“To Catch an ID Thief” exposes deep, demonic forces
It’s not often that I write about demons, but watch MSNBC’s To Catch an ID Thief, available at YouTube.com and at MSNBC.com. There are so many layers of deception, so many ruined lives, that one quickly realizes the costs are not all economic. At first, you will marvel at the tenacity and craftiness of the thieves. It’s truly astonishing and brazen. Then, you will be sickened.
Chris Hansen and his team follow a long and complex chain to “catch” ID thieves. Their journey begins in American, and then travels oversees. In between are countless souls whose self-respect and confidence is broken. These are ruined people.
This “soul killing” suggests metaphysical realities lie behind the theft of people’s identities. When I was in Guatemala on a missions trip, I was sitting in the city square in Antigua. A Guatemalan businessman, being eager to practice his English, approached me for conversation. We talked about life in Guatemala, and his business. At one point he asked, “You notice that most stores have armed guards.” I replied that it would be difficult not to notice. “You see,” he continued, “theft is so bad in Guatemala that one feels like giving up. This constant thievery and violent robberies are a drain on the psyche of the people. It’s as if hard work doesn’t matter anymore.”
There are spiritual forces at work and their desire is the total ruination of God’s creation. We cannot ignore these things as mere matters of civil justice. There are deeper concerns. Watch To Catch an ID Thief and you’ll understand my meaning.
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I watched the entire series earlier. The ID theft concept can act as an analogy – albeit a poor one – for Satan’s deception of the unregenerate sinner.
Satan’s lies of deception spread far and wide, and dupe many (indeed all) people into thinking they’re doing something good and legitimate. In the story, Chris Hanson had to reveal the deception to the people being used before they realized the truth. Just so, the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of sinners, allowing them to see the deception of Satan and come to Christ in saving faith.
There are differences, like in reality, people are born under the curse of original sin, being slaves of sin from the beginning (unlike in the story, where people are tricked into doing the bidding of the thieves). Also, Chris Hanson couldn’t do much to help the victim’s of the deception heal their brokenness (while Christ perfectly heals the broken soul of all those who come to him).
Perhaps a healthy look into demon/angelology would be in order, to see how these spiritual beings have a real impact in the world today.
(Not that I’ve personally studied demonology or angelology very much; those areas aren’t very high on my theology priority list.)
Michael W
8 Apr 09 at 5:03 pm
Two segments demonstrate the point plainly.
1. Here’s a guy so deceived he’s been persuaded to use his own money to ship stolen merchandise. He doesn’t know the merchandise is stolen, but his business partner, “Wendy,” a gorgeous, young woman (really just a picture some con artist sent the poor fellow). He’s convinced the business is legitimate and that “Wendy” is going to marry him. It’s as if his eyes have been shut to reality. Under cover, Chris Hansen questions the fellow, who starts a discussion with Hansen about To Catch a Predator, completely unaware that he’s being interviewed by Hansen, the very reporter who leads the To Catch a Predator investigations. Here’s the clip:
When Chris Hansen reveals who he is — he wears absolutely no disguise. It’s as if scales are lifted off the poor guy’s eyes. It’s as if spiritual forces actually blinded him.
To tell the truth, if this were simply a routine on a sitcom, it would be hysterical. But that it involves an actual person, I simply grieve. I feel very sorry for this soul.
2. “Everybody lies.” Hate to give away the ending, but Hansen finally tracks the ID thief (actually he’s simply part a larger organization). Ultimately, Hansen will never be able to track down the “mastermind” — I suggest the “mastermind” is really a spirit. Rather, this ID thief is just another cog. His only justification for ruining lives is that “everybody lies.” That’s what he’s been reduced to.
Mark Adams
8 Apr 09 at 9:05 pm