Nineteen Thirty Three?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/22/wisconsin.book.row/index.html?iref=newssearch

There is something fundamentally wrong with people who feel the need to burn books just because they contain ideas or creeds that differ from their own. In this particular case, there are no half-crazed mobs hell bent on destroying works of literature, but rather God-fearing Christians petitioning a library system to corral and label works of literature they categorize as "unfit for the minds of youth". They propose that works with explicit content (i.e. vulgar sexual acts, homosexuality, rape, or brutality) be moved to the adult section, have the same type of Parental Advisory "explicit content" label as CDs, but still be available for check out by anyone. Its only a few radicals in this group that want to go to the extreme of death by fire for such books.

I feel the petitioning group has a very fair request. It appeals to both sides of the debate: it allows parents of those children to monitor their exposure to such materials, while still allowing access to any other reader who doesn't have such scruples. Its fair, but it won't work.

By labeling and corralling these pieces of literature into their own section, this group would be creating an expressway for their kids to obtain them. It would be the equivalent of putting up a flashing neon arrow that screams "Pay attention to me!" or "Free Candy". There would still be nothing stopping these kids from checking these books out (or reading them in the library), but instead an increase in the childrens' desires to see what the fuss is all about.

Ever hear of the forbidden fruit? How did that story pan out?


Kudos to all of those who believe in Jesus and God and the Bible and live your lives along that righteous path. That is your choice (and ultimately, you may be right!). It is your right to resist against all of those that you feel oppose your beliefs and any attempts to lure you away from your path. It is not your right to impose your beliefs on others. Afterall, isn't that what your Lord and Saviour preached?

Luke 6:31 "Do to others as you would have them do to you."

Romans 13:8 "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law."

Galations 5:14 "For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' "

Leviticus 19:18: "You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD."

Corinthians 10:31-32 "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God"

Matthew 22:21 "They said to Him, 'Caesar's.' Then He said to them, 'Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's.'"

Philippians 4:5 "Let your forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand."

It's called hypocrisy, and its an ugly, ugly monster.