{"id":47578,"date":"2018-03-18T15:00:59","date_gmt":"2018-03-18T23:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/?p=47578"},"modified":"2018-03-24T04:17:14","modified_gmt":"2018-03-24T12:17:14","slug":"the-guardian-an-information-apocalypse-is-coming-how-can-we-protect-ourselves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/prophecy\/the-guardian-an-information-apocalypse-is-coming-how-can-we-protect-ourselves\/","title":{"rendered":"The Guardian: An information apocalypse is coming. How can we protect ourselves?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\nCoat of Arms for the Spanish Inquisition
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

COGwriter<\/a><\/p>\n

Censorship is becoming more obvious to many:<\/p>\n

18 March 2018<\/p>\n

When Google launched almost 20 years ago, its corporate motto was “Don’t be Evil”. And until last year, Facebook’s official mission was to “make the world more open and connected”.<\/p>\n

Things have changed since the two tech giants first came online. Both companies have been accused of working behind the scenes to silence or de-emphasise certain kinds of voices.<\/p>\n

“Censorship has changed completely and dramatically because of the internet and because of particularly these big tech companies which are basically monopolies. They can end your existence online,” says Robert Epstein, research psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioural Research & Technology. …<\/p>\n

Google<\/a>, Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a> are all under pressure from governments … “We’re giving this kind of power to a group that is not responsible to the general public.\u00a0We’re not talking about a government agency which is required to do things in a transparent way, we’re talking about a private company that does everything secretly,” says Epstein. https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/programmes\/listeningpost\/2018\/03\/deleted-suspended-demoted-censorship-silicon-valley-style-180317111051502.html<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In light of that, consider the following from the Bible:<\/p>\n

1 Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;
\nPreserve my life from fear of the enemy.
\n2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
\nFrom the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,
\n3 Who sharpen their tongue like a sword,
\nAnd bend their bows to shoot their arrows \u2014 bitter words,
\n4 That they may shoot in secret at the blameless;
\nSuddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.<\/p>\n

5 They encourage themselves in an evil matter;
\nThey talk of laying snares secretly;
\nThey say, “Who will see them?”
\n6 They devise iniquities:
\n“We have perfected a shrewd scheme.”
\nBoth the inward thought and the heart of man are deep. (Psalm 64:1-6)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The UK Guardian<\/em> reported the following:<\/p>\n

An information apocalypse is coming. How can we protect ourselves?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“In a world of complex and continuing problems, in a world full of frustrations and irritations, America\u2019s leadership must be guided by the lights of learning and reason, or else those who confuse rhetoric with reality, and the plausible with the possible will gain the popular ascendancy with their seemingly swift and simple solutions to every world problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

John F Kennedy\u2019s last speech<\/a> reads like a warning from history …<\/p>\n

The problem is, Kennedy never spoke these words. He was killed before he made it<\/a> to the Trade Mart. You can only hear them now<\/a> thanks to audio technology developed by a British company, CereProc. Fragments of his voice have been taken from other speeches and public appearances, spliced and put back together, with neural networks employed to mimic his natural intonation.<\/p>\n

The result is pretty convincing, although there\u2019s a machine-like ring to some of the syllables, a synthetic stutter.<\/p>\n

A program developed at Stanford University allows users to convincingly put words into politicians\u2019 mouths<\/a>. Celebrities can be inserted<\/a> into porn videos. Quite soon it will be all but impossible for ordinary people to tell what\u2019s real and what\u2019s not.<\/p>\n

What will the effects of this be? When a public figure claims the racist or sexist audio of them is simply fake, will we believe them? How will political campaigns work when millions of voters have the power to engage in dirty tricks? …<\/p>\n

The potential for an \u201cinformation apocalypse\u201d is beginning to be taken seriously. The problem is we have no idea what a world in which all words and images are suspect will look like, so it\u2019s hard to come up with solutions. 03\/16\/18 https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/2018\/mar\/16\/an-information-apocalypse-is-coming-how-can-we-protect-ourselves<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It is my understanding that John F. Kennedy was going to say those words, but was assassinated first. But the modern reality is that information can more easily be faked and someone made to look like they said or did something that they did not.<\/p>\n

