Recent Developments of the Great Tribulation
Revelation 13 :
“Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth; it had two horns
like a lamb’s but spoke like a dragon. It wielded all the authority
of the first beast in its sight and made the earth and its inhabitants
worship the first beast,………..It deceived the inhabitants of the earth with
the signs it was allowed to perform in the sight of the first beast…………It
forced all the people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave,
to be given a stamped image on their right hands or their foreheads, so
that no one could buy or sell except one who had the stamped image of the
beast’s name or the number that stood for its name………”
(Revelation 13:11-17)
This update and the attached articles read in conjunction with the writing previously provided to you entitled: After The Warning clearly indicate that we are living within the Great Tribulation of Revelation. What you will read with this update are a few recent news articles evidencing this fact, and that there is nothing that we can do at this moment that is more important than preparing ourselves spiritually and physically for what will soon be upon us.
You will find attached hereto three articles of great relevance. The first addresses public statements by the liberal Cardinal Martini of Milan in which he calls for a one-world government ostensibly for “the protection of human rights”. The second is an article in which an American company announces that in October it will unveil the commercial model of its sub-dermal microchip which it calls the “Digital Angel”. The third article is a question and answer session between a Worldnetdaily reporter and a scientist, and discusses certain of the uses and abuses of sub-dermal microchips. Make no mistake about it. Neither is the above mentioned proposed one-world government concerned about human rights, nor is there anything angelic about ANY sub-dermal microchip.
Satan is indeed the father of all lies.
Previously, the Holy Trinity and Our Lady have told us that these things were coming. Now we are told that they are here.
Centuries ago, the high priest of Jerusalem wore a two-horned hat, which was symbolic of his authority. This evolved into the tiara, the two tiered hat worn by Roman Catholic bishops. The second beast of Revelation, also known as the False Prophet, will be a man of a false religion centered in the city surrounded by seven hills………Rome. To make way for such false religion, the Roman Catholic Church will be run out of Rome, together with the true Pope, Pope John Paul II.
The wonders and convenience of the Chip are being heralded as this update is written. We are being told by the wicked that the Chip will be useful in the treatment of spinal cord injuries, in weight reduction programs, in behavior modification, in providing for the tracking of wayward and disoriented people by satellites, in the maintaining of personal medical and financial accounts and records, in operating security systems, in monitoring criminals,……….…….and other similar lines of lies, deceit and fraud.
Through various current-day prophets (which remain under investigation by the Church and to which we willingly yield), Our Lord is telling us that the Chip is the Mark of the Beast discussed in Revelation; and that it is both sinister in its nature and purpose, and deadly to the soul. The true purpose of the Chip is to provide control over the general population by the one-world government Masons, who have infiltrated into all walks of life, including the Church. It will have the ability to alter the behavior of the recipients such that they, not only support the Antichrist, but worship him.
We have been told in Holy Scripture that anyone who accepts the Mark of the Beast will commit a SIN THAT WILL NOT BE FORGIVEN. (Rev. 14:9-13).
Reread Revelation, and consider the following events which have occurred
recently or have been publicly scheduled to occur soon:
The Great Apostasy:
“…The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such
a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops.
The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres……....churches
and altars sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises
and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the
service of the Lord…”
Our Lady of Akita, 1973.
Soon we will see cardinal rise against cardinal and bishop against bishop,
as predicted by Our Lady at Akita , which was approved by the Church.
Soon we will witness the Great Apostasy in all of its ugliness. The
Roman Catholic Church will be shattered, and only a small remnant will
remain loyal to the true Pope---------- Pope John Paul II.
Only a small remnant will remain true to the word of God.
Satan’s method has been consistent since Adam: Attempt
to make that which is good appear to be evil; and that which is evil appear
to be good. ……..It will be no different this time.
Satan always attacks that which is the most potent against him by attacking it with the greatest passion. We need to be watchful of this, and respond by increasing our faith and devotion accordingly. Expect the Great Apostasy to proceed with overt disobedience, wholesale denied premises and self-serving pretzel logic. Expect increased attacks upon the sacraments, especially the sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist. Expect increased attacks upon adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Expect increased attacks upon the Papacy. Expect increased attacks upon Our Lady and the Rosary. Expect increased attacks upon the unalterable word of God. Expect increased attacks upon truth.
