Not responding to anyone in particular, here, but here are some of my thoughts on what has been discussed...
We talk about athletes having the mark of greatness, or the mark of a champion, right? Is that because they have certain scars, or tattoos, or even brands... visible imprints of some kind on their skin, that in effect say, "I am great," or "I am a champion"...? No, right? Is it not a quality about them, and thus what they do that enables everyone to see they have these qualities about them? Yes, and so it is with the mark of the beast.
These are all willful acts on the part of those who have the "mark of the beast," so yes, they do take it, and willingly. So, I wouldn't call it "symbolic," but rather a quality... a characteristic, or an attribute... a devotion to unrighteousness... that will be or is evident in what they say and do to all, so "on their foreheads" in that respect. In the opposite manner that we who are in Christ are sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1) and thus walk in this newness of life that we have been given.
Your interpretation of the mark of the beast is nonsensical. It is typical of people who want to go along with having a computer chip implant or RFID tattoo, so they can conduct financial transactions, and not worry about being cast into the lake of fire.
How would a characteristic or devotion enable a person to buy and sell? A person could fake having the required personal qualities. While unrighteousness attitudes are involved with those who take the mark, the mark is physical, based on the understanding of marks in the ancient world.
If the motb was just a mental disposition, the book of Revelation could have stated it that way.
The mark of the beast is an allusion either to the custom among the Romans of imprinting marks upon their servants and soldiers, by which they might be known to whom they belonged; servants had them in their foreheads, and soldiers in their hands.
It might allude to the usages of the Jews in binding their phylacteries upon their arms and foreheads, to put them in mind of the law of God, and their obedience to it; or to the practices of the Heathens, in putting the mark of the god they worshipped upon their bodies.
Maimonides says it was a custom with the Gentiles to mark themselves with their idols, showing that they were their bought servants, and were marked for their service.
The sense is that some received the mark in one place, and some in another.
Those who were obliged to receive the mark in the right hand seem to be the clergy, such who entered into holy orders; who lifted up their right hand, and swore and vowed allegiance to the pope, and testified they were ready to defend and support his religion and interest; and who in their ordination are said to have an indelible character impressed on them.
Those who received the mark in their foreheads are the common people in general, who one and all have the same impress upon them.
Current identification, surveillance, and financial transaction technology can fulfill the mark of the beast. No symbolic interpretation is required when the physical implementation is now available.
In the past, the idea of needing a certain mark in order to buy and sell may not have made a lot of sense. People used gold, gems, coins, and cash to engage in financial dealings.
But today, people in Switzerland are already using an injectable payment chip implant in their hand to purchase items in stores.
Secure payment chip implants (like those from Walletmor) are often priced around $300.
