FBI vs. Apple: Let’s not forget about the US Constitution and 666

Iphone (from English Wikipedia)

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is suing Apple Inc. to try to force that company to break into one of its phones:

February 20, 2016

The battle between the FBI and Apple Inc. over whether the tech giant should help open the locked cellphone of one of the San Bernardino shooters took a decidedly more heated tone…

What did the government say it its filing?

Using strong language, federal prosecutors claimed:

–That Apple can easily help the government unlock a terrorist’s iPhone without undermining anyone else’s privacy.

–That Apple is exaggerating what the court order demands. “The order does not, as Apple’s public statement alleges, require Apple to create or provide a ‘back door’ to every iPhone,” the filing said. “It does not provide ‘hackers and criminals’ access to iPhones.”

–That Apple has less-than-pure motives in fighting the order. “Apple’s current refusal to comply with the court order’s order, despite the technical feasibility of doing so, instead appears to be based on its concern for its business model and public brand marketing strategy,” prosecutors wrote.

What was Apple’s response?

Senior Apple executives, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Friday’s government motion was redundant and aimed at applying more public pressure on the company so that it would give in. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-apple-vs-fbi-battle-over-unlocking-phone-gets-nastier-20160220-story.html

February 20, 2016

“Tim Cook is leveraging his personal brand and Apple’s to stand on the side of consumer privacy in this environment,” said Mark Bartholomew, a law professor at the University at Buffalo who studies encryption and cyberlaw. “He is taking the long view.”

Mr. Cook, who has called privacy a civic duty, said as much in a letter to Apple customers on Tuesday. He described how the United States government was asking for a special tool to break into the San Bernardino attacker’s iPhone and said, “The government suggests this tool could only be used once, on one phone. But that’s simply not true. Once created, the technique could be used over and over again, on any number of devices.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/21/technology/apple-sees-value-in-privacy-vow.html?_r=0

The threat of terrorism is causing steps to be taken to accelerate more governmental controls over all information.

Some support Apple, whereas others support the FBI.

Both sides claim that they are right:

WASHINGTON—

Apple and the U.S. government are making their cases before anyone steps into a courtroom over a judge’s order forcing Apple to help the FBI hack into an iPhone in a terrorism case.

Their legal arguments are expected to pit digital privacy rights against national security interests, and could affect millions of cellphone users.

Apple has until Tuesday to protest in court the decision by a U.S. magistrate judge in California. But the public relations campaigns are already under way.

Is Apple adequately cooperating with federal agents investigating last year’s deadly attack in San Bernardino, California? Is this simply a dispute to recover information from an iPhone used by the gunman, or more broadly a fight affecting the privacy rights of citizens who use Apple’s flagship product? Is this about profits or patriotism?

The Justice Department asked the judge to order Apple to create sophisticated software that the FBI could load onto the phone to bypass a self-destruct feature that erases all data after 10 consecutive, unsuccessful attempts to guess the unlocking passcode. Prosecutors said Apple could help the FBI “but has declined to provide that assistance voluntarily,” and they said Apple could perform the task easily.

That point is crucial because the government can’t compel a company’s help in some cases if doing so would be unreasonably burdensome, even though the U.S. would almost certainly pay Apple for the work.

Apple CEO Tim Cook distanced the company from the suggestion that it was protecting the privacy of an extremist.

“The FBI asked us for help in the days following the attack, and we have worked hard to support the government’s efforts to solve this horrible crime,” Cook said. “We have no sympathy for terrorists.”

Cook also said the FBI’s latest demand went beyond previous requests for help: “The U.S. government has asked us for something we simply do not have, and something we consider too dangerous to create,” Cook said. “They have asked us to build a backdoor to the iPhone.”

The term “backdoor,” describing a behind-the-scenes method that hackers use to gain unauthorized access, has for years colored the discussion of how the government can obtain protected information or eavesdrop on encrypted communications from criminals or terrorists.

The government is stressing that it wants help to unlock only the work-issued iPhone used by Syed Farook, who along with his wife killed 14 people in December.

But Apple says helping the U.S. bypass its encryption locks on Farook’s iPhone would threaten the privacy of all its customers.

“While the government may argue that its use would be limited to this case, there is no way to guarantee such control,” Cook said, adding: “Ultimately, we fear that this demand would undermine the very freedoms and liberty our government is meant to protect.” http://www.voanews.com/content/profit-or-patriotism-whats-driving-fight-between-us-and-apple/3198220.html

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump supports the government:

February 19, 2016

Pawley’s Island, South Carolina (CNN) Donald Trump on Friday called for a boycott against Apple until the technology giant helps the FBI break into the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino shooters.

“Boycott Apple until such time as they give that information,” Trump told a crowded room of supporters during a town hall-style event here just one day before the South Carolina GOP primary.

