Government Mind Control?

Several years ago I became fascinated with the working of the brain and enrolled in some classes that dealt with brain-based learning, understanding the learning process of the brain, and the connection of the brain and the heart.  This interest developed into a desire to know more about the technology being developed to modify and "re-wire" the brain.  So I have followed the research and the changing methods of dealing with brain technology.  I am by no means an expert in this field but do have cursor knowledge of the subject.

 Detailed study of the brain started around 1796 by Franz Joseph Gall who developed what became termed as "phrenology".   One of basic concepts of phrenology that survived was that of "brain mapping". However, the "scientific research" proved wrong.  The lesson from this should be scientists make mistakes. Mistakes continued into the area of psychosurgery, with the intention of suppressing abnormal behavior.  Enter the prefrontal lobotomy.  The end result was many died and suffered from this "research".  Again, the lesson from this should be scientists make mistakes.  With the past mistakes brain scientist made, society should not feel comfortable with the direction today's researchers are going.  We have gone from surgery to mind modification psychiatric drugs with the same results—scientists make mistakes.  But, the world is changing and modern technology has created a new world without borders.  We have probed the depths of the universe as well as the mind of man. 

 With modern computer technology, satellites, GPS, hybrid bionic systems, people can now be tracked within a few feet anywhere in the world and talk to someone in the desert of Africa.  Technology has advanced to the point we are facing the day of synthetic telepathy, with brain-computer-interface and communication technology based on thoughts, not speech.  Already cybernetic technology can be used to read out minds and to control our sensory perception by mimicking sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch.  How far will this technology go before we are no more than human robots doing the will of those controlling the technology?  Has man entered into an area he should not have ventured into?  Are we become the gods that Satan promised Eve in the Garden?

 The Church has always had a reservation about identification technology.  This is the result of taking the Mark of the Beast or being identified with 666.  You can forget about bar codes, or identification chips, or even the RFID's the technology today has far exceed the science fiction of Star Trek.  We have entered into an era of total human control.  There is no privacy in the modern world.  Our movements can be tracked by satellites, street cameras, banks, schools parking lots and even home surveillance cameras.  But what is far more evasive to our freedom and liberty is the control of our minds.   

 One of the faults within the church is its lack of being proactive against ethical, legal, social, political and philosophical issues that are changing our culture and society by the potential applications of hybrid bionic systems research.  There have been great strides in the research of the brain.  With the development of new nano, micro, optical and electrical technologies, researchers have been able to probe the structure and function of the brain.  With this knowledge researchers have developed amazing devices implanted into the brain to aid those who have lost limbs or are paralyzed due to disease or a traumatic injury.  But what will be the down side?

 Millions of dollars has gone into researching these cutting edge technologies that will enable implanted microchips into our brains that will enhance our lives.  Most people will only see the tremendous benefits of these implants.  People will actually beg to have these devices implanted into their brains.  Just imagine when you are able to "download" an entire life of knowledge into your memory in just a matter of hours.  Just think of the endless possibilities for this kind of technology.  It all sounds like some Star Trek science fiction until you start looking at the daily headlines.  CNNMoney.com had this article, Digital pill with chip inside gets FDA green light. 

This headline should be cause for concern, Pentagon's DARPA researchers learn to control rat's brain over Internet.  This article states, "Government mind control may not be as farfetched as it sounds: after 15 years of research, scientists have found a way to transmit information from one brain to another, thereby controlling the thoughts of its test subject.Scientists have successfully captured the thoughts of a rat in Brazil and electronically transmitted them through the Internet to the brain of a rat in the US. The Brazilian rat had been energetically running around in a lab. When the American rat received the brain waves of its South American counterpart, it immediately began to mimic the behavior – despite the thousands of miles between them, Reuters reports."

The danger of this new technology with implants could allow a total control of those implanted, not only regarding what they do but what they are thinking.  Nothing will be hidden from the person operating the equipment controlling the implant.  Your brain can be taken over. The "big brother is watching you" will be big brother is controlling you. The movie Johnny Mnemonic may not be so farfetched.  This science fiction action film was about a man with a cybernetic brain and may soon be a reality.   

The church has failed to stay on top of the ethical and moral direction our technology is leading us. Who is asking the questions like:  What kind of privacy safeguards are needed if a machine can read your thoughts? Will invasive research on humans involve inhuman or degrading actions? Will this invasive research on humans lead to new torture or inhumane punishment techniques? "What will happen to free will"?

 Some are wondering how neuroscience technology will change the battlefield. The staggering possibilities are further along than many think. There is already development on automated drones that are programmed to make their own decisions about who to kill within the rules of war. Other ideas fast becoming a military reality: Tanks controlled from half a world away, memory erasures that could prevent PTSD, and “brain fingerprinting” that could be used to extract secrets from enemies.

 It should be noted that there are no laws that protect humans from illegal mind reading technologies.  With the present technology it is possible to clone select parts of the brain function with the use of a remote computer and implant interface.  Again, let me ask the question what happens to free will and morality?

 The question of using drones continues to be a discussion in Congress and should be of interest because of the moral implications of this technology. The Globe and Mail reported that the British military has a new unmanned attack aircraft designed to use artificial intelligence to fly itself halfway around the world and select enemy targets on its own. The Taranis, is a stealthy jet-powered autonomous flying robot weapon system. Taranis could be programmed to fly itself between continents to reach enemy territory.  It could then carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance activity.  

 The United States is projected to soon have 30,000 drone flying American skies.  The Huffington Post reported on February 15, 2013, FAA Drone Request: Administration Moves to Expand Unmanned Aircraft for Domestic, Civil Use "The Federal Aviation Administration made the request Thursday, kicking off what is anticipated to be an intense competition between states hoping to win one of the sites."  The article goes on to say, "The military has come to rely heavily on drones overseas. Now there is tremendous demand to use drones in the U.S. for all kinds of tasks that are too dirty, dull or dangerous for manned aircraft. Drones, which range from the size of a hummingbird to the high-flying Global Hawks that weigh about 15,000 pounds without fuel, also are often cheaper than manned aircraft.  Drones are not the only machines that are automated.  The automation of weapons systems is a growing military trend, with the U.S. Army aiming to automate 30 per cent of its ground vehicles by 2015. 

 What type of autonomy will be given to a machine?  There are individuals within our government who are without morals or ethical behavior who will use the advances in neuroscience for military control of the masses.  The present administration is a prime example of the use of technology to rain death and destruction on the innocent with their drones.

 What happens when our government has perfected the technology of wireless mind control?  We already see how they use the technology of drones-- what will stop them from using synthetic telepathy, with brain-computer-interface and communication technology based on thoughts, not speech?  

 My concern is that as a Christian, why are we ignoring the ethical and moral implications of the research that is taking place right now to control the minds of individuals?  What are the theological implications of those who have had their free will circumvented by technology?  Will this technology give power to a world dictator to not only control what you buy and sell but how you think and act?

 Americans have been eager to exchange their liberty for the safety and security of an invasive government.  The public has been exposed to the benefits of the new technology without understanding the implications of the evil it can bring upon mankind.  Just as the early brain researchers felt it was OK to influence peoples thoughts on how thing in human society ought to be, researchers today have become the engineers and architects of how society should act. 

 It is sad ministers have ignored what is happening around them allowing their people to be deceived by the greatness of man's technology not seeing the dangers they hide.  Jeremiah tried to warn Jerusalem but was ignored, "The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem. For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her, they have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments. [Lamentations 4:12-14]  Notice those the LORD held for responsible for the downfall of Jerusalem—the prophets and priest.  Who will the LORD hold responsible for the downfall of America?