Book Burning

[TopazRaven]

I'm just kind of curious, what do you guys and girls think on the matter of book burning? I was reading a few websites that seem to think it is the right thing to do to burn certain books in the name of God. Harry Potter is a very popular choice it seems. Poor Harry...

[Nate]

It's stupid, but it's legal, so whatever. Plus the books they burn have to come from somewhere, meaning they're buying the books to put money in the author's pocket, so it's self-defeating. It's just a symbolic thing that shows hatred and ignorance and if they want to look like a bunch of jerks that's their business I guess.

[Cognitive Gear]

I am opposed to purposeful book burning in all circumstances. There was a time when doing such a thing was symbolic of a desire or effort to not only kill your enemy, but to wipe any and all traces of their existence from the world.

Even if we ignore that and only focus on it as a moral statement, I really feel that it is more likely to strengthen your opposition than it is to change anyone's mind as to whether they should read that book or not. And of course, when you burn a bunch of copies of a book like Harry Potter, all you are doing is ensuring that even more copies of the book are eventually sold. That seems quite counter-productive to me.

Overall, I really don't see the point. There are better and more effective ways to show your moral opposition to the contents of a book.

[Atria35]

I'm very much opposed,

A) because buying it puts money in the author's pocket
B) because it garners publicity for the book, making more people read it
C) it makes you look like an intolerant idiot that can't handle someone having a different opinion/viewpoint, and it being availible to the public.

And like Cog says, there are other ways to protest the content of a book without burning it.

[mechana2015]

I think it's an act of violence against culture and personal expression and participation in such an act is a vote in favor of censorship and the disallowing of ideas being expressed. You can say what you want about a book, but actively expressing a desire to wipe it from existence through fire is delving into a much more dangerous level of criticism.

Need it be said that I work in a bookstore?

[Davidizer13]

I believe Christian book burners get their support from a story in Acts (chap. 19, it would appear) where Paul convicted people who were practicing magic of their sins, and they burned the books they had about magic. It was more about a public repentance and a complete turning away from their temptation, like how someone who's addicted to porn might get rid of their computer; clearing out the things that were holding them back.

Nowadays, though, burning books has different connotations: rather than simply someone trying to remove their temptations, it's symbolic of destroying the ideas in the books. Since most of us live in democratic countries, where it's absolutely necessary to allow all ideas to be expressed in order for that to continue, I strongly oppose book burning of that kind.

[mechana2015]

[quote="Davidizer13 (post: 1454457)"]I believe Christian book burners get their support from a story in Acts (chap. 19, it would appear) where Paul convicted people who were practicing magic of their sins, and they burned the books they had about magic. It was more about a public repentance and a complete turning away from their temptation, like how someone who's addicted to porn might get rid of their computer]

Many of the more common book burnings now aren't even books that the group owned, so the concept has been lost in favor of trying to make a statement. Shame none of these people can think to treat their neighbor as they would like to be treated.

[Nate]

I bet the same people who burn books would get really angry and try to protest or get the police involved if a bunch of non-Christians got together and burned Bibles.

[Midori]

[rocklobster]

Here's my thoughts: The nazis burned books. I think we shouldn't copy anything they did. It makes us no worse than them. Also, if those people would actually read Harry Potter, they'd see he's actually a good role model. He's loyal to his friends, doesn't do anything a VILLAIN would do!, and stands up for right. Plus, it's common knowledge that Rowling is actually NEWS FLASH--CHRISTIAN!!!!

[Atria35]

Here's my thoughts: The nazis burned books. I think we shouldn't copy anything they did.

Then we need to stop makeing VW Beetles now. Guess where they come from?

It makes us no worse than them. Also, if those people would actually read Harry Potter, they'd see he's actually a good role model. He's loyal to his friends, doesn't do anything a VILLAIN would do!, and stands up for right. Plus, it's common knowledge that Rowling is actually NEWS FLASH--CHRISTIAN!!!!

Yes, but that wasn't revealed until late in the game, and even so contains a lot of ideas that many Christians find offensive. Of course, since most of these people also claimed that the spells in it were real....

But yes, book-burning is offensive and wrong.

[TopazRaven]

I'm very against it myself to. If I ever read a book I don't like/disagree with I ususally just donate it to the library or something instead of keeping it like I usually do with my books. I really don't see any need to burn books. Like everyone else here has said, it's an act of violence, hatred and intolerence.

[mechana2015]

Yes, but that wasn't revealed until late in the game, and even so contains a lot of ideas that many Christians find offensive. Of course, since most of these people also claimed that the spells in it were real....

It was a sad day when I realized people were taking the Onion as a real news source.

[Atria35]

It was a sad day when I realized people were taking the Onion as a real news source.

No, seriously, my neighbors believed that the spells were real. They told me that vehmently, and they told their kids that. I wasn't allowed to babysit after I told their kids differently. And their church spread around my town that the spells were real. I wish I were kidding.

[Cognitive Gear]

Yes, but that wasn't revealed until late in the game, and even so contains a lot of ideas that many Christians find offensive. Of course, since most of these people also claimed that the spells in it were real....

