It’s happening everywhere. Little by little, piece by piece, a system is being built all throughout the world designed to identify who you are, track where you go, and monitor everything you do, both online and offline. With all the advancements being made in the fields of biometrics and artificial intelligence, the ability to surveil one’s speech, evaluate one’s beliefs, and assess one’s behavior has never been easier nor the possibilities greater.
Technology such as facial recognition, retinal and fingerprint scanning, voice, and even DNA recognition, enable the verification of a person’s unique identity with uncanny speed and accuracy. When coupled with AI algorithms and the “internet of things” in which video surveillance, travel checkpoints, smart devices with GPS tracking, and monitoring of online activity is all tied together, we see a system emerging having frightening if not dangerous levels of power beyond those that have ever existed.
As with any technological device, it’s not the instrument itself that poses a threat, it’s how and for what purpose the technology is used by those having access to it.
In the hands of individuals, organizations, or political bodies whose intentions are noble, morals are honorable, and values are righteous, innovations and advancements in differing scientific fields can prove to be tremendous blessings. Productivity can be increased, burdens of daily life can be eased, hinderances that limit one’s ability to thrive can be removed, and hope can be kindled for those suffering from various disabilities.
However, in the hands of those who are selfish, those who strive for power and control, and those driven by wicked ambitions, technology can quickly become weaponized against those that are ignorant, unsuspecting, gullible, or powerless to stop it. Freedom of speech and expression can be censored, access to different locations and establishments can be restricted, and ability to purchase certain products can be limited, all because of something said, done, or believed that contradicts the “established” or “approved” policies and positions of those in power.
Canada as a Case Study: Speech, Faith, and Government Control
To those who may think this sounds improbable or far-fetched, I would direct their attention to what has been happening recently just across our northern border in Canada. As of the writing of this article, a proposed amendment to the Canadian Criminal Code known as Bill C-9 or “Combating Hate Act” is being debated among Members of Parliament. Though positioned as a bill to protect against hate crimes targeted towards various groups, astute observers scrutinizing the bill’s content have raised concerns over its lack of specificity in articulating what exactly constitutes a hate crime.
Instead of the amendment outlining specific offenses or defining the scope of unacceptable behavior, the wording of Bill C-9 as it currently stands has the potential to penalize individuals or groups who make statements that could be deemed as hateful or inciting violence against others. The bill also removes existing “good faith” protections for individuals who are acting or speaking in accordance with honest interpretations of religious texts. For example, were a Christian in Canada to state that homosexuality is a sin according to the Bible, they could potentially be accused and charged with a hate crime.
One Canadian pastor who is a friend of our church shared their alarm about this issue, stating, “Since yesterday, Canada is a police state…some bills were approved yesterday, and the government could access our social media, and if they see something that ‘offends’ someone, it is a crime.”
Equally concerning is the increased likelihood of incidents like this taking place due to the removal of the requirement to have a provincial attorney sign off prior to any charges of a hate crime being imposed. This alone could open the floodgates for those who are hostile towards the Christian faith to accuse churches, pastors, or simply Christians in general of inciting hate and violence against others, resulting in costly, time consuming, and potentially devastating legal battles just to defend themselves for living in accordance with God’s Word.
A Biblical Perspective: Living Faithfully in an Age of Surveillance
Should this bill be passed in Canada, it is easy to see how any verbalized speech, written communication, distribution and dissemination of printed materials, or recorded content can become objects of scrutiny, always having the potential of being deemed hateful. Simply put, it creates a constant state of fear that one could be punished for speaking one’s mind, practicing one’s beliefs, or even sharing one’s faith in Jesus. Every post on social media, every text message sent, every video uploaded or shared, all are open to inquisition and examination that could result in the restriction of freedoms; and leveraging cutting-edge technology only makes it easier to accomplish and enforce.
Examples of this have already occurred only a few short years ago during the Canadian Convoy Protest in which multiple Canadian truck drivers experienced their bank accounts being shut down and financial assets being frozen due to voicing their opposition to Covid-19 vaccine mandates.
