A North Carolina Church has stirred controversy with plans for a Halloween book burning.The pastor wants to use Bibles, music, and books to fuel the fire which are things he calls perversions of God's word.
Come on! Seriously? Who is this guy, Cotton Mather?
Holy crap, they even go after Billy Graham and Rick Warren as heretics? Wow, and I thought the people in Jerry Pevo's church were as small minded as they come.
What is next for these lunatics? Will they be throwing midwives into the local lake to see if they float? Or checking to see if anybody throws up the Sign of Satan?
Hey maybe we should recruit Kevin Bacon to teach these people to unclench their assholes and stop being such primitive idiots?
Look I am trying to stay open minded about religion in this country, but damn! If after two thousand years this is as far as some of these people have evolved then I don't see how I can respect their opinions on popular culture, politics, or human reproduction.
Book burning? Really?
We need to get religion off the dole.
ReplyDelete"After all, one of the reasons there are lots of books in bookstores is that you don't have to buy the books you don't want."
ReplyDeleteSalman Rushdie
(January Magazine interview, September 2002)
This is truly depressing when you consider that there are only 14 members of Pastor Grizzard's "church". How on earth does a 14 member church warrant that much media attention?
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the clip - I LOVE Footloose! OMG, I thought the fundamentalist, independent Baptist Church I grew up in was bad, but I don't ever remember them burning books. BTW, where was that pic of the Queen taken? I just love the disparaging look that young woman is giving her.
ReplyDeleteIt might be worth a road trip to add my $P library to the bonfire. Perhaps some judicious photocopying of the jacket photo of "Going Rogue," to make lots and lots of extra "copies." Wrap 'em around thick magazines, etc., and wave these volumes in front of all fourteen members of the congregation... Yeah, too much time on my hands, I know, I know. I guess I ought to go do something useful. Pie, that's the ticket. I'll make a pie.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Tarquin Biscuitbarrel
How's about having a bible burning across the street from theirs?
ReplyDeleteWow. Once more I am shocked by how backwards people are. I think it is time to start taxing churches.
ReplyDeleteWhen they even stoop to burning Bibles, you know they have reached the end of their evolution.
ReplyDeleteThe deep, Gothic American south...North Kakalaky, home of Dole's "godless" ad. But is it just a touch more liberal than SOUTH Kakalaky? Home of Joe "You Lie" Wilson and this scary news:
ReplyDeleteS. Carolina Too Dangerous For Michelle Obama
"Let’s get this straight: The White House has allowed first lady Michelle Obama to tool around Moscow, the Czech Republic and even Ghana in the past year, but officials are a little worried about her coming to South Carolina.
They consider the atmosphere here too dangerous.
Just when it seemed the summer of shame was over, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn says the White House is wary of bringing the first lady to the state because of the attitude of some of its residents.
Even if they are overreacting, or if Clyburn is overstating the case, it’s embarrassing. If security professionals, who apparently have reservations, actually believe it is too dangerous for the first family to visit a U.S. state, then we have dropped below the status of a Third World country.
It makes us look like buffoons, racists and backwater morons."
http://www.carolinapoliticsonline.com/
These people are nuckin futs! No other way to explain it.
ReplyDeleteTime to tax the churches; all of them!
Be careful not to conflate two issues here. These 14 NC believers can buy and burn anything they wish. And they can steadfastly believe that God speaks only in King James English. They are not worthy of our outrage. However, when anyone, including SP as mayor of Wasilla, seeks to use the civil authority of government to ban or burn any book, that is the perversion. We can safely ignore the paster, but not the polititian.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I kind of agree with them about Billy Graham.
I'll tell you something that bugs the hell out of me about that picture of Palin with Bristol behind her (as usual) holding the baby. Why isn't Todd holding the baby at all these functions? When my kids were little, it was always me or my husband holding them. Granted, I didn't have a teenager at the time, one who probably had to suffer through taking care of her younger siblings more than necessary, but still. We hardly ever saw Todd holding the baby at any of the campaign events. I wonder why that could be?
ReplyDeleteI think it's hysterical that the fundie Christians are burning Bibles.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is time to tax any church that actively pursues political agendas or raises funds to influence elections or tells its congregants how to vote in order to save their mortal souls. If they act like a PAC then they should be taxed like one - including the preacher.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that we don't have to get upset about congregations in other faiths because they do not go off the deep end like fundamentalist Christianity.
Where are the moderate Christians? Why aren't their churches speaking out against these fools?
I hear only a scattered voice from the moderates here and there - usually on Rachel's or Keith's show.
I have never heard of American Muslims, Hindi, or Jews (amongst many others) say or do the outrageous shit that fundamentalist congregations do. Do they require higher IQ's from their leaders?
How shameful that people like those in this southern congregation profess to follow the Prince of Peace then behave with such hateful aggression.
We in Kansas have our own little shameful cult: the Fred Phelps family in Topeka, but every time they raise their heads in the state, we at least overwhelm their protests with double and triple the number of oounterprotesters. They are quieting down some now, but we're ready for them whenever they stick up their little pointed, inbred heads and they've finally begun to realize that. Leaders of various faiths join the counterprotest lines. It is a joy to behold because it says we are tired of their relentless hate.
