What is on your list of forbidden books?

[Dolores49]

We live in Oregon, on the “Left Coast.” I love books and bookstores. In 1973, the year I moved here from Southern California, I spent many hours in Powell’s.

Now, I order books online. Why? Because of the trashy and dirty *%#??!! filth on the shelves, usually at children’s eye level! I have confronted bookstore clerks, bookstore owners, and even public libraries.

BEING A BOOK DETECTIVE

It won’t be long after you enter a bookstore like Borders when you will open a book that is nauseating. I was in Borders and browsing the Best Sellers table at the front. I picked up RUNNING WITH SCISSORS. Page after page of sick graphic male-on-male child molestation - supposedly a true story about the author. A best seller - and shelved at a child’s eye level.

Next, I was in the Portland Art Museum’s distinguished gift and book shop. This time, I purposefully searched the shelves. I found an “art” book of photograhed erect penises. Art? No, porn! Again, at a child’s eye level.

Next, in the neighborhood bookstore, Annie Bloom’s Books, which has a popular children’s section. Again, I found an “art” book of full color erect penises - but this time naked gays in various poses with water splashing on them. At a child’s eye level.

Finally, there’s the Multnomah County Liberal-ary (library). Shelves are stocked full of Young Adult (read: teenage) books about witches, casting spells, Satan’s Bible, mean girls, coming of age (with gratuitous filthy dialogue or thoughts by the female protaganist).

Am I supposed to pretend this isn’t happening? Stay out of the library? Pray? We visited Salt Lake City recently and I looked for these books and did not find them.

By-the-way, it is my firm belief that libraries are the new churches of today. They are austere and grand with high ceilings.

BURN THIS BOOK: Running With Scissors; God, Are You There? (a girl’s coming of age; obsessed with errogenous zones) by overrated teen author Judy Bloom; Jailbait (errogenous bordering on pormo) by Leslie Newman; Rainbow Lips (new!) by -?- describing oral sex-capades - teen parties; The da Vinci Code; Boy With A Gun, a faked diary of the murderous ramblings of a teenage school boy who wants to kill; Norm Chompsky books(hates Israel and America); books by writers from “Cosmo Girl”. I wish I could go on.

Wish every decent Christian, Muslim, Jew would mobilize like the libs.

 

[didymus]

Dolores49:

We live in Oregon, on the “Left Coast.” I love books and bookstores. In 1973, the year I moved here from Southern California, I spent many hours in Powell’s.

Now, I order books online. Why? Because of the trashy and dirty *%#??!! filth on the shelves, usually at children’s eye level! I have confronted bookstore clerks, bookstore owners, and even public libraries.

Good for you as far as confronting the owners – what kind of response did you get?

BEING A BOOK DETECTIVE

It won’t be long after you enter a bookstore like Borders when you will open a book that is nauseating. I was in Borders and browsing the Best Sellers table at the front. I picked up RUNNING WITH SCISSORS. Page after page of sick graphic male-on-male child molestation - supposedly a true story about the author. A best seller - and shelved at a child’s eye level.

Next, I was in the Portland Art Museum’s distinguished gift and book shop. This time, I purposefully searched the shelves. I found an “art” book of photograhed erect penises. Art? No, porn! Again, at a child’s eye level.

Next, in the neighborhood bookstore, Annie Bloom’s Books, which has a popular children’s section. Again, I found an “art” book of full color erect penises - but this time naked gays in various poses with water splashing on them. At a child’s eye level.

Finally, there’s the Multnomah County Liberal-ary (library). Shelves are stocked full of Young Adult (read: teenage) books about witches, casting spells, Satan’s Bible, mean girls, coming of age (with gratuitous filthy dialogue or thoughts by the female protaganist).

Am I supposed to pretend this isn’t happening? Stay out of the library? Pray? We visited Salt Lake City recently and I looked for these books and did not find them.

Pary, picket, demonstrate, get on your local cable access channel, start a blog to do reviews of teenage books or parents, whatever. But drop the bookburning talk. People, starting with me, will turn you right off.

By-the-way, it is my firm belief that libraries are the new churches of today. They are austere and grand with high ceilings

.

Amen!
I live in Schenectady, NY which is a city without a lot going for it (GE just announced another 150 layoffs) but it has an excellent library-- not only that the library is always crowded.

