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AUGUST 7, 2003 at 12:30 PM
Posted by GRAE
Source: The Detroit News via The Leaky Cauldron
After learning about the book burning held last weekend by the Jesus Non-denominational Church in Greenville, Michigan, community members expressed mixed emotions
about the event.
The Rev. Mark Shaw, senior pastor at Calvary Baptist, dismissed the book burning as a misguided publicity stunt.
"What kind of an image are they setting in the community?" Shaw asked.
Toni Jagger, director of the Alvah N. Belding Library in nearby Belding, said she is always disturbed by reports of book burnings.
"Burning books is such an extreme," Jagger said. "Books don't have to be read if people don't want to read them. That's one of the wonderful liberties we have in America."
As long as the book burning does not prevent readers from accessing those titles or other literature, the congregation can do as it pleases, said Tara Conaway, director of the Flat River Community Library.
It also turns out that Harry Potter books weren't the only objects being burned - included in the list of what the church considered evil were the Book of Mormon and non-King James Version Bibles.
Other books, magazines, posters, compact discs and movies that members believe do not promote God also went up in smoke Sunday, as more than 50 people gathered outside the church for the fiery display. Among the incinerated items were Shania Twain's album "The Woman in Me" and the Dan Akroyd movie "Coneheads."
The church's bishop, the Rev. T.D. Turner Sr., said the congregation "will burn 'Harry Potter' books and other witchcraft items to let the world know that there are true followers of Jesus Christ who will not call evil good."
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Squib
Points: 137
SnApE iS mY hErO says:
This is such a horrible occurrence. This IS exactly what the nazis did. The sad thing is...I bet most of these people haven't even read the books. I guess people always dislike what they don't understand.
Posted Apr 18, 2006 at 9:29 PM EST
Student
Points: 265
ThePowerOfRedemption says:
Hopefully people will become more enlightened and actually expand their minds to read not only what they want but what may challenge their beliefs and thereby help them to grow in what they believe.
Posted Apr 23, 2006 at 10:29 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 22
lezleypotter says:
I really dont see what is so bad about the book yeah i hear people say it's got witch craft and stuff like that but not to every body the book is all evil i dont enjoy reading and watching the movies because of the with craft i enjoy them because of the adventure and i love a good adventure. people should be happy that kids are reading unstead of running the streets or doing other thans they shouldnt be doing i mean i have been reading the books since i was 10 years old that was 7 years ago and i'm not going around trying to profoem magic on anyone so i say lay off cause not everybody who reads the books are bad people and in love with witch craft.
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 9:44 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 22
lezleypotter says:
I have more to say about this beening a buring. how could you burn somthing that is not all evil the book is not dark and twisted. there are go thing in the book i mean the main charater is the good guy. his parnets where killed he's not going around tyring to kill other people people are trying to kill him. he's the one saving everybodies life and risking his own. maybe people should just talk to people who read the book and see what they have to say then sit down and have a open heart and read the dang book. then may just maybe you will see that the book is ok and not evil.the fact that people bured the book made me very pissed off because they are giong about this the wrong way get over it. i dont care if they take it out of scholls and public librarys i'm still going to read it. they can make it illegal for all i care and i will still read it because i can by law.i just wish people could see harry potter throug the eyes of the readers and they would understand its just a good adventure story its really one of the best for the youth and for kids who hate to read because adults are always making them read. but the thing is when kids fide something they enjoy reading(like harry potter)adults take it away and tell then not to read it.why tell some body to read something if you want let them read what they want then you take it away when they are reading and be gald that there are adleast reading something. i mean why take it away? i mean for what?
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 10:00 AM EST
Witch
Points: 708
Star Simmons says:
Ok, I'm a Christian, but there's no way I would burn an HP book! I love the Harry Potter books! And I love the Bible too! Burning a Bible just because it's not KJV is just crazy! Sounds like those people were very ignorant and just wanted publicity.
Posted May 6, 2006 at 2:40 PM EST
Squib
Points: 159
harryfan890 says:
Why would they do that I blive in God and Jeues and I read the books and so is two of my other friends in church. Geuss what book burners Harry Potter is based on Chirtan cause Harry is the person that is trying get rid og evil.
Posted Jun 7, 2006 at 9:00 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 12
levicorpus-nvbl says:
I'm sorry, did they burn Da Vinci Code with those other stuffs they burned? HP contained witchcraft, oh yes, but at least it didn't state anything like Christ had an affair with a woman and had descendants. They burned HP and CDs but they didn't burn Da Vinci Code books?
Posted Jun 24, 2006 at 12:14 AM EST
Squib
Points: 156
Call_Me_Elly says:
Holy cow that is crazy! If you don't like a particular book that is fine and dandy but to burn it is sending out such a strong message. It says "I am stubborn and stuck in my own ways and refuse to be open minded. I personlly think that tolerance is a virtue and book burning is horrible.
Posted Jul 5, 2006 at 9:09 PM EST
Witch
Points: 509
luna_moon says:
Intolerence. *tsk tsk tsk* And to prove that these people are insane--they. are. burning. the. BIBLE! You know, it's the same Bible, just without the "thous" and "-eths". But you know, I'm not going to hate them, because that would make me no better than them.
Posted Oct 1, 2006 at 9:12 AM EST
Auror
(Moderator)
Points: 2484
Since the Start says:
What a bunch of hypocrites! Especially considering the fact that the KJV of the Bible is a gutted out version anyway! The self-righteous actions of these people make me gag.
Posted Mar 5, 2007 at 11:09 AM EST
Angel of Death
Points: 4366
Fearless Prince says:
This is a complete autocratic move...
Just cause some people believe that they will lose power...they resort to things like Harry Potter book burning..
By doing this...they only show their mentality...which is restricted to their own traditional beliefs..
If we are to believe that by reading a Harry Potter book...people will turn evil...
Then probably Jesus wouldn't have been able to get his followers...as they all lived amidst evil people..
But he did...and they grew to be good people...cause what a man is...will be...whatever may happen!!
Posted Apr 12, 2007 at 6:13 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 7
UhmKayy says:
I just don't see how burning books is a showing the world that "that there are true followers of Jesus Christ who will not call evil good", especailly when they burned other versions of the Bible.
My old church was like that too. They would hold conferences to warn parents of the evil of letting their children read Harry Potter. I think they could be doing better things with their time, if they are really trying to better the world, than burning books.
Posted Jun 2, 2007 at 3:22 PM EST
Squib
Points: 150
icar says:
I think these so-called church goers should start acknowledging that HP mania did not create sickness nor corruption nor cause anybody harm, on the other hand, it created inspiration, guidance to the young and taught everybody who reads it that it is the right choices that makes us who we are and not our abilities, that life is important and everyone should be treated equally.=)
Posted Jun 12, 2007 at 8:00 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 2
Lord Blackheart says:
Reminds me of "Farenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury....
What a sad bunch of god - botherers ! There's absolutely buggerall in the Harry Potter novels which promotes the use of "black magic", Satanism, devil - or demon worship or even the Seattle Mariners ! They might as well burn copies of Eminem's CD's because they don't promote "Christianity" - whatever the hell that is !
Well, I wish someone would burn his CD's publicly, anyway..
Posted Aug 21, 2007 at 6:03 AM EST
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