen near the door to confirm that the right passenger has arrived.
In short, this seems to be a highly convenient way to live in the community of the ship, with so much done without paperwork, passports or money exchanges. With of the order of 3500 passengers, this community is the size of a village or small town with all the infrastructure of such – an ideal way to experiment with a society facilitated by a magnetic chip.
A Growing Concern
There has been much concern about the growth of such possibilities as moving towards the mark of the beast revealed in the Book of Revelation. This shows how sensitive many Christians are becoming to reading the signs of the times. Whilst the signs are indeed pointing this way, we must be careful where we are in the controlling system that will eventually dominate the world. Alarm was raised, for example, by some Christians concerning the recent vaccination programme for Covid 19. The vaccination is not the mark of the beast since it does not restrict the ability to buy or sell. Yet, the signs are that in other ways we are reaching the time that was amazingly forecast 2000 years ago in a world that, at the time, was much simpler than it is today.
Neither the vaccine nor the medallion are the mark of the beast, though it is true that without the medallion on the Princess Cruise one could not purchase anything onboard nor embark or diesembark. Yet it is a sign of the times that we are getting ever closer to when control will be implemented on a worldwide scale when a mark is put on the wrist or forehead, probably carrying a tiny sophisticated version of the like of the Princess Cruises’ Medallion.
It is not yet time to cancel our holidays, or run ahead, but it is time to be awake, looking up and ready for the time when the line is crossed that means we must exclude ourselves from a worldwide system that will ultimately be controlled by the evil one through his human agency.
The interesting thing is how easy it is to take part in something like the Medallion Class, with all its benefits and convenience, and how one can be drawn in subtly. It simply arrives in one’s life when entering into an enjoyable holiday and where there is no pressure to conform. This will be how it will come about when we reach the time of choosing – or not – to conform to the conveniences of society in order to buy our food in our normal supermarket or conduct our banking in what is still otherwise a bank of good repute.
When will this be? Surely the technology is already available and such as Princess Cruises are agents for experimenting on the introduction of the cashless society.
Barry Smith was right when, years ago, he warned of the credit card age moving into a controlling mark of the beast age, but of course he did not foresee just how it would happen. Perhaps there are yet some steps towards the final goal. However, without becoming anxious we must be those who watch and pray.