Shortly before he was elected Pope, Pope John Paul II stated:
“We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation
humanity has gone through. I do not think that the wide circles of
the American society, or the wide circles of the Christian community, realize
this fully. We are now facing the final confrontation between the
Church and the anti-Church, of the Gospel versus the anti-Gospel.”
Karol Cardinal Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) - September 1976.
We are starting to read and hear statements to the effect that the primacy and authority of the Church was given by Jesus to the twelve Apostles and thereby to the Bishops as their successors, rather than to Pope St. Peter and his successor Pope John Paul II ! Holy Scripture is clear that such authority was given to Peter, and to Peter alone .
Simon’s name was changed by Jesus to “Peter”, meaning “the rock”. It was Jesus Himself who stated “…Thou are Peter, the rock and upon THIS rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it…”. The keys to the kingdom of Heaven were given to Peter…………there were not twelve sets of keys.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is clear that the primacy and authority rests with the Pope. Consider the following excerpted paragraphs therefrom:
881. "The Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the 'rock' of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock.[Cf. Mt 16:18-19; Jn 21:15-17.] 'The office of binding and loosing which was given to Peter was also assigned to the college of apostles united to its head.'[LG 22 # 2.] This pastoral office of Peter and the other apostles belongs to the Church's very foundation and is continued by the bishops under the primacy of the POPE.".
882. "The POPE, Bishop of Rome and Peter's successor, 'is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful.'[LG 23.] 'For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered.”.
937. "The POPE enjoys, by divine institution, 'supreme, full, immediate,
and universal power in the care of souls.”.
[underscores mine]
The Apostolic Constitution, Universi Dominici Gregis -- On the Vacancy of the Apostolic See and the Election of the Roman Pontiff further clarifies the limitation of the cardinals and bishops even in the absence of a Pope. ( www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_22021996_universi-dominici-gregis_en.html )
The following are brief excerpts therefrom:
Chapter One : The Powers of the College of Cardinals During the Vacancy of the Apostolic See.
1. “During the vacancy of the Apostolic See, the College of Cardinals has no power or jurisdiction in matters which pertain to the Supreme Pontiff during his lifetime or in the exercise of his office; such matters are to be reserved completely and exclusively to the future Pope. I therefore declare null and void any act of power or jurisdiction pertaining to the Roman Pontiff during his lifetime or in the exercise of his office which the College of Cardinals might see fit to exercise, beyond the limits expressly permitted in this Constitution.
2. During the vacancy of the Apostolic See, the government of the Church is entrusted to the College of Cardinals solely for the dispatch of ordinary business and of matters which cannot be postponed (cf. No. 6), and for the preparation of everything necessary for the election of the new Pope. This task must be carried out in the ways and within the limits set down by this Constitution: consequently, those matters are to be absolutely excluded which, whether by law or by practice, come under the power of the Roman Pontiff alone or concern the norms for the election of the new Pope laid down in the present Constitution.
3. I further establish that the College of Cardinals may make no dispositions whatsoever concerning the rights of the Apostolic See and of the Roman Church, much less allow any of these rights to lapse, either directly or indirectly, even though it be to resolve disputes or to prosecute actions perpetrated against these same rights after the death or valid resignation of the Pope.12 All the Cardinals are obliged to defend these rights.
4. During the vacancy of the Apostolic See, laws issued by the Roman Pontiffs can in no way be corrected or modified, nor can anything be added or subtracted, nor a dispensation be given even from a part of them, especially with regard to the procedures governing the election of the Supreme Pontiff. Indeed, should anything be done or even attempted against this prescription, by my supreme authority I declare it null and void.”
The following is an excerpt from the Promulgation section of such Apostolic Constitution:
Promulgation :
“Wherefore, after mature reflection and following the example of my Predecessors, I lay down and prescribe these norms and I order that no one shall presume to contest the present Constitution and anything contained herein for any reason whatsoever. This Constitution is to be completely observed by all, notwithstanding any disposition to the contrary, even if worthy of special mention. It is to be fully and integrally implemented and is to serve as a guide for all to whom it refers.
As determined above, I hereby declare abrogated all Constitutions and Orders issued in this regard by the Roman Pontiffs, and at the same time I declare completely null and void anything done by any person, whatever his authority, knowingly or unknowingly, in any way contrary to this Constitution.