Though the actions and opinions of this group of Canadian citizens weren’t centered around the subject of being hateful, what is concerning is how easily and quickly those in power were able to obtain, analyze, judge, and punish the appropriateness of these behaviors based on the “officially accepted” position of the government.
Just imagine what could happen in the future should certain Christian teachings and particular Biblical passages be deemed “hate speech” and then all the advanced technological tools at the government’s disposal are deployed to enforce restrictions against such. I shudder to think about it.
Granted, there isn’t yet a fully functioning system on a global scale that’s being used to monitor the inhabitants of the entire world, nor are there presently established global criteria outlining what speech and behavior is considered acceptable or not. However, one need not look far to see versions of this operating on smaller scales at national levels.
China is well known for being at the forefront of this effort with its social credit system. Not only is each citizen’s lifestyle continuously analyzed but ratings and scores are assigned based on the alignment of an individual’s behaviors with the accepted views, opinions, and ordinances of the Chinese Communist Party currently leading the nation.
For those who adhere to official policies and abide by accepted societal norms, higher ratings are rewarded, which enable greater access to comforts, conveniences, and privileges like lower credit rates and increased ability to travel. For those who speak and act in ways that deviate from that which has been approved, freedoms are restricted, costs are elevated, and increased scrutiny of one’s life are likely to ensue.
Other countries aren’t far behind as similar technologies are leveraged to monitor and control the behaviors of the populace. Countries in Europe are already moving towards requiring citizens and businesses to use mandatory “digital identity wallets” to securely access and manage various services like banking, travel, education, healthcare, etc.
Just a few months ago British Prime Minister Keir Starmer asserted, “Let me spell it out, you will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have digital ID.” Even here in the United States use of facial recognition and the rolling out of our own “Real ID” digital identification is being used to track and control access to certain means of travel and federal facilities. Increasingly, we are seeing a world emerging where one must “go along to get along.”
Our Mission Remains: Courage, Hope, and the Gospel
So, why does all this matter? Is there any reason for believers like you and me to give any attention to such things? Well, for starters, as many of you who are reading this article are surely aware, the Bible forewarns a coming global system of power and control that will be perfected by the Antichrist during the seven-year tribulation. A future time is coming when a “mark” will be used to authenticate one’s allegiance and compliance with the system of global governance led by the “man of lawlessness” or “beast” (Re. 13:16-18, 2 Th. 2:3-4).
Though we as Christians will not be here to experience the full deployment of such a system of absolute power and control (being raptured prior to its inception), it’s very probable that we can and will experience the foundational stages of its implementation.
What we are witnessing being deployed in the world today is a foreshadowing of what is on the horizon in the future. Should Jesus tarry, believers will need to contemplate what it might look like and how they will live in a world where their words and deeds are increasingly scrutinized, especially when it comes to standing for Christ as society becomes progressively hostile towards Him.
As Christians, we aren’t to live in fear about the changes taking place around us or about what’s to come in the future. If anything, these kinds of developments serve as indicators of just how quickly we are approaching the Lord’s return and reinforce the prophetic accuracy of Scripture.
Furthermore, developments like these should both motivate us to share our faith with those who haven’t yet embraced Jesus as their Lord and Savior and provoke us to stand up for and defend the liberties we currently enjoy from being infringed upon or stolen.
Lastly, considering just how eager many people are to embrace state of the art identity verification technology in exchange for convenience, it presents an opportunity for believers who understand the prophetic implications of where things are headed to warn others about the urgency to trust in Jesus and the coming hardships for those who fail to do so.
It should not be surprising that increased scrutiny against Christians for speaking Biblical truth and standing for Jesus is becoming more efficient, due to its enablement by advanced technologies. However, regardless of what devices are used to restrict and restrain the proclamation of the Gospel, as followers of Jesus, our mission does not change. Each one of us shares in the commission to “go and make disciples” (Mt. 28:19), which will require continued courage and strength in the Lord (Ep. 6:10).
In the end, we know that Jesus is victorious and all systems of power and control used against His followers will be abolished. Until then, let us follow the exhortation of the Apostle Paul and “work heartily as for the Lord” (Col. 3:23) and look for “the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Tit. 2:13).
