Cold Machines (Brutal Planet, 2000)

This week’s post focuses on another track from the Brutal Planet LP. ‘Cold Machines‘ lines up perfectly with humanity and, believe it or not, the current state of the Body of Christ. Keep in mind this track was written before the age of smartphones. Before those glowing rectangles controlled us. Before we all walked around with our hands and heads buried in them. Consumed by their screens. Ignoring the world around us. This song thrusts the listener into a similar scenario. An Orwellian one. A musical depiction of the novel ‘1984′. It’s as if Alice, like George Orwell, was forecasting the slip of humanity. A cold slip into a more heartless society. One that is more worried about humanity as a commodity or a cog in the machine. More worried about posts and tweets than their fellow man, woman, or child. Somehow the importance of each other’s well-being has been replaced. Replaced by status updates, likes, shares, memes, etc. As if we are more concerned about our virtual selves and the people we will most likely never meet instead of those in our closest proximity.

It is rather interesting just how cold we have become. While humanity has been slowly building to this point, it is fascinating to see just how quickly things have escalated since the emergence of the smartphone and social media. So many lines from this song resonate with the current state of humanity. Lines like: “You don’t know my name”, “You don’t know my number”, “You don’t know my face at all”, “We walk right past each other”, “We’re marching on and on and on”. So much of what we’ve become is false. Instead of humanity actually living genuine moments and cherishing those, we’ve found a way to embellish what we ‘think’ is important. It’s often been stated that the albums ‘The Last Temptation‘, ‘Brutal Planet‘, and ‘Dragontown‘ have forecasted, futuristic vibes attached to them. Vibes about where humanity is headed. Almost twenty years later, ‘Cold Machines’ is a haunting example of just how close Alice is to hitting that prophetic mark.

SIDE NOTE: Another suitable example of such demise is the film entitled ‘Surrogates‘. Released in September 2009, this B-rated film features Bruce Willis as a cop trying to solve various murders. However, there’s a catch. Humanity no longer leaves their homes. They interact through surrogate robots instead. Void of emotion. Void of human interaction. They live out their lives virtually. Never having to physically experience life outside of their homes. Could this film also have a prophetic tale found within its story? Are we already headed in that direction?

There’s no doubt humanity, as a whole, is headed towards a dangerous place. A place where pockets of society feel they are more important than others. Where things that were once earned are now considered to be rights. Phones. Internet. Water. Electricity. You name it. Somebody out there thinks it should be theirs. It’s not a group problem. There’s no one gender, race, religion, etc. attached to this sentiment. It’s an element of entitlement that flows throughout our mindset. It’s as if morality, common decency, and self-respect aren’t expected. They are rarities. Oddities that were once more common, but have somehow been lost. However, lost things can once again be found. With God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

He is the missing element. The key ingredient that binds us all together (Colossians 1:17). What you find in the above-listed song, book, and movie is a society removed from His Presence. Removed from His Grace. Removed from His Example. Removed from His Love. It’s not one that He chose for us. It’s one that instead we chose. Believing and trusting that man-made entities such as: governments, religions, technology, and other more ominous things could somehow create a better world than the one He had in mind. So, what do we do? How do we change? The answer may not be as hard as you might suspect. The answer lies within us.

The church, aka the body of Christ, must resume some sort of responsibility for the things pulling us down. Not the brick and mortar, four-walled structure, but instead the people. We should strive to see one another not with our own eyes, but with His eyes instead. For us to not take things so personal. For us to not be so short-tempered, frustrated, or upset by our fellow man/woman. For us to instead Love them in spite of their sins…the same way He loves us and quite frankly, we love ourselves. So, off the soap box we go, into His Word.

The Word has many things to say about society, and as Christ infuses His Spirit into us, we must walk humbly with our fellow man (James 4:6). Humanity’s transformation (from a warm-blooded loved creation to an army of ‘Cold Machines’) finds pride at the very center of it all. Pride is mentioned close to fifty times in the Bible. In each instance, it is something to be avoided (Romans 12:3). Something that divides (Proverbs 13:10). Something that deceives (Proverbs 26:12). Something that produces sin (Proverbs 16:18). It’s as if you can hear Al Pacino’s portrayal of the enemy stating, “Vanity, my favorite sin”, from the film Devil’s Advocate. Pride is a killer. It turns us into self-righteous, pious individuals that look at one another with disdain. At the very root of pride, we find divisiveness. However, where the enemy and sin seek to divide, Christ brings unity instead.

