Monday, June 17, 2019

BANNING BOOKS







I thought this was somewhat passé.   Though it has always been one of their trademarks, it has been a while since I have seen Christians promote the banning of books.


The small town of Rumford, about forty miles from where I live, is involved in a controversy over books in their library.   As you go in the door, librarians have placed a table of books for suggested reading.  Two of the books recently displayed are of gay teams.
  

A local pastor visiting the library was incensed, and later joined by two other local preachers.   They are being careful not to address their homophobia; but have contested the books claiming they promote a political agenda of supporting gay marriage. 


The librarians are standing pat.   Librarians are special people, always ready to defend the freedom of thought.


This is just another example of why we should speak out against religions.  More wars have been fought over religion, more people have died because of religious bigotry and more people have suffered due to religious zealotry than any other cause. 


It is time we speak out, not against religious bigotry, but against religion itself.   Religion has been the bane of civilization.  It brought about the Dark Ages and has continually opposed free thought and expression. 



the Ol’Buzzard

9 comments:

  1. Those sanctimonious bastards always want SOMETHING banned! Good for the librarians and library for standing firm.

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  2. I'm glad the librarians aren't going to let a bunch of backwards thinking religious nuts have their way.

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  3. Religions have also given God a bad name.

    If all religions disappeared for good the universe would still continue on---in all its structured glory. Religions are not needed to infer the possibility of a reality that was planned, strategically "blueprinted", and deliberated brought into being by intelligent cosmic metaphysical forces who's identity or substance only advances in physics and astronomy we've not yet achieved could ever reveal.

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    1. You mean God of the Gaps? We can't explain it so there must be a God.
      Argumentum ad Ignorantian: something is so because it has not been proved it is not so.
      O'B

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  4. "...intelligent cosmic metaphysical forces WHOSE IDENTITIES or substance ..."
    Pardon my bouts of illiteracy ....

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  5. Good for the librarians. As a retired librarian I was involved in several attempted bannings during my time and my library never gave in. That was 30 years ago, so little has changed!

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  6. OB:

    Did you mean “gay teams” or perhaps “gay teens”? I had never heard of a gay “team” before, and if it was accurate, what types of teams did the books talk about?

    In terms of banning books.... I am surprised that that still happens.... it is wholly frustrating. I am still in awe of the book (and the film too) of Fahrenheit 451. It so beautifully captures the essence of the horror of banning books.

    PipeTobacco

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    1. You got me. Of course it is gay teens; but my fingers and my mind aren't always connected. Hell I'm old: that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
      O'B

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  7. I'm forever intrigued by how so many people are so concerned about what certain others think or about how certain others live, and how so many people have the "right to" judge folks they've (probably) never even met, or are casually acquainted with at best
    ...instead of just being satisfied to simple coexist and to find or establish a venue of their own wherein they can state their views and where they can live the way they themselves see fit.

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COMMENT: Ben Franklin said, "I imagine a man must have a good deal of vanity who believes, and a good deal of boldness who affirms, that all doctrines he holds are true, and all he rejects are false."