Through the combination of the Protestant Reformation and the rise in lietracy brought about by the invention of the printing press, it might be said, “Each man became his own interpreter.” Now with the combination of the Internet and the blogging phenomenon, we can say, “Every person their own publisher.” (The difference in pronouns is intentional. Whereas the initial force of the Reformation and the rise in literacy was mostly a “guy thing,” blogging is fully open to men and women.)

It is still dangerous, however, for some ideas to be published. Some bloggers are paying the price for speaking freely. I’m inclined to think that freedom, though capable of great and tragic misuse, is better than non-freedom. My reading of the Bible tells me God thinks the same way. So I feel just fine praying for persecuted Iranian bloggers. See their story at The Committee to Protect Bloggers.