CORP JET PENETRATES ACTIVE RESTRICTED AREA. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

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I WAS FLYING AS CAPT ON CORP JET FROM DEN TO ELP. WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO FLY J13 FROM DEN TO TCS THEN DIRECT ELP. APPROX 60 MI NW OF ELP THE CENTER TOLD US WE HAD JUST ENTERED AN ACTIVE RESTR AREA AND THAT WE SHOULD MAKE AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT TURN OF 15 DEGS. WE ASKED THE CTLR WHY HE HAD NOT INFORMED US OF THE ACTIVE RESTR AREA OR VECTORED US AROUND IT. HIS REPLY WAS IT WAS OUR JOB TO NOT FILE A FLT WITH A ROUTING THROUGH ANY RESTR AREA. I HAD NEVER HEARD THIS BEFORE AND DO NOT BELIEVE IT TO BE CORRECT. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF A RESTR AREA IS NOT ACTIVE THERE IS NO PROHIBITION AGAINST USING THAT AIRSPACE. THE HI ALT ENRTE CHARTS INDICATE WHICH ATC CENTER OR OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY HAS KNOWLEDGE OF A RESTR AREA'S STATUS. IN THE PAST I HAVE NEVER HAD TO ASK WHETHER OR NOT A RESTR AREA ON MY ROUTE OF FLT WAS ACTIVE; BUT RATHER CENTER HAS ALWAYS INFORMED ME AND GIVEN VECTORS OR AN ALTERNATE ROUTING AROUND AN ACTIVE AREA IN THEIR CTL AREA. ATC HAS INFO RE: A RESTR AREA'S STATUS; PLTS DO NOT. GOOD JUDGEMENT WOULD SEEM TO REQUIRE THAT THE CTLR GIVE SUCH PERTINENT INFO TO AN AIRPLANE IN HIS SECTOR WHOSE FLT PLAN OR ROUTING INDICATES HE WILL TRAVEL THROUGH AN ACTIVE RESTR AREA.