“Apple ought to give the security for that phone, OK. What I think you ought to do is boycott Apple until such a time as they give that security number. How do you like that? I just thought of it. Boycott Apple,” Trump said. http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/19/politics/donald-trump-apple-boycott/index.html

But consider that:

Apple is legally allowed to sell its telephones.
Apple had no involvement with the terrorists in San Bernandino.
Apple does not have a written procedure in place that the government might be able to subpoena.
It is an unreasonable search and seizure to order a company not involved in a crime to develop something that may well harm its business and its customers.
The FBI has not pointed to anything in the US Constitution that gives it the right to try to force Apple to cooperate.

The USA is becoming more and more of a police state that sidesteps the very protections that the nation was supposedly built upon.

Even if Apple had the immediate ability to give the FBI what it wants, I do not believe that the government, constitutionally, has the power to demand it, let alone demand it be developed.

Somewhere in the news, Apple said something to the effect of if Apple has to do this, then basically regular people will lose privacy and criminals will switch to other encryption systems in the future. More and more the US government is making it harder to be a private law-abiding citizen. But government officials do not seem to care. That combined with the government’s selective enforcement of laws is moving the USA further away from being a constitutional republic, and more like a police state.

The US government wants to be able to look for possible connections to terrorism in the Apple case. It also does not believe that anyone is entitled to privacy when it wants information.

While that sounds good to some, that seems to overlook the fact that we are getting closer to a time when certain biblical prophecies will be fulfilled:

15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. (Revelation 13:15-18, NKJV)

23 ‘And in the latter end of their kingdom, about the perfecting of the transgressors, stand up doth a king, fierce of face, and understanding hidden things; (Daniel 8:23, Young’s Literal Translation)

The Bible warns of an end time government that will eliminate a lot of privacy, and the US government is working towards that.

It will likely take computers aided with artificial intelligence to aid in the fulfillment of the scriptures in Revelation 13:15-18, as well as cyber-spying/monitoring. I do believe that cyber monitoring will be used by the European Beast, King of the North, 666 power.

The USA also is sharing a lot of this with European governments. And ultimately, a government will arise out of Europe to do this (Revelation 17:12-13).

Interestingly, this type of prophesied financial control/surveillance could not have happened during the time of the Apostle John as there was no real way to monitor many financial transactions then (despite the fact that ‘preterists’ believe this was fulfilled almost 2000 years ago, see also The Dangerous Rise of Preterists). The same was true for all the centuries that followed until the late 20th and now the 21st century. But now not only does the technology exist to monitor most financial transactions, the political will is there as well.

We are getting closer to the time of 666. And the government of the USA is unknowingly moving towards making this ‘acceptable’ as well as possible.

The solution to terrorism is not breaking into cell phones (FWIW, I do not have an Iphone, regular cell phone, etc.). But because the government of the USA does not believe in biblical morality nor repentance, it will continue to pursue other ways to monitor its citizens and fight terrorism.

But, while there may be a several year respite, the US government will lose the fight against terrorism according to various biblical prophecies (for details, check out Why Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied?). That will happen whether or not the US gocernment can force Apple to comply.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Why Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied? What does the Bible teach? Which nations may be affected? Here is a link to a related sermon: Terrorism, Christianity, and Islam.
The Snowden Leaks are Leading to the Destruction of the USA Can what happened with the leaks of what the NSA has done help the USA to be taken over? What does the Bible teach that seems to be related to this? Here is a related YouTube video titled Are the Snowden NSA leaks leading to the destruction of the USA?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also see a YouTube video sermon The Gospel of the Kingdom.
The Dangerous Rise of Preterists Has the Great Tribulation finished? What was the view of early Christians? Why is the preterist view dangerous? A related sermon video is titled Preterism: You’ve Gotta Be Kidding…Right?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2021 or 20xx? There is also a video titled The 6000 Year Plan: Is the end of humanity’s reign almost up?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2016, 2017, or 2018? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives. A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016?
Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 Who is 666? This article explains how the COG views this, and compares this to Ellen White. Here is a link to a prophetic video Six Financial Steps Leading to 666?
The Mark of Antichrist What is the mark of Antichrist? What have various ones claimed? Here is a link to a related sermon What is the ‘Mark of Antichrist’?
Mark of the Beast What is the mark of the Beast? Who is the Beast? What have various ones claimed the mark is? What is the ‘Mark of the Beast’?
Who is the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2? Is this the King of the North, the ten-horned beast of Revelation 13:1-11, or the two-horned Beast of Revelation 13:12-16? Some rely on traditions, but what does the Bible teach? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Quién es el Hombre de Pecado de 2 Tesalonicenses 2? Here is a version in Mandarin: 主编：谁是’大罪人’？Here is a link to a related YouTube video, in English, titled Who is the Man of Sin?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?