[rocklobster]

Narnia also had magic and other things Christians don't like, and Christians everywhere adore that. Explain that logic, hypocrites.

[Cognitive Gear]

Narnia also had magic and other things Christians don't like, and Christians everywhere adore that. Explain that logic, hypocrites.

Wow, aggressive.

Honestly, there Christians who are opposed to The Chronicles of Narnia for the same reasons they oppose The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. Not all of them are hypocrites. In fact, I would say that most of them are going to be opposed to all three if any of them at all.

Harry Potter might be an exception for some people because it isn't overtly Christian like The Chronicles of Narnia tends to be.

[ich1990]

I am opposed to purposeful book burning in all circumstances.

I am supportive of burning a book so as to not freeze to death.

[Nate]

The nazis burned books. I think we shouldn't copy anything they did.

Okay, I'll stop wearing clothes then. GLORIOUS NUDE FREEDOM!

Narnia also had magic and other things Christians don't like, and Christians everywhere adore that. Explain that logic, hypocrites.

There are plenty of Christians who are opposed to Narnia and hate it, claiming it to be full of lies and false gospel. The magic is part of it, yes, but also they cite Lewis' beliefs (i.e. Lewis himself believed some pretty "heretical" things as far as Protestantism goes) as well as what they claim are anti-Christian teachings in the books. A good example is The Last Battle and Aslan's speech about "If you do good in the name of Tash, it's actually doing good to me so even though you didn't believe in me you can still enter paradise." They believe Lewis to be claiming you don't need to believe in Christ to get into Heaven, which is held as extremely heretical in many denominations.

[Davidizer13]

Honestly, there Christians who are opposed to The Chronicles of Narnia for the same reasons they oppose The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. Not all of them are hypocrites. In fact, I would say that most of them are going to be opposed to all three if any of them at all.

You would be correct, sir! None other than Jack Chick has called C. S. Lewis and Tolkien "occultists" in at least one of his tracts. One assumes there's more that hold his views out there.

[Blacklight]

I am supportive of burning a book so as to not freeze to death.

This is actually what I was thinking.

I am otherwise opposed to the burning of books.

[ShiroiHikari]

Book burning is a flagrant display of ignorance and hatred and I wish people wouldn't do it, but I mean, what are you going to do about it? Only thing we can do is try to educate people better, but people only hear what they want to hear, so...

[Shao Feng-Li]

Even Twilight? Wait, talking about books here...

Actually, I'm not sure what to think about it. It doesn't have to stem from ignorance or hatred. I suppose back in the '40s people happily burned Hitler's book, hating the ideas it contained. Though these evil men like to tell us exactly what they're evil plans and ideas are, which is a useful tool. Calling anyone who burns a book in protest an ignorant hater just seems... ignorant and assuming.

[Yamamaya]

You would be correct, sir! None other than Jack Chick has called C. S. Lewis and Tolkien "occultists" in at least one of his tracts. One assumes there's more that hold his views out there.

Yes that was in his tract Dungeon of Bondage, which was already hilarious enough with its misconceptions about D&D. I heard he removed the reference to Tolkien and Lewis in later track editions.

[TopazRaven]

This Jack Chick fellow sounds rather amusing. Is it sad I've never heard of him before now?

[mechana2015]

No, consider it a blessing. Jack chick only seems amusing when you've never met people that actually believe what he says in his tracts.

[Rusty Claymore]

I don't think books have a high enough BTU rating to work well as fuel...
(For those of you who don't know, BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, a measurement of how many Britans you have to burn to raise one cubic centimeter of water one degree celcius.) XP

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

I am supportive of burning a book so as to not freeze to death.

Heat is a crutch. A true man needs only the good of his own heart to keep himself warm.

Though, on topic, it was actually kind of funny for me to have to get in an argument this past weekend with someone who claimed their goal in life was to restore censorship in films. It was in a small group discussion, but it was interesting to me to see how many of the people I thought I knew well enough think this was a noble goal. Thankfully, our small group leader was not crazy and didn't think that the world needed a return to the Hays Code, but it still surprised me how many people think that censorship is the way to go, people who seem rational after years of knowing them.

As far as book burning goes, yeah, it's pretty stupid for all the reasons everyone has mentioned before this.

Also, it's interesting to see how accepted Harry Potter has become in the church. Maybe there's still pockets of hate lurking in places I don't visit, but I remember when I would go to summer camp to hear most of the children and adults spewing crap about how J.K. Rowling actually created Harry Potter to introduce kids to witchcraft, while, at least at my church, you can now bring a Harry Potter book to church and openly discuss it.

[Hiryu]

It's pretty silly, and is a worthless gesture. It should stay in medieval times. Burning the books will not change anything, unless you burn every single copy. Hence why I was against the burning the Koran. Sure, as christians we view it as a false religion, but burning the book won't cause people to suddenly convert to christianity.

[rocklobster]

Hey, the Bible's been burned in some places too, from what I hear.