Given in Rome, at Saint Peter's, on 22 February, the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle, in the year 1996, the eighteenth of my Pontificate”
John Paul II
Even legitimate Ecumenical Councils are subject to, and answer to, the Pope. There have been cardinals and bishops who have been excommunicated by Popes ! Clearly, they are subordinate to the Pope. The Pope serves as Supreme Pontiff for life, unless he willingly abdicates or retires. He can NOT be forced out of office, forced to retire, declared unfit, declared incompetent, too old or too ill. JOHN PAUL II HAS CLEARLY AND PUBLICLY STATED THAT HE HAS ABSOLUTELY NO INTENTION OF RETIRING OR ABDICATING.
They are calling US “apostates” because we recognize the supremacy of the Pope over the individual or collective authority of the bishops. They would have you believe that the college of cardinals or bishops is a parliamentary body with legislative authority superior to the Pope, the Vicar of Christ on Earth.
They are calling US “apostates”…………Satan is indeed the father
of all lies.
We are starting to read and hear statements to the effect that WE are “heretics” because we believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. The Fathers and Doctors of the Church are unanimous in their position that Jesus is truly present in the Holy Eucharist. The Creed does not speak to the real presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, because at such time it was universally accepted as a fundamental truth central to the Faith. This is clear in the writings of the Apostolic Fathers and Doctors of the Church.
According to Holy Scripture (John 6:48-58), it was the Son of God, Himself who said clearly:
“I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us [his] flesh to eat?"
Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."
Did not Jesus state: “This is My body….This is My blood….Do this in remembrance of Me.” ? We believe, as the early Christians did then, because WE HAVE HIS WORD ON IT----.what more could we need ? These are the Holy words of consecration. These are amongst the most solemn and sacred words in the Bible, and must never be changed or tampered with in any way by anyone.
Transubstantiation is a mystery TO MAN. Everything is possible with God.
They are calling US “heretics”………….Satan is indeed the father
of all lies.
We are starting to read and hear statements to the effect that WE are “infidels” because of our devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Roman Catholic Church has never supported the Blessed Mother as a divinity, and has indeed condemned worshipping her as a goddess. In many of her apparitions, SHE has told us not to worship her as a goddess, but to worship only the Holy Trinity.
Mary as Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate has been established by Catholic Tradition for about 2,000 years. While they studied under different Apostles who were scattered over the then known world and without the current means of communication, the Fathers and the Doctors of the Church are unanimous in their writings about this. As such it is, and has been, required faith for a Roman Catholic in good standing for centuries.
The prefix “co” means “WITH”, as in “co-pilot”, “co-worker”, “co-incidence”,“co-insurance”, “co-llaborate”, “co-operate”, “co-existence”, “co-pay”, etc. It does NOT mean that she is a Redeemer; there is only one Redeemer.
Through one current day prophet, Our Lord has told us that when St. Gabriel announced to her that she would be the mother of the Messiah, she was given a vision of the rest of her life and the sorrow that she would endure. Her response was the Magnificat: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to thy word.”. She thereby CO-operated as a partner in God’s PLAN for the redemption of mankind; and her body and the body of the Son of God became united inseparably for 9 months.
As Mediatrix, she mediates between man and Jesus for our intentions. As Advocate, she is the advocate of advocates. Remember at the wedding feast at Cana, Jesus could not refuse her. She is the daughter of the Father, the mother of the Son, and the spouse of the Holy Spirit. She has influence with the Holy Trinity unlike any other creature.
While on the cross, Jesus gave her to us as our mother. She was present with the Apostles on Pentecost Sunday when the Church was born, and received the Holy Spirit with the Apostles.
Our plea to the Blessed Virgin is “pray for us”.
They are calling US “infidels”………….Satan is indeed the father
of all lies.
We are starting to read and hear statements to the effect that WE are
“cultists” because we pray the Rosary.
St. Dominic is generally believed to be the person responsible initially
for devotion to the Rosary. It has been prayed by many great Saints
and by many great sinners. Several Popes have written in support
of praying the Rosary. Perhaps the most noteworthy is Pope Leo XIII
who wrote favorably about it in several of his encyclicals.
The Creed was written by the legitimate ecumenical Council at Nicea, and subsequently approved by the Pope. The “Our Father” was given to us by Jesus Himself. The first half of the “Hail Mary” was taken directly from Holy Scripture; while the second half asks her to pray for us. The “Gloria” gives glory to the Heavenly Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The “Hail Holy Queen” pays homage to Our Lady and pleads with her to pray for us. Together they comprise the Rosary.
