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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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Metamorphmagus
Points: 37946
tonks black says:
Burning books is just wrong. They want children to read but yet they destroy the things children want to read.
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 12:45 PM EST
Snape's Woman
(Moderator)
Points: 5392
Prof. Andaxia Moonstar says:
I still don't get it, and probably never will. Burning books is what the Nazis did, trying to stamp out unpopular ideas that didn't fit in with their beliefs. If you don't like it, don't purchase it, read it, listen to it, or watch it. How senseless these acts are.
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 12:48 PM EST
Witch
Points: 712
harryroxmysocks says:
Burning books is just being closeminded. Other people have other beliefs and by burning books that they believe in, like other religion's holy books, is admitting that you do not respect other people's beliefs. If they do not want their family or their children to be reading the books or listening to the music, then dont have it in the home. You dont have to burn books and music to protect yourself from the beliefs of others. If you dont wanna hear it or see it, then simply dont associate yourself with it.
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 12:57 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1012
Imperio says:
Hey, look on the bright side there are still some people brave enough to stand up and disagree publicly with the books burners. Kudos to them, keep it up!
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 1:06 PM EST
Points: 179
kjady says:
Well as a Christian i know i wouldn't burn any Bibles. King James or Morman it's still wrong. I may believe in god but burning any book that is giving kids something to after school or just keeping them off the streets is wrong.
Try some thing new you maybe surprised.
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 1:51 PM EST
High Inquisitor
Points: 23488
KT Lady says:
Thats horrible...its like burning the flag!!
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 1:58 PM EST
Head Boy
Points: 405
Gandalf says:
In this action we can see that those guys just have fear, because they don't have the meanings to convince people in the ordinary way (speaking), so they attract attention by burning books.
If they still think that's ok, remember the worst person in the 20th century (Adolf Hitler) use this kind of thing to convince the Germans that his ideas were better than really were.
This is really awful.
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 1:58 PM EST
Witch
Points: 917
Slytherin_Punk says:
GRRr. I don't like those people who say hp has to do with religion. Don't thay want us to read. I don't think burning books is going to help anyone.
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 1:59 PM EST
Head Boy
Points: 405
Gandalf says:
Just in time. They still are in the Dark Ages.
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 1:59 PM EST
Points: 351
Imelda Moonshine says:
okay, and following the Nazis lead is not in any way going against God?I think not.These people are clearly nutters!
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 2:53 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1990
HarrysGran says:
I do believe in God (I’m a catholic) and never in my wildest dreams I would think HP books to bear evil. Witchcraft is part of the book, ok, but what about the other things? No one talks about the good in it, the friendship, the bravery, the will to stand up to your believes, the will to overcome evil? I think those book-burners never read any of the books, they are just narrow-minded.
But I think this attitude is a really dangerous one. I know, cause I’m German and I simply hate and detest the history of book-burning in my country and all that what followed it. Holding back people to get new ideas by reading books will make them easy to manipulate. And everybody who has an open mind should tell those book-burners how wrong they are!!!
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 2:57 PM EST
Transfiguration Professor
Points: 2990
Choralee says:
There are all kinds of people in the world. Some are blessed with common sense and others missed that train all together!
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 4:55 PM EST
Witch
Points: 959
Alcestis1 says:
I am speechless....simply speechless. People have turned this into a religious war, burning Books of Mormon and non-King James Bibles. I would say "unbelievable!" but I guess it's not.... *sigh*
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 5:04 PM EST
Head Boy
Points: 423
ApplebyArrows says:
This is just crazy! I hate these people. We all heard them the first time! Won't they just give it up? it hasn't stopped anybody from reading and I don't think that it ever will! These people are really starting to bore me now.
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 5:22 PM EST
Student
Points: 268
Tadhgain says:
Whoa whoa whoa, "Christians" that burned versions of the Bible!?!?!? Wow, where I come from you're not supposed to let the Bible touch the ground...any version of it....let alone BURN it...I swear, people are getting stupider and stupider. There are all of like 2 or 3 word changes in some Bibles, but I bet they burned those too, the Nazis. And Coneheads!? Where did THAT come from!? Just goes to further my point of stupid people shouldn't breed...
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 5:41 PM EST
Witch
Points: 750
siriusgurl says:
THEY BURNED BIBLES!?! Now that HAS to be wrong! Isn't that like insulting those religions who use them by putting it on an evil list!!!!! My sister's gonna have a fit at the idea of burning Shania Twain CD's. That is just wrong. It's like insted of the church improving with time it's getting horribly worst. What ever happened to tolerence? I'm Catholic and I see nothing wrong with anyother religion as long as it doesn't promot violence. And whats wrong with mormons? My friends Mormon and they do alot of activieties for kids with thier churches. I am completely disgusted be this. P.S. I totally agree with HarrysGran the history of book burnings in Germany was why my dad was so shocked it happened, but again the bible? I real just thinck thats wrong.
