Freedom to think. It is a commodity that has been highly prized throughout the ages and a freedom that has been hard won. If I were to ask the general population around me whether we have freedom to think what we want here in Australia, the consensus would be that we do indeed have that freedom. But do we?
Information is a tricky thing to define. Many a debate has occurred (even within my own friend group) about putting a value on information and ideas. Our democratic society would claim that we have a right to information about the world around us in order for us to make better decisions in our voting. So are we getting this freedom in information? I would argue that we are not.
I am a pre-service teacher (which means I'm currently doing my teaching degree) and I have had the opportunity to work in schools, the very foundation of our society, with young people. As a science teacher, I have had the challenge of teaching evolution to students. Not only am I required to teach evolution (which I have no problem teaching it as the theory it is) but I am not allowed to teach the theory of intelligent design, despite the overwhelming amount of evidence that supports it. If people have a right to information, then why are we limiting the information we give to our young people? Could it be that we are scared that they may make the decision for themselves of what to believe? Could it be that the information we are not able to teach could change everything? And if it could, why are we so afraid?
I'm sure that many would agree with me that dictating what a child should be learning about, in the act of omitting the facts that would disagree with our societal foundation, is a form of oppression. It is a an act that not only diminishes the intelligence of human beings in being able to form a judgement, but that dooms them to a morality of hopelessness and depression. For what hope can there be without purpose. What enjoyment is there to working hard if the goal is merely to die with the most money? Why would we wait to enjoy the intimacy and preciousness of sex if we are merely animals?
Why is information not shared? Why is it that we teach children to be unsure of their sexuality, and fail to tell them that every sexual connection they make with someone will form a permanent bond with that person for the rest of their lives? Why is it that we tell children that they are formed by a cosmic accident and fail to tell them of the evidence to show the intelligence and love in the design of their bodies?
Why do we teach children not to think?
Because once people are allowed to think, they are ultimately led to Him who created them to think. The world will not permit people to think because once we start thinking, we know we are more then just atoms accidentally thrown together, and that our collections of atoms are accountable. And the one thing the world fears more than anything else, is being accountable for the evil actions it has committed, continues to commit, and will commit in the future.
So is there really freedom to think or are we just free to think what society tells us?
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