Theos-Talk Archives (July 1997 Message tl00272)

   I'd like to make a brief comment about some of the material contained in
Digest 1139.  First off, as some of you have accurately stated, the Internet
is perhaps the last bastion of relatively free literary expression.  I don't
often make contributions to THEOS-L but, when I do, they invariably get
printed ... and they don't get censored to avoid offending some (I won't
mention any names) who subscribe to this list.  Yes, this firm policy has
obviously driven some people away and I am certain that in the future it may
well drive some others away.  On the other hand, start censoring the material
and you will drive ME away.  As I've already said, I don't contribute very
often but I do read virtually every post.  Some of them (I simply HAVE to
resist the temptation to mention names) cause me to cringe in embarrassment
(as in, "wow, I'm glad I don't talk that way").  Yet I am quite willing to
pay the price of having to wade through some of that stuff ... in order to
maintain the freedom of literary expression that exists on THEOS-L and,
sadly, does not exist in very many other places.  For example, some time ago
I sent a "letter to the editors" piece to The Plain Truth magazine
disagreeing with a previous post by someone saying "Jesus Christ was not
illegitimate."  I contended that, given the doctrine of the Virgin Birth, he
would have to be --- after taking into account the assertions that Mary was
his mother and The Holy Spirit (who was NOT married to Mary) was his father.
 For that is precisely what "illegitimate" means: born of unwed parents.  As
you can easily guess, that was one "letter to the editor" that did NOT get
published by Plain Truth magazine.  But look, it gets published HERE!  Now
that's freedom of literary expression, folks.  It is very rare.  Treasure it.

                                                                       Dennis