Yes, that was a frightening article.

I was wondering about a possible difference:

tech for the sake of control

       vs.

mark for the sake of worship

Is there a difference?

Do the scriptures indicate that the reason that people take the mark of the beast,

is "in order to" be able to buy or sell, or do they take the mark as an act of worship?

If it is for worship, then what about the following?

Revelation 13:3c  and all the world wondered after the beast. 

  4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

  8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Do they not worship the beast?

So, is it possible that the following?

Revelation 13:7 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Is to expose those who refuse to worship the beast?

Rather than being forced to worship, is not the worship of the beast freely given, without coercion of not being able to buy or sell?

However, would not the, being unable to buy or sell without the mark, actually "smoke-out" those who do not worship the beast?

Also, is it only the mark?

Is it not also tied to either the name of the beast or the number of his name?

Are either of those two things are related to chips under the skin?