What is Privacy? And is there any left?

In the article titled, “Sound scans of the urban body: Cell phones, eavesdropping and ambient music”, John Shiga mentions a part of an article from a British tabloid called The Mirror that said, “Private phone calls are being illegally bugged in the name of art - and taxpayers are footing the bill”. Places like the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London get annual grants of around 1 million pounds by the Government even though they pay people like former DJ Robin Rimbaud to create art from illegal scanning and eavesdropping of phone conversations. Somehow this doesn’t make sense to me. Why would a government support something that is in fact going against their own laws?

Rimbaud suggests that what he is trying to do is make people aware of the collapse of privacy. He thinks that by exposing current society and new technologies by showing his ability to use a scanner and eavesdrop, people will realize that their conversations indeed are not private which might make them think deeper about the issue. If this is the case, then it would be creating an awareness of the lack of privacy which the government has the power to control. So therefore, it would still be contradictory for the government to be giving grants to places that support this invasion of privacy.

According to Rimbaud, the advancements and use of surveillance equipment in contemporary society means that privacy is illusion. This seems to make sense because the more surveillance is available for not only the government, but also most average people, the less privacy there will be and the harder it will be to monitor who is eavesdropping.

This irks me. I’m not normally a phone person, and now I am even less of one. Knowing that just about anyone could be listening in on my personal conversations doesn’t exactly make me want to spend hours talking on the phone. I realize that a lot of people don’t realize to what extent people are able to eavesdrop on them, but there must be better ways to send that message than the ways of Rimbaud. He could give examples, or even use clips of what other people have done, but to join in the very thing he’s almost against just doesn’t seem quite right to me. Yes, he is being creative, yes he’s probably sending out messages about our society that might be good to learn and understand, yes it’s a way to understand the urban body, but are these reasons good enough to justify invading privacy and stealing from phone conversations without permission?
I’m not surprised that this type of surveillance technology is out there. Any sense of privacy probably already is just an illusion and these technologies will probably only continue to become even more intrusive. Maybe soon we will all be watched and listened to in everything we do. Or maybe we already are? Chew on that.

Who wants to go to a Hell House and get saved tonight?!

Chapter 12 talks about faith-based Theme Parks and Museums. In the article Should Churches Host Hell Houses, Annalee Ward explains that some churches apparently have something called “Hell Houses”. There are kits that you can get and just about anyone can host one of these events. It takes you through extreme visuals, portraying things like abortions (including bloody meat), school shootings, and devil worship.

Some may say that desperate times call for desperate measures, but this seems a little too desperate to me. I’m not sure what kind of people would voluntarily go to something like this. The only people that would go, I would think, would take some sort of twisted pleasure in seeing these things. Otherwise, why would you want to go to a place where things are thrown in your face to try to make you feel guilty and scared enough that you will turn from your ways. There are a few ways people can come to Christ. Although scare tactics are one of them, I would still say that there are many better ways of persuading people of the truth. People should be drawn to the faith and convinced of the Truth that it holds; they should long to get closer to God and to learn more about Him. If you’re scared into believing, I highly doubt you would have a very strong faith or want to grow any closer to a big scary God who is there to judge and condemn you. People should see the loving side of Him and believe the fact that He loved us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us. I was always taught that not going to hell was not a good reason on its own to become a Christian. I agree with this because God doesn’t want us to just obey Him out of fear, but also to have a loving and deep relationship with Him.

While much in this world seems to be leaning more and more towards shock value and grabbing the attention of their audiences, I still feel that there are better ways of showing people in our world that there is a loving God and an ancient Truth that are waiting for them.

With great power comes great responsibility

Dear, dear music. What would I do without you? I have learned so much through you. I have been lifted up by your sweet presence and been reminded of what’s really important. I have found comfort in knowing I am not alone, thanks to you.

In chapter four of the text book, Stephanie Bennett comments on how “music has long helped people to learn about their culture and, hence, to learn about themselves. ... This music promotes social unity and collective memory.” It’s amazing the power that music has. She also mentions that some people say that “CCM artist-musicians put to song their own questions, doubts and joys, thereby providing a way for listeners to do the same. Additionally, the music helps broaden the public discussion of issues that Christians face as part of the wider culture.” If artists aren’t putting these types of real life experiences and emotions into their music, what point does it have? It should come from the heart and inspire others to find encouragement, hope, and guidance through their words.


Some say that CCM waters down their religious content. However I would argue that what they are doing instead is trying to expand on the way that faith can be related to every area of life – including common issues like dating, depression, confusion, feeling lost, and popularity. This helps both believers and non-believers to get positive guidance and encouragement in knowing that artists have gone through the same type of struggles that they go through. In being able to relate, a powerful bond is formed.


According to Bennett, “The mystery and the majesty of God may be seen and heard in the faithful expression of musical gifts, in ways that reach deeper into the human soul than many other modes of communication. The creation, performance and message can soothe the soul, convince the sinner, praise God and condemn injustice.” That’s powerful stuff. I think it’s true that God gave us the gift of communication through music so that we can connect with others and with Him. It is a great blessing but also a responsibility. It is up to us to use the gifts we have in a way that is glorifying to God. A part of this means trying to reach all sorts of people around the world and doing our best to relate to them and be witnesses to them as well as keeping the glory for God and not for ourselves.


I will leave you with the lingering and powerful words of deceased legend Keith Green. “Music is a gift of God that is meant to be received with gladness and used wisely. As stewards of the mysteries of God, our calling is to handle what he gives us responsibly, taking care to nurture, enjoy and uphold the manifest beauty and myriad gifts of a Creator who has lavished his love on us with generosity and great variety, wrapped in a blessedness that is far beyond compare.”