They’re watching you! (updated)

Right now –
maybe the motive really is all about making more money.

But later?

 It’s 16 months since I wrote that line.  
It’s now later.

Let’s see what’s happening now.

The original article was from September 28, 2013.  As usual, updates will be in rust colored italics.

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 They’re watching you!

Hopefully, you’ve already asked yourself –
who are they? Why are they watching? Why me?

… and various other questions like that.

The statement is actually from the deadline if a newsletter from Capitol Hill Daily (sorry, the article is no longer available).

I need to let you know – I’m going to intentionally leave out some information at this point.
I will, however, fill in the missing parts before the end of the article.
It’s just that I think the point will be made better by leaving them out – for now.

Here is the beginning of the newsletter –
minus those few lines I mentioned –

Through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), (name left out for now) across the United States filed nearly 600 requests for documents pertaining to a new technology…

A technology that’s emerging as the standard in “crime fighting” solutions…

…

And it’s picking up serious traction in small towns and major cities through law enforcement agencies all over the nation.

OK – it’s for crime fighting.
That must be a good thing – no?
Everyone knows crime is too high in this country.
It’s like with Homeland Security – Anything and everything that passes for protecting us from terrorists is pretty much given a free pass by the government to be put into law and then it happens.  Doesn’t matter what it costs – any amount of money is worth it.  Doesn’t matter whether “we the people” know about it or not.  In fact – it’s better if we don’t know anything about it – because by telling us – then the terrorist would also know.  

The same argument is being used here for fighting crime.  The less “we the people” know – the better to track down the bad guys.

There’s a very fine line here.

Some of you are maybe already questioning if I’m soft on fighting terror and crime.

Some are probably agreeing that – yes – things have gone way too far –
and the government needs to be controlled and we need our individual freedoms.

Let me generalize here for a minute.

Most of the people who would think I’m soft on fighting terror and crime – they would tend to be conservatives.
Most of those people are what’s known as the “religious right” are also in this group – thinking I’m too soft and that tough action needs to be taken.

On the other hand –
Most of the people who would say the government has gone way too far – they would tend to be liberals.
Very few of the people in this group would be part of the “religious right”.

So –
what are you expecting from this article at this point?

Are you expecting that I’d be on the side of the religious right – arguing that we need not only these things – but even more?

Or are you expecting that I’d be on the liberal side that’s worried about too much power for the government and not enough individual freedom?

Interesting options –

Conservative versus liberal

Religious right – yes or no

Individual freedom – yes or no

How about you –
where do you stand on these issues?

Do you fit in with the “norms”?
Are you in the opposite camp on this one?
Are are you conflicted about where to be?

OK –
this is where I give you the full opening to the article –
with the brown text being the left out portions –

Smile…

You’re on candid camera!

And if it weren’t for recent documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), you wouldn’t even know it.

Through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), ACLU offices across the United States filed nearly 600 requests for documents pertaining to a new technology…

A technology that’s emerging as the standard in “crime fighting” solutions…

A technology that the ACLU discovered to be dangerously unregulated, with no future government conversation in the works, either…

And it’s picking up serious traction in small towns and major cities through law enforcement agencies all over the nation.

The problem at hand is an all-too-familiar reality…

These advancements in technology that increase nationwide protection come with an added cost: your privacy.

The government is abhorrently violating essential rights that are staples in America’s Constitution and criminalizing innocent American citizens in the process.

Now you can see why I left parts of it out.

The ACLU –
which spends a whole lot of time fighting against Christianity –
is the one uncovering this information.

Let’s go over what this new technology is – what it does and how it works – and after that – why it matters.

What it is – that would be high speed / hi quality cameras.

You see, these gadgets — mounted on local roads, major highways, and patrol cars — are documenting the license plates of each and every passing vehicle. Including yours…

OK –
more cameras.  There’s already so many that we don’t even notice.

But – if you’ve ever seen the pictures that come out of security cameras – like on the evening news – you can’t hardly tell anything.  The quality is so bad.

But not these – they aren’t bad at all.

As the article says – thee cameras are documenting license plates.
And – they aren’t just recording video for someone to (maybe) review later – like is the case with so many surveillance cameras.

For instance –
where I work – we have more than 50 cameras – working 24/7 – but no one is actually watching many of them – because they rotate through a small number of monitors – and are only displayed for a few seconds each.

But these new ones they’re using for license plates –

They’re called “Automatic License Plate Readers,” and they’ve been implemented in tens of thousands of locations across the United States by private companies, state and local police departments, and the federal government.