The efficacy of praying the Rosary lies not only in the content of its prayers, but in the meditation on the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries of the Faith. Together they represent the Annunciation to Mary, the birth of Christ, His Passion and Death, His glorious Resurrection, His Ascension into Heaven, the descent of the Holy Spirit, and Mary’s reward for her co-operation in the plan of God for the salvation of man. The graces associated with the Rosary are manifold.
To argue against the Rosary is to argue against tenets central to the Faith. To slander the Rosary is to slander the salvic mission of Jesus Christ.
They are calling US “cultists”………….Satan is indeed the father
of all lies.
Plagues, Pestilences and Purification :
Currently, the Western U.S. is on fire………..….fires started by lightening from the sky. In July, the aurora borealis was seen as far South as Georgia and Texas (This strange occurrence is reminiscent of a similar occurrence shortly before War II, which was predicted at Fatima.). The drought in the Southern US is the worst in decades. Water rationing is becoming common place in certain regions of the U.S., while parts of the Eastern seaboard have seen floods. Horrible disease is on the rise; some even approach epidemic levels. Japan is puzzled by the significant number of unexpected and repeated earthquakes and volcanic activity that it has experienced recently. It snowed in the UK in August. Typhoon Bilis has struck Taiwan with winds in excess of 160 mph. Pestilence is on the rise. A plague of grasshoppers ravaged Oklahoma and North Texas during the summer.
This is only what has received recent U.S. media coverage. All were predicted.
Much more has been predicted by various current-day prophets to occur
very soon. Such as, the occurrence of terrible storms, a huge
earthquake to occur in the U.S. , and a sign to occur in October, 2000.
We have been told that the drought will result in water and food shortages.
We have been told to stock-up on food and water for the forthcoming time
when we will not be able to buy because we have refused the Chip in the
hand or forehead. God will multiply such food and water. We
know through the Bible that God ALWAYS takes care of His people in such
circumstances. We have HIS word on it.
Carefully read the attached articles. Then, carefully reread the
writing, After The Warning, provided to you previously.
It is located on the Internet at http://www.call2holiness.org
and at
http://www.sgroi.com/catholic/warning.html
.
Soon Our Lady will call forth her sons. Soon the lamp under the
basket will be uncovered. Soon truth will prevail……………………. and she
will crush his head.
Our Lord will return soon, and initiate the Era of Peace
written about by the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and as predicted
by Our Lady of Fatima.
Prepare accordingly………….you have nothing to loose. If we prepare
properly, we have nothing to fear.
Daily make the consecrations to the Immaculate and Sacred Hearts, and
to the Divine Hearts of the Heavenly Father and Holy Spirit.
Also make the consecration to the heart of St. Joseph.
Read the Catechism of the Catholic Church for truth……………it was written for these times.
Reread the book of Revelation. It has a happy and glorious ending……………we win !
Receive the sacraments frequently, especially the sacraments of Confession
and Holy Eucharist. Pray the Rosary and TRUST in God; HE CAN NOT
RESIST A TRUSTING SOUL. Spread the message to others.
Be all you can be in Our Lady’s Army !
An Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
My Queen! My Mother! I give you all myself, and, to show my devotion
to you, I consecrate to you my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my heart, my entire
self. Wherefore, O loving Mother, as I am your own, keep me, defend
me, as your property and possession.
An Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Merciful Jesus, I consecrate myself today and always to Your most Sacred
Heart. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus I implore, that I may ever love
You more and more. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in You!
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us! Sacred Heart of Jesus,
I believe in Your love for me. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make
my heart like Your Heart.
Prepared with the grace of God by
Ben J. Verdina
abba2000@tx.freei.net
Italian Cardinal Advocates `Planetary' Government
Source: http://www.natcath.com/NCR_Online/archives/081100/081100f.htm
By NCR STAFF
Italian Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, a progressive frequently mentioned
as a candidate to be the next pope, has advocated the creation of a "democratic
and planetary" system of government that would transcend the powers of
presently existing nation-states.
Martini's proposal came in a July issue of the Roman daily newspaper La Repubblica. In an essay on human rights, Martini wrote that nations have the right to manage their own affairs, but in view of the universal nature of human rights, an absolute notion of sovereignty that prevents the international community from policing abuses is "anachronistic and unhistorical."
