Saw earlier this evening that the Iranian Government has banned access to Goodreads on the Internet. The presumption is that the website allows people to share discussion about books and ideas, which of course will lead to political discussions that the Iranian government wishes to suppress. I also hear that the government has denied or banned access to Google/GMail.
Two things strike me...one, the importance of freedom of government restraint on speech as well as the freedom of access to information and ideas The other is the danger to these ideals that stem from a theocratic government. A populace that is not able to gain access to ideas, to have the freedom of discussing open those ideas, is one that can never experience true freedom or liberty under their governing system. It is, and may always be, the most vital component of a free society – that whatever ideas one espouses, an individual has the right to openly and honestly discuss those ideas without fear of retaliation by its government.
The theocratic issue I believe is more subtle...in part because I think most people may limit to a religion besides their own, and in most cases, such as Iran, limit it solely to an Islamic government. But this subtlety is what also makes this issue particularly worrisome and potentially dangerous. A theocratic government, as most of historical Christendom Europe has shown, tends to devolve into a quest impose its will. Much of a organized religion's inherent nature is to persuade and convince and convert others to its belief. When it has the power of the government behind it, its methods can become much more forceful and violent. To think that these issues would be limited to a country with Islamic rule is ultimately naive.
Throughout its history, Christianity, when in control of governments in Europe, banned books. Various books today are considered taboo, with certain Christian denominations instructing their followers to not read (from Harry Potter to The Da Vinci Code and so on); which, I would add, is those people's individual right to choose. But to think, that if those groups had power, they wouldn't use it to impose those bans on certain books, and consequently certain ideas, would be foolish. We are all flawed creatures.
All of this is not to belittle religion (or Christianity in particular), or to consider insignificant its role in our lives and our society. But its to note that much of the discussion, when religion and government are in mixed conversation, may have more to do with government than religion. Its all a situation to remember that it is not enough to not worry about government action or government's connection to certain groups (be it religious or business or whatever) just because they happen to be in agreement with our opinions at the time. Its not enough to only pay attention when we happen to be in the minority. Rather, it must be when we are the majority that we should be the most vigilant about these relationships, because it will not always be the case; and when in the minority, we would still like to have the freedom to criticize and discuss, to read and share ideas from whatever source.
Otherwise, regardless of our government's system, and regardless of our particular faith, the tyranny and suppression of Iran will never be far away.
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