Consider the following:<\/p>\n

13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:13, KJV)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

While I fully expect technology will result in fake statements being attributed to me and others in the Church of God, there is another “information apocalypse” coming.<\/p>\n

There was a certain type of one during the time of the infamous Spanish Inquisition.<\/p>\n

Something similar, but worse is coming.<\/p>\n

Jesus said:<\/p>\n

\n

4 … the night is coming when no one can work. (John 9:4, NKJV)<\/p>\n

4… the night cometh, when no man can work (John 9:4 KJV)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In a October 23, 1980 co-worker letter, Herbert Armstrong wrote:<\/p>\n

\n

The Bible warns us the time is just ahead when NO MAN CAN WORK\u2014in the Lord’s Work. We must sacrifice now as never before for this Work that we may FINISH the Work that Christ has called us to do. Pray as never before, for this Work.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Prophet Amos was inspired to record the following:<\/p>\n

\n

11 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God,
\n“That I will send a famine on the land,
\nNot a famine of bread,
\nNor a thirst for water,
\nBut of hearing the words of the Lord.
\n12 They shall wander from sea to sea,
\nAnd from north to east;
\nThey shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord,
\nBut shall not find it. (Amos 8:11-12)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The old Worldwide Church of God reported the following:<\/p>\n

\n

THE<\/em> MOST important work in the<\/em> world cannot be done without freedom of<\/em> the<\/em> press!<\/p>\n

What is that work?<\/p>\n

It is the<\/em> work of<\/em> announcing that God will restore His Government to the<\/em> whole earth! But before the<\/em> Government of<\/em> God is restored, it must first be announced! The<\/em> good news of<\/em> that announcement \u2014 the<\/em> Gospel of<\/em> the<\/em> Kingdom of<\/em> God \u2014 must be preached (Matthew 24:14) to all nations (Matthew 28:19). And the<\/em> nations must choose whether they will want it or resist it.<\/p>\n

In this day, God has made the<\/em> MASS media available to accomplish His work. But reaching a mass audience with the<\/em> good news of<\/em> God’s soon–<\/em>coming Government requires the<\/em> freedom to PUBLISH. Notice Mark 13:10: “And the<\/em> gospel must first be published among all nations.”<\/p>\n

Further, God lays a special duty on his messenger and Church to publicly disseminate certain warnings to certain nations. Ezekiel 33:1–<\/em>7 describes God’s charge upon the<\/em> watchman. When the<\/em> watchman sees “the<\/em> sword” come upon the<\/em> land \u2014 a prophetic symbol of<\/em> military devastation \u2014 he must “blow the<\/em> trumpet” or God will hold him personally responsible.<\/p>\n

This duty requires that a message warning about some very unpleasant events be published as far and as wide as possible to the<\/em> latter–<\/em>day descendants of<\/em> ancient nations.<\/p>\n

Similarly, when God charged the<\/em> prophet Jeremiah with a message, he also had an affirmative duty from God to spread it to as wide an audience as possible. Jeremiah was given a message so important he could hardly contain himself: “But his [God’s] word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones…” (Jeremiah 20:9).<\/p>\n

So God’s servants really have no choice as to exercising the<\/em> right to publish their message freely. Their message is not for their personal benefit \u2014 but to the<\/em> whole world!<\/p>\n

Governmental Reaction<\/strong><\/p>\n

And yet while the<\/em> Bible places a duty on God’s servants, it also warns that this world \u2014 even now<\/em> and in the<\/em> future \u2014 will not always allow the<\/em> freedom to publish.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

In the<\/em> past a government’s excuse for persecution was that God’s message IS TOO DISTURBING to be allowed to circulate freely.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

