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Do you think it is okay to burn holy books?

Started by Beefaice, July 24, 2010, 12:07:30 AM

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Beefaice

If it's in the wrong place, feel free to remove it.

I've recently encountered http://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Burn-A-Koran-Day/134718123226530this page, and I'd like to discuss it. I personally found it horrifically offensive, and stated as such in the page. (I'm the kid who said burning books is a the worst sin imaginable) and flagged it. How do you guys feel about it?

teifuani

I feel pretty much the same way as you do. Even though I've never read the book (probably never will considering I'm a bibliophile and have a list miles long of books I'd rather read) and don't agree with what I've learned of its premises, I can't support book banning in the slightest.

Squid

I remember seeing a list of banned books when I was in high school.  I don't remember most of them but I do remember vividly seeing the Marquis de Sade's "120 Days of Sodom" and  Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Ernest".  Even though a friend claims he saw Darwin's "Origin of Species" on there I don't recall but wouldn't doubt it - it was rural south Texas in the late 80's and early 90's.

I think it's silly to burn books even if they are thought to be "horrific" or the material to be "sick".  Where one person sees sick and disturbing, I may see an interesting read.  I'm sure if it were a KJV Bible burning there'd be all sorts of hell raised about it.

philosoraptor

I think it was the German poet Heine who said something along the lines of those who burn books will one day burn bodies.

There are no circumstances where I would support the burning of any book, even if I did not agree with its content.
"Come ride with me through the veins of history,
I'll show you how god falls asleep on the job.
And how can we win when fools can be kings?
Don't waste your time or time will waste you."
-Muse

Tom62

Banning and burning books can under no circumstances be justified. Here in Germany, we've seen where burning books leads to.  For those people who have second thought about this topic, I recommend them to read Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" or George Orwell's "1984".

Quote"We believe attempts to censor ideas to which we have access--whether in books, magazines, plays, works of art, television, movies or song--are not simply isolated instances of harassment by diverse special-interest groups. Rather they are part of a growing pattern of increasing intolerance which is changing the fabric of America. . .

"Censorship cannot eliminate evil. It can only kill freedom. We believe Americans have the right to buy, stores have the right to sell, authors have the right to write and publishers have the right to publish Constitutionally-protected material. Period."

Excerpt from a letter to 28 newspapers, signed by Ed Morrow, president, American Booksellers Assn. and Harry Hoffman, president, Walden Book Co., Inc. (1990).
The universe never did make sense; I suspect it was built on government contract.
Robert A. Heinlein

Thumpalumpacus

I think it's lame.  Disregarding the book-burning issue, which has been dealt with above, the idea reeks of intellectual insecurity.  The only banned ideas are the threatening ones.  A robust ideology suffers questioning.
Illegitimi non carborundum.

pinkocommie

Burning books seems primitive to me.
Ubi dubium ibi libertas: Where there is doubt, there is freedom.
http://alliedatheistalliance.blogspot.com/

Tank

A pointless and mindless example of tribal tit-for-tat behaviour that does nothing but show up the book burners as epsilon semi-morons.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

hismikeness

Quote from: "Beefaice"Do you think it is okay to burn holy books?

Only if stranded and in need of heat. Otherwise, no!
No churches have free wifi because they don't want to compete with an invisible force that works.

When the alien invasion does indeed happen, if everyone would just go out into the streets & inexpertly play the flute, they'll just go. -@UncleDynamite

pinkocommie

I wanted to add that the fact that it's a "holy book" doesn't bother me any more than if it were any other book and honestly, I feel like they do have a right to participate in that kind of protest if they want.  I just don't think it's an effective form of protest because I personally see burning a book as a negative reflection of the person doing the burning and not the book itself.  When someone burns a book I inevitably think - well, that person must be scared of whatever is in that book.  How weird/unfortunate/archaic.
Ubi dubium ibi libertas: Where there is doubt, there is freedom.
http://alliedatheistalliance.blogspot.com/

GAYtheist

Burning something that may lead others to disagree with what you have to say...yea...sounds like something Hitler did. While the bible may be the biggest, most vile piece of bunk on this side of the River Styx I don't think it has any reason to be burned. As stated earlier, unless you need it for heat, don't burn it. I think the idea of burning the Koran is vile. The sad part is that, I wouldn't do anything to stop them either, because it is a form of expression, is not stopping anyone from practicing that religion, and as long as they have the proper permits, they are doing nothing illegal. The one part of being an Atheist I truly dislike...I have to defend idiots, or be called a hypocrite.
"It is my view that the atomic bomb is only slightly less dangerous than religion." John Paschal, myself.

"The problem with humanity is not that we are all born inherently stupid, that's just common knowledge. No, the problem with humanity is that 95% of us never grow out of it." John Paschal, myself

KebertX

Oh my god those people are retarded! "Islam is of the Devil!"  If there is one thing I can't stand, it's a Religious Theist who thinks that their religion is any better than another Religious Theist!

I'm just going to come right out and say this: Islam is 10x better than Christianity!

Now that that's done, people CAN burn books, because they have freedom of speech, but they shouldn't.  Everyone knows that Book Burning is synonymous with Nazism, and when you do things synonymous with Nazism you associate yourself with a dangerous amount of hate.  I can't stand seeing people carve swastikas into tables, or Seig Heiling to a friend (Both of which are surprisingly common in rural Oklahoma).  It's really terrifying to think about what the Nazis actually stood for, and how close they came to accomplishing it.

So I find it deeply disturbing that anyone would want to resemble the Nazi movement in any way whatsoever.  And the Hypocrisy of Christians burning the Qu'ran just makes it even worse.  No, it's not okay to burn holy books, because that's an attempt to fight hate with hate.  I doesn't work, hate only breeds more hate. You need to drive darkness with light, not more darkness.
"Reality is that which when you close your eyes it does not go away.  Ignorance is that which allows you to close your eyes, and not see reality."

"It can't be seen, smelled, felt, measured, or understood, therefore let's worship it!" ~ Anon.

Thumpalumpacus

Islam is to Christianity what Chevy is to Oldsmobile.
Illegitimi non carborundum.

Martin TK

I say burn them all, but only if the Christians are holding them at the time!!! :bananacolor:

Of course I'm kidding... I think that a lot of the so called "Holy Books" are very valuable to society as literature.  Take the bible, it's a good read of fiction, and I think to lose it would be unfortunate.  I think of the bible like I think of Harry Potter, read it but know it's fiction.
"Ever since the 19th Century, Theologians have made an overwhelming case that the gospels are NOT reliable accounts of what happened in the history of the real world"   Richard Dawkins - The God Delusion

KebertX

Quote from: "Martin TK"I say burn them all, but only if the Christians are holding them at the time!!! :bananacolor:

Of course I'm kidding... I think that a lot of the so called "Holy Books" are very valuable to society as literature.  Take the bible, it's a good read of fiction, and I think to lose it would be unfortunate.  I think of the bible like I think of Harry Potter, read it but know it's fiction.
As far as fiction goes, the bible is pretty dry.  And just bad, it sends a horrible message.

Mass burning of the bible is unacceptable, but it should go out of style to the point where no one actually reads it anymore.
"Reality is that which when you close your eyes it does not go away.  Ignorance is that which allows you to close your eyes, and not see reality."

"It can't be seen, smelled, felt, measured, or understood, therefore let's worship it!" ~ Anon.