Martini, 73, is the archbishop of Milan. The cardinal supported "humanitarian intervention" in defense of suffering populations such as refugees, including the use of troops when other means have failed. Though "humanitarian intervention" was most recently invoked by NATO in defense of its bombing campaign against Serbia, Martini did not expressly approve or condemn that action.
Instead, quoting from Pope John Paul II, Martini said such interventions
must be precise in their objectives, must be authorized at a supra-national
level, and must never depend on "the mere logic of force."
Martini wrote that effective protection of human rights "obviously
demands a true reconsideration of the present international order." In
his most controversial statement, he said that international tribunals
of human rights should have enforcement powers within nation-states.
Ultimately, Martini argued, it will be necessary to rethink the concept of the nation "to ensure a more just and true cohabitation" among peoples. This will mean, he said, distinguishing between a "state" and a "nation," so that national identity does not necessarily rest upon the existence of a political entity.
"Before national interests, there are individual persons with their inalienable dignity," Martini wrote, "and before the particular interests of individual groups is the universal human community and its obligation to work for justice, solidarity and peace."
To that end, Martini wrote, it will be necessary to build a planetary system of government, for which the present European Union is one possible model. Martini called transcending national sovereignty "the roadmap to a more just and stable order."
This order, Martini writes, must be based on an "exchange of gifts" in which the well-being of all groups, especially the weak, is protected.
"For this it will be necessary to overcome not only waging actual wars, but also cold wars, and not merely to ensure the equality of rights of all people, but also their access to assets for the construction of a better future," Martini wrote in the July 13 La Repubblica.
The concept of a planetary political order that would supercede the power of nation-states is anathema to many U.S. political conservatives.
"There are people who genuinely believe that our interests are best served if we become weaker and weaker," Republican Congressman Roscoe Bartlett said in 1998, "and the U.N. becomes stronger and stronger, so they ultimately have a bigger army than we do so they can keep the world peace. These people are called globalists, new-world-order, one-world-government people."
National Catholic Reporter, August 11, 2000
DIGITAL ANGEL 'MARK OF THE BEAST' CAPABLE TECHNOLOGY
TO BE UNVEILED IN OCTOBER
http://www.jvim.com/cgi-bin/update.cgi
Applied Digital Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSX) reported on July 31:
"...today announced that it will host a special, invitation-only event
in New York City this coming October to demonstrate an operational prototype
of its revolutionary "Digital Angel" technology.
As previously announced, the prototype of the device was to be ready by the end of this year. But Applied Digital's Chairman and CEO, Richard J. Sullivan, said today that the development of the technology had progressed well ahead of schedule.
In his comments announcing the October event, Richard Sullivan stated: 'We're extremely heartened by the remarkable progress made by Dr. Peter Zhou and his entire research team, including professors and their associates at Princeton University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
This technology relates directly to the exploding wireless marketplace. We'll be demonstrating for the first time ever that wireless telecommunications systems and bio-sensor devices - capable of measuring and transmitting critical body function data - can be successfully linked together with GPS technology and integrated with the Internet..."
"...This is a gigantic leap forward, one that also links directly to our Computer Telephony Internet Integration (CTII ) strategic focus. At its heart, Digital Angel involves integrating the very same communications technologies into a working system.
We'll soon be ready to move ahead to the production-design phase of Digital Angel geared to specific marketplace applications. The key message right now is this: Digital Angel isn't a blue-sky technology. This is real. Digital Angel breakthrough technology is here. It's live!'
While estimates of Digital Angel's marketplace potential vary, there is little doubt that the technology will enable Applied Digital and its partners to tap into a multi-billion dollar market via various licensing arrangements, Web-enabled wireless services and data transactions handled by Applied Digital's ASP (Application Service Provider) center.
Those attending the event in New York City will see a working, multimedia demonstration of Digital Angel's technological building blocks. A miniature sensor device -- smaller than a grain of rice and equipped with a tiny antenna -- will capture and wirelessly transmit a person's vital body- function data, such as body temperature or pulse, to an Internet-integrated ground station..."
"...In addition, the antenna will also receive information regarding
the location of the individual from the GPS satellite . Both sets of data
-- medical information and location -- will then be wirelessly transmitted
to the ground station and made available on Web-enabled desktop, laptop
or wireless devices.
This demonstration represents the first time these technologies have
been united into one functioning system.
..In December of 1999, Applied Digital Solutions announced that it had acquired the patent rights to a miniature digital transceiver -- which it has named Digital Angel. In some of its applications, the tiny device is expected to be bonded closely to the body or implanted just under the skin.