In the<\/em> Old Testament, Elijah, for example, was hauled before King Ahab for the<\/em> ancient equivalent of<\/em> the<\/em> crime of<\/em> disturbing the<\/em> peace: “Ahab said unto him [Elijah], Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” (I Kings 18:17).
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Elijah’s defense was that he wasn’t troubling Israel, only bringing some very distressing news from God to Ahab’s government (verse 18).
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Likewise, the<\/em> religious and political authorities of<\/em> Amos’ day tried to subject him to “prior restraint” \u2014 from speaking his message at all \u2014 because the<\/em> message he brought from God was TO CONTROVERSIAL! “Amaziah the<\/em> priest of<\/em> Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of<\/em> Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the<\/em> midst of<\/em> the<\/em> house of<\/em> Israel: the<\/em> land is not able to bear all his words…. Also Amaziah said unto Amos… prophesy not again any more at Bethel” (Amos 7:10, 12–<\/em>13). Amaziah tried to deny Amos a forum for God’s message in ancient Israel. Amos’ message was too upsetting to the<\/em> political and religious establishments!
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

The<\/em> prophet Jeremiah was even subjected to an ancient form of<\/em> book<\/em> burning. God commanded Jeremiah to write down “all the<\/em> words that I [God] have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the<\/em> nations…” (Jeremiah 36:2).
\nJeremiah put the<\/em> words on a roll. Eventually, however, possession of<\/em> the<\/em> roll came to one of<\/em> the<\/em> king’s top aides, who read it to the<\/em> king (verse 21). After reading “three or four leaves” of<\/em> the<\/em> scroll, the<\/em> aide, ever eager to please a now<\/em> distraught king, threw the<\/em> roll into the<\/em> fireplace (verse 23). Afterwards, the<\/em> king attempted, unsuccessfully, to seize Jeremiah for putting God’s word to writing.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Earlier, Jeremiah had already endured actual imprisonment for the<\/em> content of<\/em> his spoken message (Jeremiah 20:2).
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

In the<\/em> New Testament, the<\/em> authorities tried to prevent the<\/em> apostles from preaching the<\/em> Gospel. The<\/em> apostles were forcibly brought before the<\/em> council. The<\/em> high priest asked them: “Did not we straightly command you that you should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine…” (Acts 5:28).
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, the<\/em> civil and religious authorities were seeking to regulate the<\/em> content of<\/em> their message!
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

In response, the<\/em> apostle Peter declared the<\/em> firm rule that “we ought to obey God rather than men” (verse 29). Since Peter and company had a God–<\/em>ordained duty to say what they were saying, the<\/em> commands of<\/em> the<\/em> civil government of<\/em> Jerusalem were in direct conflict with God’s.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

For the<\/em> future, the<\/em> Bible prophecy reveals that the<\/em> time will come when most of<\/em> this world’s nations will be led by Satan to abolish freedom of<\/em> the<\/em> press \u2014 and all related freedoms. Why? To prevent any publishing of<\/em> God’s message from reaching any substantial number of<\/em> people!
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

`Behold, the<\/em> days come, saith the<\/em> Lord God, that I will send a famine in the<\/em> land, not a famine of<\/em> bread, nor a thirst for water, but of<\/em> hearing the<\/em> words of<\/em> the<\/em> Lord: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the<\/em> north even to the<\/em> east, they shall run to and fro to seek the<\/em> word of<\/em> the<\/em> Lord, and shall not find it” (Amos 8:11–<\/em>12).
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Elsewhere the<\/em> Bible reveals how this prophesied press clampdown will take place. Revelation<\/em> 13 describes a great religious–<\/em>civil power that will arise in the<\/em> place of<\/em> the<\/em> old Roman Empire. This prophesied power will not allow free speech, a free press or the<\/em> free exercise of<\/em> any religion \u2014 except the<\/em> official religion of<\/em> the<\/em> state. <\/span><\/p>\n

Why Free Press Important<\/strong><\/p>\n

The<\/em> Gospel is the<\/em> good news of<\/em> a government that will REPLACE the<\/em> governments of<\/em> this world. Yet replace is a mild word! The<\/em> prophet Daniel flatly declares that the<\/em> Government of<\/em> God will “break in pieces and consume” the<\/em> nations of<\/em> this world that resist Him (Daniel 2:44).<\/span><\/p>\n

