Happened to read in The Wall Street Journal the other night an arresting statement from a Chinese dissident who said, "The Internet is a present from God to China." I have no doubt that it has proved so. Countless Chinese have found a freedom that can't be squelched. And now we see Google taking an admirable stand against official clamp-downs.
But what this remark made me think is, how grateful I am for the Internet. The Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy points out in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: "In the material world, thought has brought to light, with great rapidity, many useful wonders." As to the question I posed in my title, I do feel, on balance, that the Internet is a present to us from on High, from the One divine intelligence, God.
Speaking for just one contributor to cyberspace, can't be grateful to God enough for the freedom I have found. What joy to get inspired to share a thought, an article, a poem and then be able to send it out across the globe without it's being heavily edited, my meaning changed! Is everything that is posted on those of us who have found a means of communicating our thoughts undreamed of just a few years ago all worth reading? Of course not. But when all is taken into account, I say God bless those who have given us such a "useful wonder".