The Company believes Digital Angel will be able to send and receive data and be located by GPS (Global Positioning System) technology. In addition to monitoring the location and medical condition of at-risk patients, the Company believes Digital Angel could have other applications that will prove to be extremely popular in the marketplace.
These applications include locating lost or missing individuals or household pets; tracking endangered wildlife; managing livestock and other farm-related animals; pinpointing the location of valuable stolen property; finding lost airline baggage and postal packages; managing the commodity supply chain; preventing the unauthorized use of firearms; and providing a tamper-proof means of identification for enhanced e-commerce security.
For more information about Digital Angel, visit www.digitalangel.net..."
Technological Marvel or Liberty Destroyer?
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_metcalf_news/20000813_xngme_technologi.
sht ml
Sunday, August 13, 2000
SUNDAY Q&A
Geoff Metcalf interviews scientist Charles Ostman on sub-dermal biochips
by Geoff Metcalf
What was considered science-fiction fantasy only a few years ago is now everyday reality -- sub-dermal computer chips used for identification and location purposes.
While today, the use of these devices is predominantly restricted to animals, there are grand plans for multiple human uses in the very near future. With this technology comes ethical and privacy issues and the very real possibility of criminal misuse. Berkeley scientist Charles Ostman is an expert in nanotechnology and the exploding realm of biochip applications. WorldNetDaily reporter Geoff Metcalf recently interviewed Ostman about sub-dermal biochips and the controversy surrounding them.
Metcalf's daily radio show can be heard on TalkNetDaily weekdays from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern time.
Question: What is nanotechnology?
Answer: Some people tend to think of this as "little things" or little machines. There is an aspect of nanotechnology which that facilitates. But nanotechnology is really a fabrication process. Eric Drexler, who founded the Forsyth Institute (of which I am a member), coined the term mechanosynthesis. I think that sums it up really well because the theory here is that one is attempting to instigate molecules to move about, behave and, in a sense, connect together in a way they normally wouldn't do. In biological systems, all living things are, in a sense, nanofoundaries. If one were to go inside a living cell, into the nucleus and look at the ribosome which physically takes molecular components and sort of rearranges them according to the instructions it gets on a contiguous basis, that is, in essence, a nanofoundary.
Q: You were involved in developing some of the technology for these sub-dermal biochip implants. Normally, if you put something under your skin -- a splinter or something -- the body will reject it.
A: Yes, this is true. I'm glad you started out on that foot because it's not so much that all of a sudden a couple of guys in a lab made a biochip and bam, here we are; it's not like that at all. What this really is, is the outcome of a very linear progression of what had been very different and autonomous pockets of technology that all came from different directions but converged on a common target, being able to create highly complex micro-devices. These are called SOC or "system on chip," incorporating fluidics, mechanical systems, optics and all kinds of different materials. In some cases, people from the biophysics and what is now called the nanobiology world began to recognize that maybe they could start to apply some of their most recent nanobiological techniques as a fabrication process and integrate it with these new more advanced systems on a chip component.
Q: Normally in science, you have such unique subcultures that I was amazed the guys in room "A" would even talk to the guys in room "B."
A: That is often the case. Up until very recently, it was a very competitive environment. There was obviously a lot of bantering about looking for grant money -- and various department chairs were vying for control over this project or that project.
Q: Synergy between disciplines is not something that is usually encouraged or accepted.
A: Up until recently. The thing that has been driving this is the industry. That's the point I was hoping to focus on.
I am a senior fellow at the Institute for Global Futures, and what we do there is specifically look at the synergistic potential of newly emerging technologies and how they might be reorganized to facilitate some new development or some new industry infrastructure. We put together alliances and reports and that kind of thing.
Q: Let's go back to the splinter under the skin and the body's normal response to reject it. What did you do to this sub-dermal biochip implant so that it doesn't get kicked out of the body?
A: What you need to do is satisfy several different conditions. You want to keep the immune system neutralized. You want to encourage it to bind to muscle tissue or dermis tissue. There is actually a very, very broad range of different applications. There is this company that produces something called the "Digital Angel" which I guess everyone is so upset about.
Q: WorldNetDaily is on that like white on rice.
A: I'm sure you are. But there are an enormous number of other people who have really focused on many different kinds of ways to solve complex medical problems. Things like returning sight to sight-impaired people or repairing spinal-cord columns.
