The “Thought Police”

You may have seen news stories about “mind reading” becoming technologically possible. What was once science fiction is close to becoming reality. Will doctors, law enforcement, and government agencies, assisted by such technology, soon be able to read and interpret our brain waves? Are “thought police” and mind control in our near future?

The human brain produces brain waves, and scientists are learning to “read” and interpret those waves. Elon Musk’s Neuralink company is researching the development of a computer chip that can interface with the human brain, decoding gathered data and translating it into language that represents thought.

Researchers desire to monitor and manipulate brain waves. Like any technological development, this could be used for good—for example, a paralyzed person could control machines to enable them to walk or move their arms and fingers. But these developments could also be used to steal secrets and control technology to do harm. One may think of George Orwell’s book 1984 with “thought police” monitoring brain waves, ready to pounce on anyone having thoughts contrary to those approved by the established authority.

As this is appearing to become possible, it is also stirring a serious discussion about ethics and privacy. Has anything invented in the history of mankind not been used for evil as well as for good? Aren’t we entitled to our private thoughts without an intrusive “big brother” listening in? How will this new technology be used? Who will be authorized to use it? What limits will be placed on its use? These and many other questions will generate concerns and earnest debate.

Various government agencies, tech giants, and businesses gather, share, aggregate, rent, and sell our data, and through business analytics identify new ways to target customers and sell products or services. But data can also be used to manipulate, deceive, and steal, especially when sold to the unscrupulous for nefarious purposes.

Imagine adding data from our thoughts and having that used against us. Worse, imagine someone manipulating or controlling our thoughts. Such abilities may be at the threshold of science.

But the real threat to humanity is our own human heart and mind and the thoughts we produce. The history of man’s thoughts is not encouraging. Man’s thoughts are “thoughts of iniquity [that is, lawlessness]” (Isaiah 59:7). Before God destroyed the world with the Great Flood of Noah’s day, “the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). God has the ability to read our thoughts—and, as our all-knowing and all-loving Creator, He can be trusted to use that ability only for good.

Jesus Christ knew the thoughts of those who opposed Him. Many times, the gospels record statements about Jesus knowing the thoughts of man, and especially the evil thoughts of those who opposed Him (e.g., Matthew 9:4). Jesus explained to His disciples that “out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, [and] blasphemies” (Matthew 15:19).

The Apostle Paul said, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Corinthians 13:11). When we begin the conversion process and are given God’s Holy Spirit, we gradually learn to think “no evil” (v. 5)—to think like Jesus and have His mind in us (Philippians 2:5), directing our thoughts and helping us to think and meditate on “whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report” (Philippians 4:8). We need to police our own thoughts.

You may be interested in the Tomorrow’s World article “Mind Your Mind!” and the study guides What Is A True Christian? and What Is The Meaning Of Life? All of these and more can be found right here, absolutely free of charge, at TomorrowsWorld.org.