BURN THIS BOOK: Running With Scissors; God, Are You There? (a girl’s coming of age; obsessed with errogenous zones) by overrated teen author Judy Bloom; Jailbait (errogenous bordering on pormo) by Leslie Newman; Rainbow Lips (new!) by -?- describing oral sex-capades - teen parties; The da Vinci Code; Boy With A Gun, a faked diary of the murderous ramblings of a teenage school boy who wants to kill; Norm Chompsky books(hates Israel and America); books by writers from “Cosmo Girl”. I wish I could go on.

Wish every decent Christian, Muslim, Jew would mobilize like the libs.

It’s interesting to me that you start your list with porn and what you consider near-porn (Judy Blume, Jailbait, Rainbow Lips) then on to theologically incorrect Da Vinvi Code and unpatriotic Noam Chomsky. This is America – Mr. Chomsky has a perfect right to hate the US and Israel (I don’t agree with him, of course).

I used to own a bookstore and I am totally against censorship. We used to participate in Banned Books Week every year and you’d probably be glad to know that Judy Blume was one of the authors people most often seek to have removed from school and public libraries.

 

[Karin]

Who would get to decide what books are burned…? Might want to be careful here because one of the books on the ash pile might be the Bible. IMO Censorship of books until the goverment changes the Bill of Rights it will never (it happens in certain places I am sure) happen or should not happen…booksatoz.com/censorship/graphics/1amend.gif

 

[Philena]

I’m not advocating burning books. But there are certainly books that should never see the light of day. Books that should have stayed in the private imagination of the author. Books that lead people into gross immorality and sin. I think that some books are accepted for publication simply for their shock value.

 

[Karin]

Philena:

I’m not advocating burning books. But there are certainly books that should never see the light of day. Books that should have stayed in the private imagination of the author. Books that lead people into gross immorality and sin. I think that some books are accepted for publication simply for their shock value.

Burning and banning books IMO are the same thing, just a different route to get there…making books unavailable.
I agree that certain books have no literary value …but to someone else they may…to each his own I say!

 

[vegpotter]

Book burning or banning is just counterproductive. Saying something is banned makes people curious about it. The best way to confront something you disagree with is to get it out in the open and challege it. Simply hiding something won’t make the idea go away.

 

[MikeinSD]

Heinrich Heine in 1820 said, “Those who begin by burning books, will end by burning people.”

That being said, I would burn the Turner Diaries. The Turner Diaries, written by former American Nazi Party honcho William L. Pierce, under the pen name Andrew Macdonald, is a racist book on how white men blew up the FBI, overthrew the government (Zionist Occupation Government) and started white men’s rule in the US. Tim McVeigh studied the Turner Diaries. He said it inspired him to blow up the Murrah bldg in Oklahoma city. I think about 160 died in that terrorist massacre.

I’m also surprised no one mentioned the “Protocols of the (Learned) Elders of Zion” Hitler’s favorite book. Perhaps inspired more bloodshed than any other book in history.

See, there are far worse things in print than books about homosexuals. But that depends on what you think is “decent.”

 

[didymus]

MikeinSD:

Heinrich Heine in 1820 said, “Those who begin by burning books, will end by burning people.”

I’ve always loved that quote, thanks for reminding me of it.

I’m also surprised no one mentioned the “Protocols of the (Learned) Elders of Zion” Hitler’s favorite book. Perhaps inspired more bloodshed than any other book in history.

Well, I doubt the Protocols are what made Hitler anti-Semitic or inspired him to kill Jews. The most blood-soaked book in history would probably have to be the **Communist Manifesto. **In a single famine (engineered for political reasons) Stalin killed 10 million people in Ukraine. We’ll never know the total who died in his purges, nor how many lived out their lives in the gulag. Add to that similar victims in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, &c.

See, there are far worse things in print than books about homosexuals. But that depends on what you think is “decent.”

I read a quote ages ago:
“Killing is a crime; writing about it is not. Having sex is not a crime; writing about it is.”

 

[WanderAimlessly]

Censorship by burning books is wrong. It is a form of violence than can escalate very easily. Just look what happened in Nazi Germany.

PF

 

[deb1]

Banning or burning is wrong. A better solution is to educate the public on certain books. Tell people if a book has questionable morals. Of course, one of the reasons that I read Salman Rushdie’s book was because the Iranian Khomeni had put a price on the man’s head. So, to strong of criticism can simply make people more curious.

