Spy Cameras and Quokkas

John and I have been enjoying what seems like a fairly innocuous series on Amazon Prime called “Person of Interest.” Maybe you’ve seen it. (We haven’t watched the whole thing, so watch at your own risk, and don’t judge us if it gets weird.) In the prologue a guy says, “You are being watched,” in an eerie voice. He’s referring to a machine he built for the government to spy on people. It’s supposed to ultimately protect them from acts of terror which, on the surface, sounds like a good idea. But so did a lot of other things that have turned out to be blatant invasions of privacy. But it’s just a show, right?

I’ve never considered myself a conspiracy theorist, but I think it’s time for me to own that title, because I believe hell is constantly conspiring to destroy our lives and keep us separated from God and each other. The devil has an incredible knack for taking something good and fashioning it into an absolute nightmare. Speaking of nightmares, I find myself losing a lot of sleep over the astounding success our enemy is enjoying these days. People seem to be buying his lies on an unprecedented level as we become more and more segregated and suspicious of each other. Safety measures that were supposed to protect our rights and freedoms are turning our lives into more of an exercise in escaping danger than pursuing and sharing God’s love. 

Example? Sure. Cell phones that gave us a really cool way to talk to people away from home are now little handheld computers aggressively mining our personal data. Don’t believe me? Just talk about something you don’t usually discuss, like…I don’t know…maybe where quokkas live and what they like to eat and whether they would bite if you tried to take a selfie with one. I would be willing to bet that one day of quokka talk will land a whole bunch of quokka merchandise on your phone. I know because we actually have had that conversation in my house, and I’ve been bombarded with pictures and videos of quokka t-shirts, coffee mugs, and Australia vacations. After you look up “quokka” on Wikipedia, you’ll probably get those offers too—and then you’ll want to add a quokka selfie to your bucket list, as I have. You’re welcome.

Other examples of things that were supposed to protect us that have invaded our privacy: security cameras that started out watching over our homes and families are now ubiquitous, hidden spies recording our every move and word. Before you think those cameras at the intersection in your neighborhood are for your own good, let me tell you a little story. I was almost run off the road by a raving lunatic in Florida. I mean, the guy was determined to kill me. I still think it was a case of mistaken identity; it seemed personal. Anyway, after driving out of the ditch he put me in, I called the police and asked them to “pull the tapes,” because that’s what they do in crime shows. Well, I’m here to tell you they will NOT pull the tapes. They said those cameras are for law enforcement and not for the general public. I really have no helpful evaluation of that last sentence. It’s just what they told me.

More? Okay. What about those full body scanners at the airport. Do you feel safer when some stranger gets to see you naked before you board a plane? I don’t. I’ve asked to be manually searched before. You should too. (Well, maybe look to see who’s doing the searching before you make that request. I speak from experience.) Then there’s Alexa. You probably have one in your house. Do you know that it’s been used as evidence in criminal cases because it records conversations in the privacy of your home? I mean, if you can “wake her up” with a word, then logic should tell you she’s always listening, and do you really want anybody (besides your kids) always listening to what you say at home?

Do your children have Tik Tok? Do you? That app has been banned from several countries for selling personal information to China. Speaking of China, have you heard about the social credit system there, where they track not only your actions and words but also your purchases so they can decide if you should be allowed to participate in society and do human things like travel, conduct business, and buy property? Well, the last time I bought a bottle of wine at the grocery store they scanned my ID. I asked the manager why they couldn’t just look at the date on my license. He didn’t know. If you get nothing else from this article, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION AND START ASKING MORE QUESTIONS. (And yes, I enjoy a glass of wine now and then. So did Jesus.) 

The truth is that we have little to no real privacy any more. Everywhere we turn we’re being watched and recorded. Your television may be watching you right now. Don’t believe me? It’s common knowledge that many of the new  smart TVs have built in cameras for voice and facial recognition and can be accessed by hackers to spy on you. And, by hacker, I don’t think we’re just talking about that creepy guy eating Cheetos in his mom’s basement any more. I think it’s much more organized, like principalities and powers—like governments. Now you can google TV cameras and enjoy all the cute quokka stuff that pops up on the side of your screen.

Probably the most disturbing aspect of this is that, with all the recording going on, it seems our words are no longer about social bonding and the exchange of ideas. Instead of being used to forge and cultivate relationships, words and actions have primarily become evidence for litigation. Even if you mind your p’s and q’s, you’re bound to slip up somewhere and there will surely be someone waiting to pounce on your mistake. Satan will make sure of that, because I don’t believe the point of all this monitoring is to help us out or keep us safe. Instead I think it’s more along the lines of control and manipulation and punishment. Are you paranoid yet? No need.

If you’ve been with me for any amount of time, you know that my glass is half full, and here’s what’s filling it today: There is someone else watching us, someone bigger than technology or government or even the devil. God is watching, and that is good news because not only is He aware of what we say and do but He also knows what’s in our hearts when we say or do it. He’s not trying to catch us in our sin, He’s not wanting to punish us for our misdeeds, and He’s not looking to shame us for our poor choice of words. Instead, much like the father in the prodigal son story, our Heavenly Father is eagerly waiting to help us with life and to forgive us when we mess up. He’s ultimately waiting to restore us to perfection and to take us home, where there will be no more accusations or manipulations or retribution. I cannot tell you how much comfort that brings to my heart. At the end of the day that should help us all sleep better—that and the image of a smiling quokka.