Tanya

My, what a hornet's nest! Caution, anyone who is an atheist will probably not want to read the rest of this post. This filter raises an interesting theological issue. Would God prefer that we be confronted with difficult moral choices, or would He prefer that we be protected from them? If we consider Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, for example, it is clear that not only does God want us to be presented with moral choices, He goes out of His way to ensure that that is the case. In fact, moral choice is the overwhelming central theme of God's interaction with mankind. Why? Given that the only part of us destined to survive our brief mortal existence is our soul, I would venture to suggest that moral choice is an essential part of its development. Consequently, it would seem that any attempt to take away our ability to exercise moral choice is not only an attempt to thwart God's will, but may be detrimental to our eventual salvation. It may be suggested that there are already many opportunities for us to exercise moral choice - but are there, really? In our 'civil society', immoral behaviour is actively thwarted by laws and regulations, and what should be a moral choice becomes a choice based on the probability of detection, and the severity of punishment. The only moral choices we face are those where there is little or no fear of detection or punishment - for example, whether or not to park in a spot reserved for people with a disability. Compare that with the kind of moral choice that confronted our ancestors. For example, should I steal my neighbours' food so that I can feed my children, at the risk of causing their children to starve? That is the kind of moral choice that impacts the soul. So, given the restrictions imposed by our 'civil society', where do we find the opportunity to exercise pure moral choice, uninfluenced by a high probability of discovery? One answer is an unfettered, uncensored internet. By all means, fund whatever police resources are required to find and punish those who choose evil, but first allow them to make that choice, for surely that is God's plan.