One of the projects involves an implantable system that will dispense insulin on a continuous basis using very, very sophisticated biosensors that are inside the body and then provide a feedback circuit to the dispensing system so that instead of taking shots, you just have one of these devises implanted every so often. There are also neuroprosthetics. There are three companies now that produce devices that actually tap into the brain at different locations. One is to actually override epileptic seizures so that instead of having to take chemistries to solve the problem, it electronically neutralizes the event before it happens.
Q: I have heard discussions about testing those on some prisoners with behavior modification.
A: This is an area that concerns many people. Some take the narrow view that somehow this technology is evil and is going to cause all these problems. But there are two sides to it. What I try to do in my publications -- and the reason I go on the air from time to time -- is not to try to push opinion but to inform, so that people can take a more reasoned approach to what kinds of opinions might drive policy eventually.
Q: Let's focus just a bit on the sub-dermal biochip implant. What are they capable of doing, and how are they powered?
A: The Air Force really pushed this agenda quite a few years ago.
Q: They wanted it for pilots.
A: Exactly. The theory was that a downed pilot could be tracked within a certain range, and this was a good attempt. It was still kind of primitive at the time but, at least, they were willing to pioneer the effort. A number of years later, NASA began working on something similar but different. Rather than trying to track the location of a downed pilot, their whole purpose was to be able to monitor vital signs of the human physiology in their astronauts so that when they are out doing space walks, they could keep a data thread on their state of being.
More recently, there was a British physician, Dr. Warwick, who made headlines last year when he put a sub-dermal implant in his arm. This was a full sort of bio-scan system so that when he walked into the clinic, the system would, a) know he was there, but, b) more importantly, be monitoring his vital signs and updating in real-time his medical records. And this kind of suggests where this is going. It is one thing to say biochips are going to be required as an ID system -- this could come to pass, if policy were to be driven in that direction.
Q: Everybody can see the benefits of it. It is benign if it is used for the purpose for which you intend it. The concern is, once you got it, you are then subject to the cavalier, capricious whim of whoever the controller is.
A: I tend to agree. The larger issue really is, what are the policy directives? How do we protect the value of what this technology might be able to provide versus seeing it obviously contorted in some very unpleasant ways?
Q: Several people have asked: Can you zap these implants with some kind of electromagnetic field and turn them off?
A: These things are very delicate. They operate on picoamperes of current. The human body is actually a dynamo. It actually produces about 200 volts per linear foot on average. It takes a fairly small amount of current to run a fairly complex circuit. The computer industry made all that possible. In fact, all your handhelds and laptops are crammed to the rafters with extremely high-efficiency circuitry. Harvesting that fabrication potential and marrying it to biological materials is kind of where all this came from. The point is, if one were, in today's world, bent on thwarting the transmission aspects of the device, one could. But that would simply create a sort of arms race in the biochip world to make increasing robust ones to counteract this.
Q: The concern is that these chips also have the capacity to be traced, as in the pilot model. What are the capabilities of these chips in their varying flavors?
A: I think what you are leading to is, can these chips be used as a real-time transceiving system?
Q: Yes; linked up with GPS.
A: It's not just GPS. In fact, IBM had an ad on television. It shows a guy walking through a store, picking things up and putting them in his pocket.
Q: And the guard is eyeballing him.
A: And as he's walking out the door the guard says, "Oh, here's your
receipt." It was kind of humorous, but not really. That is exactly where
this could go. There is a very strong desire in many different arenas,
whether it's banking, HMOs, insurance providers -- and quite a swath of
people in both the corporate and what I call the institutional or government
world -- who clearly have their own particular reason for wanting to see
an ever grander, real-time, interactive, transactional sort of process
dynamic in which you, the individual, are constantly being updated and
queried for whatever your type of use may happen to be, whether it is purchasing
things, traveling about, or being on the telephone or other forms of media
traffic. There is very specific interest to sort of integrate this all
into one giant ubiquitous data grid.
Oddly enough, the Internet has kind of driven this. There is a very
real fanatical interest to get to this real-time connected economy realm
that says, "I can be anywhere in any point in time and I think the thought
and, suddenly, the thing of my interest appears before me."
Q: Digital Angel appears to be one potential result of everything you have been talking about. WorldNetDaily has written, and I suspect will be writing about Digital Angel. I assume you are familiar with it?
