Scary Scarring!

While at the mall today, my mom and I saw a lady walk past us with a fairly large, visible scar that was clearly a type of 'branding' of the skin.  Apparently I live in a cave because I've never seen this before, but I have heard of it.  After 30 seconds of research I learned that body-branding is referred to as scarification.  I listed the Wikipedia definition below, but it coincides with Webster's definition as well.

Scarifying involves scratching, etching, burning, or superficially cutting designs, pictures, or words into the skin as a permanent body modification.^[1] In the process of body scarification, scars are formed by cutting or branding the skin. Scarification is sometimes called cicatrization (from the French equivalent).

Needless to say, I am not a fan of body "art" whether it's branding, tattoos or bizarre piercings just to name a few.  So, what's my point?  Because I do have one.  After seeing the woman at the mall something occurred to me that I shared with my mom.

With societies' acceptance of body alterations such as those shown here, it's no wonder people are going to so easily accept the mark of the beast and worship him.  When things become second nature, common place and an every day occurrence, they definitely lose their shock value. I honestly don't think the group who accepts the mark will have any difficulty doing so.  It won't be a second thought to them despite the fact that it will mean permanently altering their body (and their eternity) to accept it.

Upon seeing this woman's scar, two verses came to mind and it sent chills down my spine:

"A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb."   Revelation 14:9-10

"Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD."  Leviticus 19:28

Just to note, the red is NOT ink, it's blood where the skin has been etched away so that when it heals up, the scar tissue resembles the picture that was etched in the skin.

This is the same photo as above after it has healed up.  As scar tissue forms, collagen builds up, forming keloids, which can be painful,  can become infected, cause constricted movement, and can grow beyond their boundaries.  All of that sounds just lovely!