The<\/em> Gospel of<\/em> the<\/em> Kingdom of<\/em> God proclaims that there is a higher power than human government, another and divine government to whom men, whether they know it or not, ultimately owe allegiance. For this reason early Christians were accused of<\/em> doing “contrary to the<\/em> decrees of<\/em> Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus” (Acts 17:7).
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

No wonder the<\/em> governments of<\/em> this world have historically sought to suppress the<\/em> publishing of<\/em> the<\/em> Gospel of<\/em> the<\/em> Kingdom of<\/em> God \u2014 for it is ultimately the<\/em> news of<\/em> their overthrow by Christ at His return!
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Some have tried to justify the<\/em> suppression of<\/em> press freedom on the<\/em> grounds that the<\/em> free circulation of<\/em> false ideas would create havoc for human government.”Lying opinions, than which no mental plague is greater,” wrote Pope Leo XIII, “and vices which corrupt the<\/em> heart and moral life, should be diligently repressed by public authority, lest they insidiously work the<\/em> ruin of<\/em> the<\/em> state.”
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

The<\/em> key error is the<\/em> failure to see the<\/em> difference between the<\/em> government of<\/em> man and the<\/em> government of<\/em> God. God does not reveal the<\/em> whole of<\/em> His spiritual truth to society at large \u2014 only to those He calls (see Romans 8:30).
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Man, cut off from God, cannot be trusted to pass judgment on whether God’s truth is, in fact, “true.” The<\/em> Bible reveals that Satan has deceived “the<\/em> whole world” (Revelation<\/em> 12:9).
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Christ said his true church would be a little flock, not a majority of<\/em> the<\/em> political community (Luke 12:32). Thus, no human government can ever be really certain that it can tell a “lying opinion” from a true one. Because men’s minds are limited, men must have the<\/em> truth revealed<\/em> to them by God. When God doesn’t reveal it, as He doesn’t to most of<\/em> society, the<\/em> safest course open to humans is the<\/em> greatest possible circulation of<\/em> ideas. The<\/em> Bible supports this idea when it declares: “Where no counsel is, the<\/em> people fall: but in the<\/em> MULTITUDE of<\/em> counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14).
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Even if false ideas circulate under freedom of<\/em> the<\/em> press, at least God’s Word will also be able to go out unhindered.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

F<\/span>ree societies pay a very high price for freedom of<\/em> the<\/em> press \u2014 pornography circulates freely because human courts say they can’t really tell the<\/em> difference between pornography and other kinds of<\/em> writing or expression. This is a very high price \u2014 but at least it does insure the<\/em> free circulation of<\/em> God’s truth, as well as other religious ideas.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

If you grant human government the<\/em> authority to censor what is printed or spoken, you allow the<\/em> government to stop any message it doesn’t approve of<\/em>.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Government tried to suppress Elijah, Amos and Jeremiah; it is prophesied to suppress God’s true Gospel again in the<\/em> future. The<\/em> power to censor bad writing easily becomes the<\/em> power to suppress good writing.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

There is a reason why God began, and based, his end–<\/em>time work in the<\/em> country on earth where freedom of<\/em> the<\/em> press is greatest \u2014 and why God’s Church has grown the<\/em> most, as a rule, in countries where press freedom is substantial. Since the<\/em> spreading of<\/em> God’s Word is the<\/em> most important activity on earth \u2014 the<\/em> preservation of<\/em> freedom of<\/em> the<\/em> press is one of<\/em> the<\/em> most awesome responsibilities God lays on human government. (Calkins J. FREE PRESS IN THE BIBLE? Was It Prophesied? Plain Truth. May 1981)<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Related to Amos 8:11-12, in a sermon on November 27, 1982 titled \u201cU.S. of Europe is Coming,\u201d WCG’s Herbert W. Armstrong<\/a> stated:<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cAnyway this whole United States of Europe, when it goes together, is going to trigger nuclear World War III. Now let me tell you what else it’s going to do. It’s going to END OUR WORK! OUR WORK WILL BE THROUGH of getting the gospel to the world<\/strong>. That is, very shortly after it goes into force and effect; because they will move in such a way that it will end it. And then I’ll tell you what will happen<\/em>. As you read here in Amos, the 8th chapter and verse 11 of Amos. Amos 8:11<\/em> \u2018Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread …<\/em> but of hearing the word of the LORD.\u2019 \u201d<\/em> (http:\/\/cog-ff.com\/html\/pcomments_07_04_08.html, viewed 10\/03\/13)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In a November 22, 1982 co-worker letter, Herbert Armstrong wrote:<\/p>\n