A: I'm quite familiar with the device and the company but I think this is a first attempt to commercialize what has already been in existence for some time. Clearly, they've gotten their own patents, but really more of a process patent than a device patent. They are trying to position themselves to market the modernization of localized personal tracking from both a security perspective and as a way to optimize certain mission-critical applications.
This is a company that was founded a couple of years ago and were the first company to kind of take the prototype of what the Air Force had been working on for some time and mix it up with the version NASA had been developing. They wanted to combine the best of all current possible technologies to make a mass producible, implantable, fairly inexpensive device that would allow someone to be tracked or traced, or to serve the purpose of identification.
Up till now, there has been a big push to have an integrated ID system digital cache where your presence is sort of traced on this ubiquitous data grid, for the sake of transactions. But one of the failure points, or one of the real challenges, is the combination of authenticity versus personal verification, so that when you do transact, they know that it is you.
Q: That's why banks and airports are pushing these retinal or iris scans.
A: Correct. So now what you are seeing is this combination where you are trying to mix together biometrics of many different types, a fully integrated exchange of database systems into a sort of common protocol
. Q: The question that is often asked is, "Hey, if these sub-dermal biochip implants are tucked into you, can they make you sick on command? Can they do something to you?"
A: It depends on where they are put and for what purpose. Behavioral modification is a serious topic and probably one of the scary ones that I personally have some thoughts about. Back when the human genome project was first getting started, they wanted to look for behavioral correlations between certain biophysical aspects of neurophysiology in the brain and certain psychological known ailments -- the theory being that instead of treating these ailments with drugs, they implant a device and the device could insert electrical signals or modify electrical signals to essentially accommodate the same effect but in a more precise way.
Q: They are doing that in research with prisoners now, aren't they?
A: I'm not sure with prisoners precisely, but I do know that with mood control in severe depression cases, yes, it has already been done in clinical trials. The epileptic seizure control: already been done in clinical trials. In fact, it is available commercially. The next thing around the corner is schizophrenic prevention control. Actually, there are five companies I know personally who all have this on their annual report. They talk about market share and international markets. To them this is just another commodity.
Q: Some folks have suggested that, like human cloning, this technology should be banned and made illegal. However, how can you possibly put it back in the bottle? If it is outlawed, won't outlaws pursue it for illegal enrichment?
A: More importantly, we live in a global economy. The box is not only open; it is a dot on the horizon. I actually served on a financial impact study for this multi-agency committee that just facilitated million for the first-ever national nanotechnology policy directorate. Essentially, we are now financing a program kind of like NASA but for nanoscale technology -- and it is going to be applied as we are speaking today.
Q: The sub-dermal biochip implant offers all kinds of benefits -- from downed pilots to prisoner control to medical records -- but people are still more than a little hinky about this invasion of privacy. Is there any way to protect against the downside?
A: The answer to this is not to just make it all go away. It's not going to go away. That is simply not going to happen. What I think might be possible and feasible is to maximize the potential benefits and obviously restrict its misuse, but to be able to enforce that through the dispensation of policy.
Q: Here's the worse-case scenario. First, they introduce sub-dermal biochip implants into prisons; then, they introduce it into the military; and then, they eventually get it into the public schools where it is required and mandatory for kids. Then they just wait for dinosaurs like you and me to die off.
A: I have a different scenario but very similar. Because of the cost of health care -- and the HMOs are very big on this idea -- at birth, your entire DNA is mapped out. They can work out physical and biophysical programs for you prescribed over your lifetime, based on whatever criteria they are willing to accommodate. And, as a price of access or acknowledgement of access, you have one of these devices implanted in you so instead of walking into a Kaiser with your card, when you walk in with your chip, you are scanned and connected directly to their medical database. Clearly, for many people, this would be a great convenience.
Q: Sure, it saves them all that time in the check-out line.
A: It certainly does. And why not tie my credit card records to the same system? I understand the slippery slope.
Q: It's the potential for abuse of power under the color of authority we have already seen. I have personal friends who have been targeted by the IRS for their political positions.
A: I understand completely. However, contemporary life is different now. Once upon a time, a person's personal life was defined by their 'person.' Nowadays, you are a virtual entity in this ubiquitous domain. Your transaction and behavioral history is essentially broadcast throughout the planet and, really, we are already there now. It's not like you can reverse the clock. Rather, we should ask, what is the ability for us to adapt to this realm in a way that can harvest what it has to offer but not be subject to it?
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