Index Librorum Prohibitorum

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I was just wondering what people think of the Index Librorum Prohibitorum and its abolition? Personally, while I think a list of books which we should avoid would be helpful as a guide to which books contain immoral material, I also think that we are best able to combat evil when we know what the other side is up to - sort of like an army finding the enemy’s battle plan.
 
I can give an example of being placed on the Index being used as a mere retaliatory measure to keep down disagreements with the Bishop.

This was frequently done by Bishop Basil Takach of the Ruthenians in the USA. He would do this to the Greek Catholic Union’s periodical during the BORBA of the '30’s.
 
I chose the second option. As I understand the use of the Index, it didn’t mean that noone could read the books. After all, someone had to read them to get them put on the index. Rather, you had to have a good reason, academic or scholarly, to read them and needed to be under the direction of a good priest as a safeguard. That would be the way I would like to see it. Kind of like a PG-13 rating. Parental guidance required. 😃
 
There are probably many more books (or websites) that could easily be added to this index. However, doing so would only make the Church look more authoritative and stubborn, not exactly a good public relations move.
 
bpbasilphx said:
I can give an example of being placed on the Index being used as a mere retaliatory measure to keep down disagreements with the Bishop.

This was frequently done by Bishop Basil Takach of the Ruthenians in the USA. He would do this to the Greek Catholic Union’s periodical during the BORBA of the '30’s.
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What is the BORBA?
 
Tradycja said:
What is the BORBA?
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That’s a good question. I found several references to skin care (probably not what he was talking about), an actress who died at the age of 82, and newspaper named Nasa Borba (Our Struggles) in an article about persecution of Serbian Jews in the 1930s.
 
The BORBA was the struggle among Ruthenian Catholics in the 1930’s over “Latinization”, in particular the cessation of ordaining married men to the Priesthood.

A large number of them abjured the Union of Uzhorod (which no bishops signed, incidentally) and returned to Orthodoxy, lead by the late Metropolitan Orestes Chornock.
 
I am not sure it would be practical to implement given the amount of media in existence nowadays.

However, the standards it used to judge whether a book -could- be read or not, are for all time, and all Christians.

If you as a Christian, do not follow certain standards about what media you indulge in for your entertainment, you are being careless with something that matters to your soul and others. 🙂

Especially as a parent or someone who recommends entertainment of any kind to others, it is necessary to know standards by which a book is worthwhile or not – not only prohibitable, but even worthwhile.

I suggest reading Francis S. Betten, S.J.'s - The Roman Index of Forbidden Books’ preface, which goes into the details of what made the decision whether to prohibit a book.
 
The Index wouldn’t be practical in these days of mass media. I think the Index is no longer useful in the modern age. It would have to be updated to include films, websites, youtube videos etc. We now live in the information age and it would be impossible to keep track with everything.
 
Anyone remember the Legion of Decency and the pledges we took at church way back when? The list of condemned movies?
 
brotherhrolf said:
Anyone remember the Legion of Decency and the pledges we took at church way back when? The list of condemned movies?
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Well, the Legion of Decency’s successor, the USCCB Office of Film and Broadcasting, makes me wonder how effective a revived Index would be.

Though, I would argue that, of the two, the Index would be more important, since we still, in varying degrees, go to books for research and knowledge, whereas we go to movies to be entertained.
 
JaMc said:
Well, the Legion of Decency’s successor, the USCCB Office of Film and Broadcasting, makes me wonder how effective a revived Index would be.

Though, I would argue that, of the two, the Index would be more important, since we still, in varying degrees, go to books for research and knowledge, whereas we go to movies to be entertained.
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I reviewed the list of prohibited books this morning and many of them were required reading in college. I reviewed the list of condemned movies and wonder why Spartacus was condemned or All That Jazz. (Honestly, I had never heard of most of the condemned movies).

The good brothers and sisters that taught me prepared me…no, armored me to be able to discern and confront. I am secure in my beliefs.
 
brotherhrolf said:
Anyone remember the Legion of Decency and the pledges we took at church way back when? The list of condemned movies?
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Movies back then were rated A1, A2, A3, A4, B, and C. The general public had similar ratings (G, R, and X) but since then GP was added and a lot of X movies are today rated R. The C classification was not always due to sexual matters, though. Violence and heresy were also factors. I suppose the lifting of the prohibitions had a lot to do with the discontinuation of the Legion of Decency pledges. But I’m only guessing on this discontinuation. The pledges may might be still around; does anyone know?
 
ProVobis said:
There are probably many more books (or websites) that could easily be added to this index. However, doing so would only make the Church look more authoritative and stubborn, not exactly a good public relations move.
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Since when has the Church cared about its public image so as to not warn its people of evil?

I would say that I agree with the use of this, but it’s so easy to publish a book now that it’s pretty much impossible for the Vatican to keep up.
 
ProVobis said:
They care, believe me. It’s not easy coming off of numerous sex scandals and re-establish some moral high road.
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Truth is Truth, regardless of what everyone else thinks. Sex scandals are blown out of proportion and are a smear of the devil to attack the Church. Why should she feel wary of warning her people of the evils that could lead them astray?
 
JaMc said:
Well, the Legion of Decency’s successor, the USCCB Office of Film and Broadcasting, makes me wonder how effective a revived Index would be.

Though, I would argue that, of the two, the Index would be more important, since we still, in varying degrees, go to books for research and knowledge, whereas we go to movies to be entertained.
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I terribly miss the Legion. Of course the USCCB’s Office is a scandal. So, yes this is a reason why we could not reimplement it directly. We can however use the principles.
 
brotherhrolf said:
Anyone remember the Legion of Decency and the pledges we took at church way back when? The list of condemned movies?
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I remember the big wooden board in the back of church with the titles of movies playing in the neighborhood and the ratings. I can specifically remember the kids of my day being upset that Parent Trap was on the list, because it “condoned the acceptability of divorce.” The Catholic paper had reviews too, and nobody saw a movie without their mothers checking the paper first.
 
daeve said:
I remember the big wooden board in the back of church with the titles of movies playing in the neighborhood and the ratings. I can specifically remember the kids of my day being upset that Parent Trap was on the list, because it “condoned the acceptability of divorce.” The Catholic paper had reviews too, and nobody saw a movie without their mothers checking the paper first.
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I don’t see how acknowledging the reality of divorce is the same thing as condoning it as acceptable. BTW, there was nothing in the movie to suggest the parents were Catholic, or any Christian, or even any particular religion at all.

Weren’t the sisters (played by Haley Mills) trying to reconcile their parents–apparently successfully?

Is the reconciliation of a divorced couple such a horrible plot for a movie?
 
bpbasilphx said:
I don’t see how acknowledging the reality of divorce is the same thing as condoning it as acceptable. BTW, there was nothing in the movie to suggest the parents were Catholic, or any Christian, or even any particular religion at all.

Weren’t the sisters (played by Haley Mills) trying to reconcile their parents–apparently successfully?

Is the reconciliation of a divorced couple such a horrible plot for a movie?
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Nevertheless, my mother read my archdiocesan newspaper which had movie reviews and ratings and she would not let us go to movies that were anything but A-1 and A-2. I had to beg her to let me go with my high school friends to see Thunderball (James Bond). I’ve seen far worse on cable today.
 
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