But I read this refutation of how Bitcoin was immune to exploitation from the Anti-Christ, and it was a laughable argument:
1. Could be a fad: According to Catholic Online, Bitcoin's volatility, security issues and potential regulatory challenges raise questions as to whether it's just a fad.
It isn't a "fad" - and that has no bearing on whether it could be the stuff of Revelation 13
2. Blockchain: Each Bitcoin contains a "blockchain" that keeps a record of every transaction made using Bitcoin since the system was initiated in 2009. According to Omegashock, "As Bitcoin gains in popularity and usage, each blockchain will increase in size. Right now the blockchain for most Bitcoins is over a gigabyte in size. In the future the Bitcoin blockchain will increase to more than a terabyte. And THAT is just not going to work — especially if you are trying to create a global currency."
The fact that record keeping is essential to the technology makes it more likely that it could be the coming one world currency, not less. And then he argues storage capacity would be a barrier to stop Satan and the Anti-Christ? Lol!
3. High Prices: Alan Greenspan, former Federal Reserve chairman described Bitcoin as "a bubble" that lacks intrinsic value, according to Bloomberg. In December 2013, Greenspan said that Bitcoin's prices as being unsustainably high.
Red herring.
4. People respect dollars more: The change to virtual currency may come at a relatively slow pace because people have built up respect for currencies associated with nations, according to Catholic Online. People respect dollars, mostly because of their track record and relatively stability.
If fiat currency crashes or collapses, crypto-currency would be the logical choice. So again, this argument is a red herring.
5. Bitcoin is a way to beat the Beast: Instead of being the Mark of the Beast, Bitcoin may be a way to beat that mark. According to Christian Money, "One of the key elements of the Mark of the Beast is to be able to prevent those that refuse to take the Mark from buying and selling. Bitcoins are decentralized and prevent any such control."
Again, this guy's argument is laughable. Things that are unregulated in this world can become regulated at the drop of a hat, especially after global government intervention, a crisis - AND the fact that technology can be used to rapidly take over and exploit anything - crypto-currency or no crypto-currency. He probably would have argued 15 years ago that cell phones were the way to beat government spooks who were tapping land line phones and listening in on our conversations.
Here is an argument in favor of Bitcoin being exploited by the Evil One.
https://steemit.com/bitcoin/@james-nap/bitcoin-mark-of-the-beast-one-world-currency
It would make sense that a cryptocurrency would be used to usher in a one world currency and the antichrist. Logistically, you could never have the same paper fiat all over the world acting as a one world currency. It would have to be a digital currency. However, the fact that Bitcoin, the block chain, is decentralized, makes one wonder if it could be controlled by the antichrist. The antichrist would have to take over the internet.
The fact that it is on the network, your account can easily be disabled, preventing you from buying and selling, unless you take the mark of the beast. So, whether or not Bitcoin, or some other cryptocurrency ends up being the one world currency remains to be seen, however it is a very high probability that it will be a digital currency, and not paper, or gold or silver. Way back in the Garden of Eden in Genesis Chapter 2 gold is first mentioned:
Genesis 2:11-12 11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.
Based on the principal of first use, God says the gold of that land is good.
He doesn’t say exactly what was good about it, but God assigns the attribute of good to gold. Clearly if God said the gold was good, then Satan would hate and despise gold.
So, in these last days as the antichrist comes to power he will not allow gold, which is true money, the best form of money, to be used as the one world currency. He will create a currency that could never be as valued as gold. Throughout all human history nothing has been able to take the place of gold and silver for money. All fiat eventually loses its value.
Right now, Bitcoin seems to be managing to usurp gold and silvers role, but I wonder what would happen when and if a newer, better cryptocurrency appears, the Bitcoins will lose all their value.
The block chain technology does have something of value to offer, but Bitcoins in and of themselves have nothing. You are taking a big gamble thinking that Bitcoin will always be the leader of the pack. It reminds me of the dot com days. Companies sprang up over night with no real business model.
People invested in all these companies based on some future expectation that they would be rewarded. The vast majority of these companies had no earnings, and didn’t have a way to create earnings. People were very gullible. Most of these companies went belly up. Only a very few survived. It is the same now with cryptocurrencies. Dozens of new cryptocurrencies are springing up every day, but only a very few will survive. You need to make sure you pick the Amazon of the cryptocurrencies and not the pets.com