Here in the Kansas City metro area, we have The Interfaith Alliance pulling together leaders of 15 - yes, 15 - different faiths. They meet regularly to learn from each other, to discuss issues that affect each other, and hold classes to help the public at large learn about other faiths. Our newspaper has a weekly column each Saturday where two leaders of different faiths and variants with each faith provide answers to basic questions such as "What is evil?" "How does your faith handle (insert topics such as death, illness, poverty, homosexuality, et cetera)?" The newspaper ensures that the two highlighted each week are different so we get insight into many faith and denominations.
It makes for provocative reading. Often the newspaper seems to put religions you'd think would hold conflicting views in contrast to each other, but more often than not, you find common ground. Amazing.
Mind you, I gave up on organized religion long ago, but I am happy to see well-meaning people struggle to find common ground and work together to learn about each other's faiths and allow each other the dignity and opportunity to follow their own path.
It is only those who are afraid to grow, afraid to ask questions and to listen that cling with ferocity to their own narrow fears and try to dominate others.
Perhaps we each need to contact the media who overblow this tiny congregation's small mindedness and suggest they ignore it unless it is a real and meaningful threat to the common good. Otherwise, there will be more egomanical preachers rising up to get their names in print and the bright lights of the TV reporters.
Anon 2:49 That is Willow Palin holding Trig.
ReplyDeleteFuck taxing the churches lets just bring them all down and show them the TRUE WAY...worm food people, that's all ya get and that's all that you have to look forward to.
ReplyDeleteSave yourselves 10% of your weekly income and a whole hour of boring crazy fables each sunday and just admit that each and every religion on the face of this planet is a sham and is just in place to #1: Get the Money, and #2: Control You and your behavior and #3: convince you that there is an afterlife that is better than this life and to get there you MUST GIVE MONEY AND ABIDE BY OUR RULES!
So, so so glad that my folks raised me "religionless". Religion for me has always been the only time that I'm happy being on the "outside looking in".
Now I have to say, sorry to be a bitch, but darn it, I'm getting so frustrated by the religious right that I really do lose it every now and then. Sorry I lost it on your blog Gryph.
ReplyDeleteI'm a nice person, just get cranky sometimes!
Damn. I just gave up my blood pressure medicine because I no longer needed it once the Bush administration ended.
ReplyDeleteNow, looks as if I am going to have to go back on it because antics such as this and all the dung the Republicans are flinging about is making my head pound.
At least I do have health insurance and afford to see my doctor to get the blood pressure medicine. Of course, if you read about someone bursting due to high BP, you will know I've lost my health insurance and what caused me to pop.
Ah, yes...Willow, not Bristol. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteBut, still not Todd.
The NC church and the hand sign page are both off the charts in the looney department.
ReplyDeleteSheesh.
Why is Sarah giving the Texas Longhorns sign?? lol
ReplyDeleteThat sign Sarah is doing is not the Texas Longhorn's symbol, it is sign language for the deaf. It means "I love you."
ReplyDeleteThe MSM will run with this. The moderate religious will be agast. The wedge only helps to isolate them.
ReplyDeleteAKpetmom dont fret too much as they are not psychologically tied to tight. Remain level headed and you will perservere.
Burning the bible cracks me up. Why did they not think of this like 2000 years ago?
To 5:43, Sarah may not be doing it as well as she should, but if you go to http://deafness.about.com/od/expressionandfun/a/iloveyouhand.htm, you can see that she was in all likelihood trying to message "I Love You" in ASL (American Sign Language). It even appeared on a 29 cent stamp.
ReplyDeleteI do understand how it can be confusing because I haven't seen her behave or heard her speak in a loving fashion very often - er, maybe not at all.
I recently found out the the word 'catholic' meant universal and singular, as if they were the only possible church that could exist. I figured they've had a couple thousand years to reach that goal -- maybe it's time to consider a name change.
ReplyDeleteThen I read stuff like this and think that maybe they were providing rough drafts for folks like these.
Thanks. Just in time.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing a presentation on censorship and banned books tomorrow morning at school. I'll be printing this article. Too bad I can't show the video.
Anon 6:05 and 6:07 my comment was a joke. I know it is ASL for "I love you"....but then there is this conspiracy theory I was laughing about and alluding to:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Wicca%20&%20Witchcraft/signs_of_satan.htm
check it out!!
I am a strong advocate for the separation of church and state because there are those who want to impose their beliefs upon me. To take away my free will, to stand between me and my Father as if they have such a right. I am quite capable of reading the two testaments and engaging in a relationship with God myself. But I must also be tolerant of others as well. Let go, let God. Burning books show intolerance and lack of understanding. Since I prefer the KJV, I gave copies of The Living Word and the NIV I had to the goodwill. Maybe they sparked an interest, or planted a seed, it could happen.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I do agree with the comment about Billy Graham. But, that's another story.
I can't answer for both, but the reason I tried to clarify the sign SP was using was that George W once confused the two as did a CNN anchor. Cracks me up.
ReplyDeleteCheck this out at Alaska Dispatch:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.alaskadispatch.com/blogs/palin-watch/2408-the-cracker-fundamentalist-south