Thursday, April 26, 2012

The Tupac Hologram: Graven Images and Deception

Snoop and Hologram 2Pac #wowzers #tupac #dre #...
Snoop and Hologram 2Pac #wowzers #tupac #dre #snoop #coachella (Photo credit: ultra5280)
Everyone has been talking about the hologram of Tupac Shakur that debuted at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Snoop Dog and Dr. Dre brought the rapper back to life so to speak in hologram form, where he moved, rapped, and interacted with them on stage. The whole ordeal immediately became a worldwide sensation, with talks of Tupac participating in other major events in the future. It has also sparked rumors of other dead celebrities coming back in hologram form for certain special occasions.

Holograms have actually portrayed celebrities on commercials and such before, but this is different; the whole idea means something different to me now too. The Bible gives one of God's Ten Commandments saying "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in Heaven above, or that is in the Earth beneath, or that is in the water under the Earth." Exodus 20:4 There are many graven images we deal with daily, so who does this hologram create so much anxiety? The thought of the dead among us just gives me the chills. Yes, it's just a hologram, but what if all the sudden businesses started marketing these holograms? 

I remember watching The Matrix as I was just entering adulthood, and I couldn't shake the idea that everyone hooked up to an alternate reality actually made sense with the direction our world is heading. Grandparents walk in on children playing video games for hours straight, and they wonder what could possess someone to do such a thing. What about the guy on 1000 Ways To Die that played a certain video game for 24 hours straight without getting up once from the couch. After he beat the game, he finally stood up, and a blood clot went straight to his brain killing him instantly. 

Let's revisit the holograms, and let's say that businesses do begin to market them. It is a product that would outsell all of the iPads, iPods, and every technological gadget on the market combined. How would it do that? Imagine everyone who has ever lost someone being able to both see and communicate with their lost loved ones. Can you see them commercializing this product now? I can, and I can see it taking more attention from the whole world than anything else ever has to date. How strong of a temptation it would be to see the people that I've lost in my life. Anyone who claims that the temptation wouldn't be there for them is either lying or hasn't lost a loved one yet.

This development would be completely devastating, and the epidemic wouldn't stop there. What if for a different purpose they also marketed the exact same hologram of a specific person to the whole world. This would be a hologram that everyone could interact with all at the same time.  It could be an old ruler, or perhaps this person takes on a new identity. Do you see where this is heading? In steps the Antichrist and The New World Order.

Satan uses temptation and deception to do everything in his power to keep us from an identity in Christ. Romans 12:2 says "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." The temptations we behold daily compare nothing to the transformation God can bring to our lives if we stay in his Word. we are made in his image, and he wants us to bear his image and likeness. In order for   this to come to fruition, our eyes must be focused on God. We need to consider less the work of our own hands and more the work of the Master's hands. 
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4 comments:

  1. In most third world countries Idoletry is nothing new and a common practice among most of these people. In America it has for hundreds of years not been that way, yet in a country where anymore, anything goes, I won't be surprised that we move to the head of the line with our holograms and such other.
    Will I see this self destruction in my lifetime, me thinks not. But what a terrible thing for those I will leave behind.
    You are right Jesse, it is coming and is a fearful thing..

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    1. I agree I don't necessarily think we will see any kind of world destruction in our lifetime, but I do think we will continue to see some crazy things! I could see the holograms coming out for sure. Many other countries do have a rich history of idolatry like you said. However, think about all the different things that turn out to be idols in all of our lives. Money, celebrities, employment, job, other people; these are all just examples but we idolize many things. As a matter of fact, the love of anything more than God is idolatry. While we tend to feel that we don't fall prey, we do. Upon self-examination, one can find many idols in their lives. I should probably turn that into a post, but I just wanted to share with you a different take on idols. Thanks for the feedback!

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  2. I dont really se a hologram being that big a deal. It wouldn't be th person just a recording. It might be obsessive for awhile like repeat dialing a lost ones voice mail to hear their voice. But eventually it would become so clearly fabricated and not like the person it would become boring. Stalkers could probably do desturbing things with them. How is a hologram much worse that a look alike hired to play a part? Those have been around for a long time now. I would think a look alike would be worse. If a hologram is idolotry then what is facebook? blogging? pics on the web? I have yet to find what exactly qualifies something as an idol. The only thing close is that it is not an object itself that is an idol but our attitudes intentions and focus upon any object detracting from God's will in our lives or our relationships and obligations to others that defines and idol. Yes people will probably abuse this technology, but they do the same with facebook, cell phones , alcohol, ect. anything in excess is an idol.

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  3. Lacey, thanks for your input! I would agree that anything could be made into an idol. The problem with the hologram for me was thinking about how it could be used to resurrect someone that was dead, such as Tupac. The evil powers of the world could actually fool the general public. Do I think that is going to happen? No, but it sure did make me think about it!

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