 

[pnewton]

Fredom of speech and of the press does not mean that anyone or any group is obligated to give a platform for every piece of filth to come along. I admire those who have the moral fiber to have no part in propagating sin, whether it be at a bookstore, or a school library.

My daughter and I have (once) refused a reading assignment because of offensive content. The teacher already had a back-up assignment for parents who objected.

 

[Scott_Waddell]

The Church calls for the banning of pornographic material:

2354 Pornography consists in removing real or simulated sexual acts from the intimacy of the partners, in order to display them deliberately to third parties. It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate giving of spouses to each other. It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants (actors, vendors, the public), since each one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit for others. It immerses all who are involved in the illusion of a fantasy world. It is a grave offense. Civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials.

 

[Toni]

Agree with the censorship statements made here. But I think all how to satanic books should be burned, and all the witchcraft books also.

 

[didymus]

The Church calls for the banning of pornographic material:

Quote:
 	 		 			 				2354 *Pornography* consists in removing real or simulated sexual acts from the intimacy of the partners, in order to display them deliberately to third parties. It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate giving of spouses to each other. It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants (actors, vendors, the public), since each one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit for others. It immerses all who are involved in the illusion of a fantasy world. It is a grave offense. **Civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials.** 			 		 	 	 

	 Well, I'm glad the Church isn't in charge of things.  That's exactly why I never pray "for the unity of all Christians" -- if it weren't for the Reformation we'd still be living under monarchies.

Btw, I agree with everything the Catechism says except for the last sentence imposing censorship.

 

[pnewton]

didymus:

     That's exactly why I never pray "for the unity of all Christians"

Then you are not in accord with Jesus on this topic who prayed exactly for this before he died.

Btw, I agree with everything the Catechism says except for the last sentence imposing censorship.

Catholics are not free to rewrite the Catechism to their own liking, each choosing that which we will be obedient to and that on which will defy the Church.

 

[Mystery5]

I would like to burn these books…

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

http://www.frogsintexas.com/images/book_on_green2.gif

 

[Mystery5]

Here’s some more books for burning…

http://www.mantaraypictures.com/texas chainsaw massacre BOOK cover.jpg
http://www.talkintexan.com/Talkin Texan Book Cover1.jpg

 

[Dolores49]

Hi, I started this thread.

I figured the words “burn + books” would get attention.

 Posted by didymus
 "It's interesting to me that you start your list with porn and what you consider near-porn (Judy Blume, Jailbait, Rainbow Lips) then on to theologically incorrect Da Vinvi Code and unpatriotic Noam Chomsky.   

  "This is America -- Mr. Chomsky has a perfect right to hate the US and Israel...I used to own a bookstore and I am totally against censorship.  We used to participate in Banned Books Week every year and you'd probably be glad to know that Judy Blume was one of the authors people most often seek to have removed from school and public libraries." end quote by didymus

My reply to “didymus”

All sarcasm aside, tell me something I don’t already know.

Yes, this IS America. Just as the stoopid morons who despise the innocence of children and the well-being of parents - bookstore owners, publishers and authors - have the “right” to abuse freedom of speech out of their selfishness, SO, TOO, do I as an American have the right to burn a book. Or throw one in the garbage. Sheesh.

I remember a car owner who made a grand spectacle. He was so distraught over his car being a “lemon” he drove it up to his car dealer and set it ablaze. Granted, a book is not a car, but a book is not the Holy Grail, either.

 Posted by: Karin

"Who would get to decide what books are burned...? Might want to be careful here because one of the books on the ash pile might be the Bible.   IMO Censorship of books until the goverment changes the Bill of Rights it will never (it happens in certain places I am sure) happen or should not happen....

 My reply to Karin:

 Maybe you're thinking ahead of me but I'm not seriously planning a book burning event.  This is not a class in logic or Constitutional law, you know?

CENSORSHIP is not a FOUR LETTER WORD

Here’s a perspective. Movies and TV programs were strictly censored in the 1930’s through the 1950’s and much of the 1960’s.

In this era of fast food, we now have fast publishing. I’m in bookstores and browse online bookstores. It never ceases to amaze me that ANYONE can get ANYTHING published today.