\n

… brethren and co-workers, the prophesied Great Tribulation (nuclear World War III) will start soon after the European unification. That means OUR WORK OF SPREADING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD WILL BE FINISHED! We have not now much more time. Soon shall come a FAMINE of hearing the Word of the Lord (Amos 8:11). God says, work while it is day, for the night is coming when no man can work \u2013 in the Work of God! Nothing else is important in our lives, now, but this all-important Work of God. (http:\/\/cog-ff.com\/html\/pcomments_07_04_08.html, viewed 10\/03\/13)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So, the Bible tells of a time that will come when the word of God will not be found. And that would seem to be because it will be taken off the internet. In the 21st century, the internet is accessed by people in every country, and thus some type of internet restriction\/suspension\/site removal is coming.<\/p>\n

Notice also the following related to some of what we have been seeing:<\/p>\n

\n
\n

The existential crisis a free America is facing right now is thought control on a scale potentially worse than totalitarian tyrannies of the past and present …<\/p>\n

\n

Yes, you can still wear a sandwich board on public streets and \u201cprotest\u201d \u2013 in most cases without serious consequences. But that\u2019s the kind of expression and dissent the new elite corporate gatekeepers, what I call the \u201cDigital Content Cartel,\u201d Christians and conservatives would be relegated to if the corporate thought-police overlords of Google, Facebook, et al, get their way.<\/p>\n

Their goal is nothing short of starving to death the independent media. …<\/p>\n

\n

America\u2019s universities employ speech codes that would make North Korea blush. Little children are being indoctrinated from the earliest age in government schools that this nation\u2019s heroic founders were no more than racist, misogynist, imperialist oppressors of the poor and downtrodden. Hollywood and the Big Media besiege Americans with one narrow worldview, treating with utter contempt liberty lovers and followers of the God of Creation.<\/p>\n

Now, the \u201cDigital Content Cartel,\u201d that sees the world much like those other powerful cultural institutions, is in near total, hammerlock control of the means of distribution of news and information on the internet because they control more than 90 percent of the advertising revenue, search engine power and technical infrastructure that is necessary to reach massive audiences effectively.<\/p>\n

Never before have so few controlled so much debate.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re in danger of losing the essential components of a free society \u2013 including the right to shout out in loud voices that cannot be stifled that we are losing our legacy of liberty. 03\/15\/18 http:\/\/www.wnd.com\/2018\/03\/never-before-have-so-few-controlled-so-much-debate\/#EIkj0z4Y1J4ecE8w.99<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

As the above indicates, we have already seen actions against those who dare to hold certain biblically-related positions that some governments as well as internet media companies oppose. We made a few related short videos:<\/p>\n

Orwell\u2019s 1984 by 2024?<\/a>\u00a0Are we getting closer to enter an Orwellian surveillance society? Might this happen next decade?
\nCanadian censoring of the Bible <\/a>\u00a0Are you aware that Canadian government officials do not want parts of the Bible quoted? This does not bode well for Canada and those in many other lands.
\nInternet Control, Famine of the Word, and 666 <\/a>\u00a0Is the internet going to be used to suppress the teaching of the word of God?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

More speech restrictions and persecutions are coming (cf. Revelation 13).<\/p>\n

Edward Snowden calls companies like Facebook “surveillance companies.” Notice two of his Tweets from yesterday:<\/p>\n

\n

Facebook makes their money by exploiting and selling intimate details about the private lives of millions, far beyond the scant details you voluntarily post. They are not victims. They are accomplices. https:\/\/t.co\/mRkRKxsBcw<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Edward Snowden (@Snowden) March 17, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n