The Liberty Blog

My colleague James Standish and I took our places in the “4-D Room” of the Newseum to hear Secretary of State Hillary Clinton deliver the new US policy statement on internet freedom. Sitting there I wondered what it was about “internet freedom” that we as Christians should be mindful of. Upon reflection it became evident that my faith community has used the internet with great vigour. Even this musing is via the internet. The Gospel Message has been well served by this medium. Not only has the written Word circled the globe in cyberspace but so too have other forms of media – audio and visual presentations of the sermons our pastors preach. Indeed our Adventist Church membership has a sense of community through use of the internet this “new nervous system” of our planet.

Clinton used the 1941 “Four Freedoms” speech of Franklin Roosevelt to anchor her presentation. The “Four Freedoms” were later manifested visually by the great Norman Rockwell paintings of “Freedom of Expression,” “Freedom of Worship,” “Freedom from Want,” and “Freedom from Fear.” Times have changed but as Clinton pointed out technical progress must be synchronized with these principles which never change.

Unfortunately there are dark forces at play in the world that ignore those principles. Governments who fear them are doing all they can to destroy freedom of expression online. “With the spread of these restrictive practices,” Clinton proclaimed in Churchillian fashion, “a new information curtain is descending across much of the world. Beyond this partition, viral videos and blog posts are becoming the samizdat of our day.”

The internet has become our town square – the meeting place of ideas. In many ways it is like the “tree of knowledge of good and evil.” Both good and evil can be found on the “information highway”. Yet within the human soul is the desire to be able to express oneself – certainly a right that must, within reason, be permitted to flourish. A person has a basic right to be heard.

The printing press was the crude forerunner of our internet. Some spiritual leaders of the age took advantage of the new technology and challenged the religious orthodoxy. The Protestant Reformation was possible in no small measure to the printing press’s ability to spread hither and yon the message of God’s Grace through faith. The religious hegemony considered it a dangerous invention. Book burnings was common place. Today there are other religious and political elites that seek to limit unorthodox religious views by lowering an “information curtain.” If history is any indication such attempts will ultimately fail as did the book burnings.

Just as these technologies must not be used to punish peaceful political speech, they must not
be used to persecute or silence religious minorities. Prayers will always travel on higher networks.
But connection technologies like the internet and social networking sites should enhance
individuals’ ability to worship as they see fit, come together with people of their own faith, and
learn more about the beliefs of others. We must work to advance the freedom of worship online
just as we do in other areas of life.

Well said Secretary – well said.