These aren’t just radar detectors or hi-tech cameras with speed trigger mechanisms. They aren’t just issuing speeding tickets, either… They’re also cataloging your license plate number, date and time stamps and GPS coordinates to boot.

…

There are no rules and no regulations in place to prevent the state and federal government from tracking everyone’s movements at all times. None.

That’s why the ACLU intervened. It simply wanted to find out how the technology works and what, if any, safeguards are in place to prevent a serious breech on personal liberty and privacy.

Location Profiling

Location data is highly sensitive information that’s extremely revealing…

It tells an observer who you are and what you do.

Are you an avid gym goer? Heavy drinker? Daily churchgoer? Medical patient? Political activist? All of the above?

In case you’re wondering – the conclusion finally reached is –

That’s why this license plate data is not only dangerous in the wrong hands…it’s also extremely profitable. With zero regulations, your personal travel record will be sold. You can count on it.

The emphasis on extremely profitable is theirs – not mine.

I think it also shows that they totally missed the point.

Take a look at this –
from Revelation 13:11-18 –

The Beast out of the Earth

Rev 13:11 Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. 12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. 14 Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, 17 so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.

Rev 13:18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.

There are so many questions about what this means –
when will it happen –
what will be the mark of the beast –
how can someone really not be able to buy or sell without the mark of the beast?

The question I’m raising here though –
and a point missed – I believe by many people –
is that one day all of these “needed” tools for tracking criminal and terrorist –
will be turned against us –
against Christians who are considered to be –
at some point in the future –
criminals and terrorists.

BTW – in some parts of the world – this is already true today.  If you think I’m wrong on this one, consider that under the current administration, “Christian terrorists” appear to be consider at least as dangerous (if not more so) than Muslim terrorists.  

My point is –
whatever the mark of the beast is –
there has to be a way for people in control at that time to find the people who don’t have it.
This could very well be one of those tools.

Two of the lines from the article are –

But more importantly, as technology becomes increasingly less expensive and more powerful, the government will continue to quietly monitor the public and store your every move.

If ever the time arises that they need it, they have full access to the records… always.

Right now –
maybe the motive really is all about making more money.

But later?

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

Mt 10:11 “Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15 I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. 16 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Mt 10:17 “Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Mt 10:21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Mt 10:24 “A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!

Mt 10:26 “So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny ? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Mt 10:32 “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.

This is Jesus –
telling His disciples what it’s going to be like when He sends them out.
But – is it really any different today from what it was a couple thousand years ago?

Notice –

16 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Things like these cameras that are (supposedly) being used to catch criminals and terrorists –
they at least appear to have a purpose that may be for good reasons –
but we don’t really know what else they’re used for today.

Even now – it’s good to be shrewd –
to be aware of what’s going on in the world around us.

But – tomorrow – eventually –
we can be pretty sure these things will eventually for different reasons –
and at some point –

so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name

Could very well be used to track down those of us who would refuse to take the mark of the beast.

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And now for the update.  

It really happened.  They did more with it.  Even with the ACLU watching the watchers.

The Justice Department has been secretly gathering and storing hundreds of millions of records about motorists in an effort to build a national database that tracks the movement of vehicles across the country, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

The newspaper said the main aim of the license plate tracking program run by the Drug Enforcement Administration was to seize automobiles, money and other assets to fight drug trafficking, according to one government document.

But the use of the database had expanded to include hunting for vehicles linked to other possible crimes, including kidnapping, killings and rape suspects, the paper said, citing current and former officials and government documents.

 …

It added it was unclear if any court oversaw or approved the program.

The rest of the article from msn.com is available here.

And so it’s happened already.  The issues raised by the ACLU are already happening.  The warnings given to us in the Bible are happening now.

What are we supposed to do about it?

Fight it?

Bury our heads in the sand and pretend it doesn’t exist?

How about follow Jesus’ commission to His disciples?
Among other things – that’s included –

Mt 10:16 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Mt 10:17 “Be on your guard against men;

Mt 10:23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another.

Mt 10:26 “So do not be afraid of them.

In other words – be aware of it.  Know what’s happening.  Don’t be like the foolish ones that Jesus spoke of in this parable –

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Mt 25:1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
Mt 25:6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
Mt 25:7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
Mt 25:9 “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
Mt 25:10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
Mt 25:11 “Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’
Mt 25:12 “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’
Mt 25:13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

And always remember –

Mt 10:32 “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.

I want to be acknowledged by Jesus –

How about you?