Christians sue for right to burn gay teen novel

Originally posted by fbnks
I am against book burning, but the story here is being twisted.

It doesn't seem like they want to ban the book due to homosexuality. They want it gone because of the hate crime aspect. They're trying to prevent someone from getting hurt, which is a very Christian thing.

yea .. that's it.

If I remember Bible studies correctly, our loving God decided at one point to wipe us all out with a global flood. Seems to me that anyone, diety or not, who has no better argument than 'do what I say or I'll brutally kill you and your family, because I love you' is exactly the sort of God who'd love a good book bonfire and a bit of smiteing. Well done to the elderly people who, presumably, were a long way from Berlin the 1930's, burn that book and glow in your Christianity. Oh wait, wasn't Christ the one who was all about being nice to people (other than money changers obviously. Burn that Beurau de Change now)? Hmm, that puts a whole new slant on things...

Why do people feel the need to burn books? This is the most bassackward thing we have ever come up with. Lets remove information from the masses by deleting it in a mass burning. Lets let EVERYONE know this is taboo. Silly .

[edit on 14-6-2009 by djvexd]

This small group of religious zealots had to contrive the idea to burn this book soley and utterly for publicity value. In my opinion this, at its core is just an attempt to lure ultra conservatives (and their tithes) into their Church. It's the kind of sad thing that just serves to foster intolerance on all sides of the issue.

And I had no idea the old dude from Harry Potter was gay. The American Idol guy... Him I figured. But Dumbledore? Wow.

Like Orwell said in 1984, control the information and you control the truth.

Originally posted by Witness2008
reply to post by Titen-Sxull

 

I would suspect that there was a concerted effort to find a book that would serve the purposes of a law suite..bringing money and public glory to someone who has had neither in their life.

The thing about banning any thing is it just makes the challenge of beating the ban all the better.

The publicity of this group trying to ban/burn this book will just cause more people to read this book.

The fact that this groups address is a vacant lot does not surprise me.
who would want a bunch of gays picketing you place.
but it also gives any judge the right to automatically throw the case out
because its a fraudulent filling.

It may be that this is not a christian group that wants to burn this book but a scam by the publishers / a group of gays to incress the number of these books being sold or the number of people reading this book.

Its been done before by publishers.

reply to post by ANNED


Would you care to elaborate on why you believe that a publishing house would contrive a book burning and suite for emotional damages in order to increase the sales of that book? Some proof maybe?

I have been published and know a few agents and understand to some degree publishing. I find your accusation pretty far fetched.

Ahh but they would lay a 12 pack of eggs should someone sue for the right to burn the Bible.

Burning books is the tool of the enemy... not good decent people, Christian or not.

Some people believe everything they read... this story is bogus!

Originally posted by watchtheashes
If the Bible said go out and have much sex you wouldn't ignore it would you?
[edit on 6/13/2009 by watchtheashes]

I am slightly confused here as to what you are trying to say watchtheashes.
I never actually read the bible but i always thought the line "go forth and multiply" was somewhere in there and always was under the impression that he didn't mean "Go forth and take math classes"

reply to post by The All Seeing I


Wow...
Just...wow...
This is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.
And that's all I care to say about it, lest I give more attention to these fools then they've managed to garner from me through the sheer magnitude of their stupidity.

What I don't get, and I am Catholic, is how a "Christian" group would want to make it public and ok for them to burn something they do not agree with. It has probably already been said as I have not read every reply, but this seems very hypocritical of what we are supposed to do as Christians. Burning, in my opinion, constitutes a hate crime. As Christians we are supposed to treat people equally, regardless if they agree with our beliefs or not, and I live this way.

It's OK to burn the flag, but not the Koran. It's OK to burn the Bible, but not a gay book. As some would say "it's just a book". Why do they have to get permission to burn it? That should be the question. How many times have we witnessed on TV or internet the burning of flags and effigies. All sorts of things. I say burn it. It's easier to apologize for something then to ask permission.

Originally posted by D1Useek
It's OK to burn the flag, but not the Koran. It's OK to burn the Bible, but not a gay book. As some would say "it's just a book". Why do they have to get permission to burn it? That should be the question. How many times have we witnessed on TV or internet the burning of flags and effigies. All sorts of things. I say burn it. It's easier to apologize for something then to ask permission.

I think they were more asking permission to actually have a fire within a specific zone of the city...

Personally I don't think they are asking permission to burn this book, but anything in a controlled manner for a protest...

Although I think they are idiots, I support their right to do this...

For clarity sake... since many have skimmed over the details;

They seek the right to publicly burn or destroy by other means the West Bend Library’s copy of Baby Be-Bop. The claim also demands $120,000 in compensatory damages ($30,000 per plaintiff) for being exposed to the book in a library display, and the resignation of West Bend Mayor Kristine Deiss for “allow[ing] this book to be viewed by the public.”

From the intro page of the city's official website;

The City of West Bend is located in Washington County, the heart of the Kettle Moraine in Southeastern Wisconsin. West Bend is home to over 30,000 people, less than an hour’s drive north of Milwaukee. West Bend is close to numerous lakes and the area surrounding West Bend is a sportsperson’s paradise.

We offer residents and visitors small town living yet you can still enjoy the fast pace of the greater metropolitan area. Come see what is great in our community.

reply to post by The All Seeing I


Thanks for the clarification...

Ok.. they are officially crackpots...

I don't get it...If they find the book so offensive, why don't they just buy up a bunch of copies of the thing, head out to one of their cow pastures, start a bonfire and toast marshmallows? What's the big deal? I think they just want the exposure and headlines. It kind of smacks of the guy complaining of Playboy but needing to read through every issue to high-light the objectionable parts!

reply to post by mjfromga


It's obviously a publicity stunt.

I honestly wonder just how badly Christians would freak out if a
huge Bible-Q was held.

Not that I would ever do such a thing, as I really could careless about the Bible. And there are some good stories in there, I like it more than Aesop's Fables

Some people have faaaaar too much time on their hands though, I think that we can all agree on that.

Originally posted by D1Useek
It's OK to burn the flag, but not the Koran. It's OK to burn the Bible, but not a gay book. As some would say "it's just a book". Why do they have to get permission to burn it? That should be the question. How many times have we witnessed on TV or internet the burning of flags and effigies. All sorts of things. I say burn it. It's easier to apologize for something then to ask permission.

If you believe these folk should be able to burn whichever gay book they like, I presume it's ok to take your bible from you and burn it?

Sure, it's your book, just as the book these "christians" want to burn belongs to the library.

And your bible tells the story of three gay relationships and a whole heap of hate-crimes, whereas the book these folk want to burn only tells about one.

Personally, I believe any book ordering people to kill gays, witches and "disobedient children," and having vast influence because people believe it to be the word of god, should be banned, along with religions which believe they must follow its edicts.