Examples of life imitating art can be seen in the ways communication technology has developed over the last century. The two-way wrist radio (later wrist television) used in the “Dick Tracy” comic strips of the 1940s and 1960s inspired Martin Cooper’s invention of the hand-held mobile phone in 1973. The communicators used in the 1960s television series “Star Trek” have been credited with influencing further innovations in mobile communications that can be seen in modern flip phones and smartphones.
Featured in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” book trilogy, the palantíri, or “seeing stones,” were perfectly smooth, opaque spheres, slightly larger than a softball, used from secured locations by the kings of men in Middle-earth and their appointed stewards to communicate with each other over great distances and gather intelligence.
After a two-year siege, the Dark Lord Sauron captured a fortress belonging to the kingdom of Gondor and took possession of the palantír held there. In their pride, both the wizard Saruman and Denethor II, the Steward of Gondor, thought they had the strength of will to use the palantír in their possession to probe the mind of Sauron, discern his plans and formulate ways to defeat him.
But Sauron was able to use his palantír to plumb the recesses of the minds of both Saruman and Denethor and take advantage of them. In Saruman, he discovered a desire for rulership, so he was able over time to entice him to his service with promises of power. In Denethor, Sauron found a deep-seated fear of the destruction of Gondor and the end of the rule of the stewards, so he showed him selected images of his seemingly invincible military forces, eventually convincing him that mounting any defense of Gondor was useless.
Saruman was manipulated by Sauron with selected information into joining with him and betraying the free people of Middle-earth, and it led to his ignominious downfall. Denethor was led into despair, madness and suicide because Sauron persuaded him that Gondor stood alone facing certain defeat and concealed information showing that deliverance for Gondor was at hand.
Inspired by this story, billionaire American entrepreneur and venture capitalist Peter Thiel co-founded Palantir Technologies Inc. in 2003, where he currently serves as its chairman. This technology firm, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, develops and implements artificial intelligence (AI) data mining and surveillance solutions for its customers.
Like the “seeing stones” in “The Lord of the Rings,” Palantir uses its considerable data-mining capabilities to peer into the lives of individuals to acquire as much granular data as possible and arrange it into a usable fashion for its federal agency clients of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC), international and local governments, and private corporations.
The Bilderberg Conference is an invitation-only forum where very powerful elites from around the world, including political, industrial, finance, academic and technology leaders, meet annually to hold private, informal discussions to network with each other and build consensus regarding the direction they wish to take the world. Many believe those involved with this group seek to take the world into a global government where mass surveillance and profiling would be a key component for their unmitigated control over all people.
For many years, Thiel has been a frequent attendee of this conference, and his relationships with other affiliated global elites have aided in the development of Palantir into a tool allowing them to surveil and gather data from virtually every aspect of our lives. Through the mass media outlets they manage, they use that data to manipulate us with selective information or outright falsehoods into joining them in their war against humanity and God, or giving into fear of their seemingly invincible power and capitulating out of despair to their agendas.
As the dark lords of this world use their palantíri to profile us and broadcast selected and deceptive messages throughout the world, you may wonder how you can avoid being misled into their web of control and ruin. Something stronger is needed to cut through their tools of deception.
“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 4:12-13)
Humble yourself before God, repent of your sins, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness and reconciliation with God (Romans 1-5). He will grant you not only a reborn life that will never end (John 3:1-21), but also the gift of discernment that comes from the indwelling presence of God through the Holy Spirit.
Seek the Lord’s guidance through prayer and meditating on the word of God. That is, read and reflect on what He has revealed in the Bible, allowing it to shape your thoughts, emotions and actions (Romans 12:2). His word is a mirror that shows us reality and our need for His salvation. It is there to help us, not to trick us (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
God knows infinitely more about you than can ever be discovered by Palantir or whatever other surveillance tools the global elites wish to use. The big difference is that He loves you and will never use this knowledge to lie to you or mislead you (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18). He grants hope in this perilous world filled with traps, distractions and misdirections.
Have faith in His Son Jesus, who will give you the discernment and peace you need to navigate the ocean of lies promulgated by the god of this world and his minions and bring you safely home to His eternal kingdom (2 Corinthians 4:3-4; James 1:5).