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 6:48 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2773
Alessandra says:
{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."}
I think what they actually let the world know was something quite different...that intolerance, ignorance, and stupidity in the name of religion still exist.
As for burning the bibles: apparently, to them, God is an English king.
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 7:03 PM EST
Witch
Points: 742
TigerEyez says:
It's Fahrenheit 451! I hate the way society is becoming just like Ray Bradbury's fiction! I love how they view Shania Twain's singing as witchcraft, these people obviously don't understand what witchcraft is. Also it's not even physically possible to hold up a wooden stick and cast a spell!!! I, being a catholic, also don't understand how they couldn't have respect for other denominations of Christianty. They obviously don't if they burn other religions' bibles.
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 7:10 PM EST
Student
Points: 251
Jupiter Lumos says:
Lol! I didn’t know that Dan Aykroyd’s movies and Shania Twain’s music fit into the category of “other witchcraft items”.
Anyway, burning books seems so barbaric. I could have sworn that we were in the 21st Century, but with events like there perhaps I’m wrong. Also, did anyone in that church think about the environment when they were setting Mr. Potter and others ablaze? Burning cassettes and videotapes can’t be good for the O-Zone, not to mention the waste of paper.
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 7:23 PM EST
Witch
Points: 531
Mrs. Hammerlick says:
why is this news? there are narrow minded people all over the world, we know they exist. But the most sensationalism occurs here, in the land of free speech.
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 8:11 PM EST
Points: 81
Malvagia says:
I'm glad that some people are realizing how ridiculous that was. I agree COMPLETELY with Syllavus when she/he says that:
"These people are brain-washed, ignorant, ill-guided fools."
Very well said! I remind people of this every time the church says something against Harry Potter and various other things they deem "evil". Meh. Its getting a tad-er-old, no? Nobody cares about their rants, well, at least I don't. May Harry Potter books(OotP in particular, hehe) fall on their heads and knock some sense into them! Muahah! >=)
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 9:28 PM EST
Points: 616
Minister of Magic says:
Better Recycle the books If you don't want to read them. At least that protects the nature :) :) :)
Posted Aug 7, 2003 at 10:56 PM EST
Witch
Points: 750
siriusgurl says:
Well said everyone, I'm still shocked about burning bibles! Markhiem I thought that about the bible but since I'm catholic I wasn't shure but again, this is dispicable, I thought they were just over enthusiastic and ignorant at the idea of burning Harry Potter. But the bible! That's just disgusting! They said they were burning "'Harry Potter' books and other witchcraft items" And so the bibles a witchcraft item now? They say the Book of Mormon is evil, so they're saying Mormons are evil-worshippers? This is really unbelievable!
Posted Aug 8, 2003 at 2:17 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2275
Snufflesmom says:
These types of folks seem to scare me. I can halfway understand them wanting to keep all the horrible stuff out of their children's lives, but for what purpose would you burn a bible, just because it's not the King James Version?
These people seem to think that they are the only chosen of the Father. I am a Christian and I enjoy the books and movies.
I guess these people never let their children read some of the awful stuff we grew up with. Like the "maiden" who runs away from home and comes to live with 7 miners and ends up being poisoned by a jealous woman, or the scullery maid wished to go to a dance and a little old woman appeared out of nowhere and conjured up a dress and transportation. For those of you who think I have lost my mind. The stories I refer to are Snow White and Cinderella.
Posted Aug 8, 2003 at 1:17 PM EST
Witch
Points: 532
Obsessed-Harry-N-Dan-Fan says:
I think its insane but they can do what they want. i dont think its going to stop anyone from being obsessed or reading Harry Potter books and related items. This story well the actual one about the burning reminds me about my aunt. she phoned my mom one day and said: you know those books that are on the tv all the time and everyone wants to read, blah blah blah (i dont remember the whole thing). and my mom said: what? the harry potter books. Aunt:yes those dont let Rachel (me) read them! they are evil and the work of the devil, blah blah blah (she went on and on about how bad they are and how i need to stay away from them at all costs. but my mom stood up for harry potter and me! *starts cheering* mom: well we've all seen the movies and they dont seem bad and they are about friendship and how you solve problems and love, etc. and rachel reads the books. i dont think they are bad and im not going to take them away from her. and thats basically the story. My mom thought that it wouldnt be appropriate to say that i am OBSESSED and crazy about harry potter, my room is plastered with posters, i read the books constantly and that i have a huge crush on dan. but sure those people can burn it and hate harry potter as long as they dont try to convince others that its "wrong and evil" like my aunt did. now my aunt has a nick name- The Harry Potter Hater- although she doesnt know it. it just makes me sick some of the things people do but it is their decision but i think when it comes to hating Harry Potter they are making the wrong one.
Posted Aug 8, 2003 at 3:51 PM EST
Student
Points: 293
jjkhp says:
Burning books is very bad for kids like myself especially the little ones. It could give tehm the wrong idea.
Posted Aug 8, 2003 at 4:27 PM EST
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