(Continued)

Moving the topic back to pornography. I understand that you have to pick your battles. We live in a broken world because we as a human race are broken. With that in mind reducing the harm is sometimes all that can be done so that you can focus your resources and your police on the worse offenses. Restricting porn from a minor is worth the effort though, even if you recognize that it is a bad element in society and let it be there for adults. If it was possible to make the porn industry safe for those in it that would be great too. However unless a country is ready to censor the Internet, there is no way to fight pornography that comes from a source that forces itself on the people they photograph or film, or they use human trafficking and drugs as part of their criminal activity (which porn is just part of, regardless if porn is legal or not).

Dear NNS,

I don't agree that the human race is broken. I think that is your religion talking. In what way is the human race broken? We humans are just one of the species of life on earth. Individuals of our species have the drives to survive and reproduce as do individuals of other species. Some species of life form collectives and live together in groups with different individuals having different functions such as bees, ants and our species. We have more elaborate societies than other social animals. We invent religions and Gods. Part of our problem is that some of the religions we invent don't recognise that we are part of nature but regard us as somehow above it. I think we would be better off if we recognised that we are part of nature. Why do you think the human race is broken?

To David f.

Are you sure you mean what you say? In an earlier post you make it sound like there's nothing that can be done about some of the harms done by people. That you must just let them be. Now you refuse to see mankind as broken in one sense or another. It would be better to realize how mankind is broken and be prepared for it, then to say nothing can be fixed and nothing is wrong.

You can blame these observations on my religious views. That everyone sins and no one is perfect. Or you can look at the world without a religion and come to the same conclusion. Murder, crime, and evil exists among all parts of society in every country by those who break the law. While at the same time, corruption, greed, and neglect exist in every country by those who make the laws and hold the authority of the land.

I don't mean to remove the wonder that can come from people, and the inspiring good deeds. However, it doesn't take much to realize that mankind is it's own environment of its own faults. In governments of corruption, politics invites the same. No one tries to fix the issue, only to try to play the field to win. The same with businesses and greed with regards to CEOs and business plans. The observations can go on and on, from large scale patterns, to individual life stories. The truth is that both on a large scale and individually, mankind is broken.

With that in mind I stick by what I said earlier. Sometimes you have to choose your battles and focus your resources to put out the bigger fires in the world. Restricting access to porn is worth doing for minors, just as we do it for drugs, and drinking.

Dear NNS,

Are there other species besides humans that you consider broken? Are sheep and wolves also broken? I am concerned about our natural environment. By treating it better we help to make the world a better place for humans and other species. I am also concerned about militarism. The making of armaments for profit, nationalism and the rivalries that go with nationalism can lead to war. In Australia the military budget does not even get debated in parliament. My next concern is the divisive force of religion. Religion is a force for many of the animosities that cause people to hate one another. People may regard another group of people who don't subscribe to similar mumbojumbo as less worthy. In most of the western world separation of religion and state has made religion less damaging. In Australia I would eliminate subsidies to non-state schools and chaplains in the state schools. I am also concerned about the fact the many children are not well educated in science and the arts. I am also concerned by the attempt to turn back woman's rights in such matters as making it more difficult to get an abortion or an education, to keep her from deciding whether or who she wants to marry and in general to put limits on what she wants to do with her life. When my wife went to university, teaching, the library and nursing were about the only professions open to women. In most of the western countries and some of the eastern ones the situation now is much better. I am concerned about the lack of freedom in the world. I also would like the end of rock music. What are your main concerns?

As far as porn goes I agree with you in restricting access to it by minors. I don’t know how to manage it, but I would like to see all children not just restricted from porn but also treated with love. I would like to see all people treated with love. Though I disagree with you I should treat you with kindness.

David,

"Jesus never disowned his religion. He was a Jew according to what is told of him. He was not a Christian"

He certainly was not a Christian, to be a follower of Himself would have been out of character.

To David F.

Many other species highlight the brokenness of the world. Even to be an example to us if we study them. Both as a source of inspiration to observe the struggles and faults in the natural world; as well as the inspiring way some animals deal in an unfair situation.

Did you know that some birds are very adulterous, but they still raise and protect the baby birds as if the bird couple were faithful to each other? This is one example in nature where a species rises above the difficulties in life (both for survival against predators and loyalty in the family and towards the family) they are in a witness to us.

With sheep and wolves. Sheep are reliant on mankind to tend to them and care for them. But I have heard some very humorous or aggravating stories of how stubborn and dumb sheep can be. Wolves though they have the good qualities of loyalty and kinsmen ship and teamwork of the pack, they also highlight a brokenness of the world we live in the competitive nature of predator and prey. A Shepard looking after sheep might recognize the difficulties to overcome with sheep, as well as the dangers of predators like wolves. At least acknowledging and respecting the situation they are in, so to better tend to their duties as a Shepard.