 Posted by MikeinSD:

 "See, there are far worse things in print than books about homosexuals. But that depends on what you think is "decent."

  Mike, Mike - If RunningW/Scissors were a HETEROSEXUAL CHILD RAPE SAGA I would be just as repulsed.

If Borders Books had common sense the store would put books like this IN AN ‘ADULT ONLY’ SECTION to give people like me a FAIR WARNING. Is that too much to ask? Sheesh.

I consider it my civic duty to agitate for decency.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH’S [WELCOME] INFLUENCE IN THE OLD DAYS This may shock some.

Tonight on TCM I watched a 1941 wholesome coming-of-age film starring Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland, “Life Begins for Andy Hardy.” Following the film, the host mentioned that one segment of the film was CENSORED by The Catholic Church . . . it was a scene in which Andy exclaims his friend committed suicide - the Church influenced the Movie Production Review Board (or something) to re-write the dialogue because the Church reasoned suicide was too harsh for children. (The studio changed the cause of death to a heart attack.)

I agree with this. And you should, too, if you have your wits about you. Suicide was never discussed in front of children when I was growing up. It is not a pleasant topic now for children and it never will be. “To each his own?” Not when it comes to children in my book.

A second scene which the review board censored depicted Andy, who was fresh out of high school and very innocent, spending the night with a married woman older than he to show him “the birds and the bees,” as the host put it.

This scene was replaced with Andy in the clutches of the married woman, her husband walks in on them, leaves. It’s a rude awakening for Andy; he doesn’t want to hurt his girl played by Garland. How refreshing!

Good-night.

 

[didymus]

Dolores49:

Hi, I started this thread.

I figured the words “burn + books” would get attention.

I guess it worked, eh?

CENSORSHIP is not a FOUR LETTER WORD

Here’s a perspective. Movies and TV programs were strictly censored in the 1930’s through the 1950’s and much of the 1960’s.

In this era of fast food, we now have fast publishing. I’m in bookstores and browse online bookstores. It never ceases to amaze me that ANYONE can get ANYTHING published today.

 Posted by MikeinSD:

 "See, there are far worse things in print than books about homosexuals. But that depends on what you think is "decent."

  Mike, Mike - If RunningW/Scissors were a HETEROSEXUAL CHILD RAPE SAGA I would be just as repulsed.

If Borders Books had common sense the store would put books like this IN AN ‘ADULT ONLY’ SECTION to give people like me a FAIR WARNING. Is that too much to ask? Sheesh.

No, and I thought I made that clear in my reply.
.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH’S [WELCOME] INFLUENCE IN THE OLD DAYS This may shock some.

Tonight on TCM I watched a 1941 wholesome coming-of-age film starring Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland, “Life Begins for Andy Hardy.” Following the film, the host mentioned that one segment of the film was CENSORED by The Catholic Church . . . it was a scene in which Andy exclaims his friend committed suicide - the Church influenced the Movie Production Review Board (or something) to re-write the dialogue because the Church reasoned suicide was too harsh for children. (The studio changed the cause of death to a heart attack.)

I agree with this. And you should, too, if you have your wits about you. Suicide was never discussed in front of children when I was growing up. It is not a pleasant topic now for children and it never will be. “To each his own?” Not when it comes to children in my book.

I missed that one! I saw Mickey Rooney doing an infomercial last week & he looked 100.

But there’s a problem censoring everything to be “child-safe”: it treats adults as children as well and it may not protect them at all. Kids are smart and very often they know what is going on around even when we try to hide it from them.
It may have made sense in 1942 – I don’t think it would today.

I think parents have to work extra-hard today not just to monitor what their kids watch and read and listen to but to give them standards to judge by.
When I was in middle school I took Orwell’s 1984 out of the school library and someone had underlined all the (not at all detailed) sex scenes. Dad asked me if the word was out in school to check out the racy parts & then he explained how those secenes in 1984 were okay because they served to show the way the characters were forced to live &c.
To this day (I’m 47) that’s still pretty much the standard I judge books & movies by.

 

[John_Higgins]

For my personal consumption, none.

Obviously children should be shielded from inappropriate material. Some people are not savvy enough to discern a bad book or opinion from a good one. As far as burning books, advocates should be sentenced to read Fahrenheit 451.

John