When a story is leaked, there will always be two people with contrasting emotions: 1) the proud bearer of the news who basks in popularity because people look up to him for more information, and 2) the subject of the leaked story who cries “Foul!”
The sex scandal story of US president Bill Clinton and recently that of presidential candidate Ted Cruz hogged the limelight. Our local showbiz personalities are not spared from leaking news.
Despite knowing that their lives are scrutinized every day, they still beg for privacy.
Some years back, a Philippine franchise of an international talent show fell victim to information leakage when the names of the finalists were posted in Facebook before the show was to be aired. Where’s the privacy of the competition?
I guess the latest example of invasion of privacy is that of the hacking of the Commission on Elections website. Its officials are profusely apologizing for the lapse and even if a 20-year-old man has admitted to be the culprit, a lot of people are now scared that their privacy has been compromised together with their wealth and properties. I am probably not the only one who made the rounds at changing the passwords of my online accounts.
Such is the effect when our privacy is invaded. We panic, cower and to some degree feel ashamed especially if something about us violates the social norm.
We hold dear our private lives. That’s why when something intimate about ourselves is leaked out, it’s deemed as an attack on our dignity and we start to ask, “Why would they feast on my private life?” or “Where’s my right to be free?”
Freedom is a basic human need — free to be left alone, to make mistakes, to forget and to start anew, free to act according to our conscience and not be subject to public opinion. It is our security bubble. When someone bursts it and guarded information leaks out, we feel naked. Exposed. Shamed.
Much like how Adam and Eve felt after eating the forbidden fruit. But it was not only their privacy that was invaded. I guess God felt betrayed too. The Garden of Eden was His private area and now it has been “tampered” by humans.
Is privacy not respected anymore in modern times? Neighborhoods are hotbeds of gossip. Everybody knows, or thought they knew, everything about everybody.
Exodus 20:16 warns us not to bear false witness against our neighbor. Spreading false rumors is an invasion of privacy because it is a betrayal of friendship and trust.
The Bible is always exhorting us to “aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands” (1 Thessalonians 4:11). But with the digital age, it’s been a challenge not talk about our neighbors.
And today, “neighbors” do not refer to the people living in our neighborhood. They are those who engage in chatrooms in social media. “Neighbors” also include people we have never met but who pretend to “like” or “follow” everything we do. Do you still say you have privacy?
If there’s one information leak that I’d welcome, it will be to know the date and hour when our Lord will come. This has been God’s well-guarded secret — “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows” (Mark 13:32).
To know the appointed time would be a good reason to invade God’s privacy, but I think the secrecy should make us realize the importance of privacy in our own lives. Let’s look into it more closely. Have we lived a life worthy enough for us to be admitted into Heaven when Jesus returns?
Isn’t it high time to stop looking at other people’s lives. Look inwards instead and make sure we live a holy and pure life.
Tall order I know. Not easy I admit, but it can be done by the grace of God and by obeying God’s commandments.
Next time, before we cry “foul” to people who have invaded our privacy, let’s first ask ourselves, “Have you done the same to others?”
It’s the Golden Rule, and no matter how modern the world is today, I believe it remains to be the universal maxim that should guide our lives. It says “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Same with its so-called “Silver Rule” that focuses on restraint and non-harm: “Do nothing to others you would not have done to you.”
By consistently applying these life rules, the world will yet be a better place to live in. Privacy will be respected with no fear of its being overrun.
And whether or not we know when Jesus shall have come or not, we are confident that we are ready to meet Him face to face.