So, how is this accomplished? How do we bring a virtual-driven society back to the reality of genuine human interaction? Human interaction driven by no ulterior motives. No ‘what’s in this for me’ thought process, but instead one that puts others above ourselves (Philippians 2:3). Sounds unreal, doesn’t it? It’s easy to get trapped in a helpless scenario where all is lost. A scenario where nothing will ever change, where the enemy is victorious. However, we know the truth. We know that Christ brings victory (1 Corinthians 15:24-26)! We know that all is not lost.

But are we, believers and followers of Christ, part of the problem? Do we simply cling to our faith and walk away from society? Do we only associate with other Christians? Are we trapped in our own conceited webs? A web we ignorantly spin using the power of righteousness? A righteousness that was given to us. Righteousness we receive only through Him. Romans 12:16 states this, “Live in harmony with one another. Do NOT be proud, but BE WILLING to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.” Does that hit home a little? Who do you consider people of ‘low position’? Are there certain people with which you’d rather not be seen with or meet on the street? This chapter goes on in Verses 17-21 to state that we should ‘never repay evil for evil‘, we should ‘live at peace with everyone‘, and strive to ‘overcome evil with good‘. While these things can and should be practiced virtually (social media, emails, etc.), they are even more important in everyday face-to-face conversations. When we approach others, we are approaching them as Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20). It is up to us to set the tone. We allow the Spirit to move by approaching others in Love…His Love (1 John 4:9-11).

Christians must also use that same Love when interacting with each other. Judgment, strife, and vitriol sneak into our ‘church’ conversations and contribute to the ‘Coldness’ found in society as well. It is important to know how sin affects us all. There is no one on this earth that is completely void of it. We are all in need of daily intervention. It’s a struggle. A process. However, don’t get too consumed by your own battle. So consumed that you disregard others (and their struggle). We are often faced with pride after a major victory over sin. Pride that leaves us wondering why someone else still struggles where we may not. Stay humble and remember the progression it took for you to find your victory. Also, strive for relationship with trusted individuals. An accountability partner. Someone that can confront sin with you. Someone willing to breathe life into Galatians 6:1-3. Willing to ‘carry your burdens with theirs’. It pleases God to see us living together in harmony. We were designed with that in mind (Psalms 133).

Wrapping this up, the heart of humanity has continued to harden with time. We continue to follow our own plans instead of embracing the ones He has set for us (Jeremiah 29:11). But there is hope. Hope has a name. The name of Christ brings Light to a darkened world (John 8:12). Those that fully embrace His Word and know Him as Lord must help change the atmosphere. His Love is the catalyst. The catalyst for a world in need of transformation. We are meant to share Him with everyone. Not necessarily with words, but with our actions. With His Word in mind, we must be willing to go the extra mile. Willing to love the unloved. Willing to forgive our enemies. Willing to show the world that we are not ‘Cold Machines’. We are His creation.

In conclusion, Alice has a way of bringing poetic justice to the affairs of this world. He brutally describes what this planet looks like ruled by the enemy. ‘Cold Machines’ tells the story of humanity becoming more and more emotionless. Unsympathetic. Cruel. Brutal. But if you listen closely, you may hear a question being posed as well. As we continue to walk in the world, will we also become a part of that world? Can the Love of Christ be ‘electroshocked’ out of us? Can He be ‘erased’ from our mind? Can we be pushed far enough to ignore the guidance of His Spirit? Will the day-by-day struggle to survive keep us from showing His Love to the rest of humanity? We must remain vigilant. We must know that our hearts and minds are the enemy’s target, yet we are given Hope in Him. And we will soar on wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31). Be well and catch you next week!

Keep walkin’ in Faith and rockin’ with Alice!