Observations and inanities by a second-shift assistant supervisor in the Puppy-Grinding division of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy® (our motto: "Sure it's cruel, but think of the jobs!"), your host, Brent Rasmussen.
Putting It Into Context
Here at UTI we have done this countless times before, but it is always very effective. I only had to change "atheist" into "Jew" twice, and one phrase "no evidence for the existence of God" into "no evidence that Jesus was the messiah."
What if Philip Pullman were a Jew? Would the book banning and movie hysteria make sense then? Would it be acceptable?
You decide.
[link] Board agrees to review British Jew's novels
Panel will evaluate literary, not religious, merits of Pullman book, educator saysJAMES RUSK
November 23, 2007
After a complaint that The Golden Compass, a popular children's fantasy book, was written by a professed Jew, the Halton Catholic District School Board is taking the book off shelves in school libraries while it reviews its suitability for students.
But the religious opinions of award-winning British author Philip Pullman will not be an issue when the book is read and reviewed by a committee of 15 people, who will pass their assessment on to the board for a decision, said Rick MacDonald, the board superintendent of education in charge of curriculum.
"It is the book we look at, not the author," said Mr. MacDonald, who said the board has also removed the other two books in Mr. Pullman's trilogy, His Dark Materials, from the shelves while they are reviewed by board librarians.
The public attention to The Golden Compass, first published in 1996, has been heightened because a film starring Nicole Kidman based on the novel - the first book of the trilogy - is about to go into distribution.
Mr. Pullman's views on religion are no secret. He said, for instance, in a 2002 question-and-answer session with readers of the newspaper The Guardian, that he saw no evidence that Jesus was the messiah.
Queen's University English literature professor Shelley King said the issue of whether the board should take Mr. Pullman's books from the shelf came up yesterday with her third-year class, and she and her students agreed it is a difficult question.
"It depends whether you are more interested in doctrine or in literary excellence. If your choice of reading matter is doctrinally driven, and you are not interested in challenges to received doctrine, then by all means, Pullman is not the man you want kids reading," Dr. King said.
Gordon Davies, head of languages, arts and sciences at the school of continuing education at the University of Toronto, said the school board's action has to be put into context.
It is not asking that the book not be read, sold or lent by a public library, said Dr. Davies, an expert on Catholic education.
"All the school board is saying is that it has a responsibility to provide education within the Catholic faith," Dr. Davies said.
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What do you expect?
The whole point of a private religious education is to indoctrinate children into the cult and protect them from rational thought.
Today's Cectic . . .
. . . seems to be addressing exactly this issue, and your earlier post about a "Moment of Silence." You can find the strip here, if you don't regularly read it.
Jim Downey
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Like Science Fiction? Read my novel, Communion of Dreams, for free.
Here we go again
When my older daughter was in high school, probably around 1999-2000, there was an effort by some religious people to have Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings move from the 9th grade reading list to 11 or 12, if not banned altogether. My daughter was named student representative to a group of parents, teachers, and others to review the book and make recommendations. They recommended keeping it in 9th grade. A few years later, the issue came up again.
I love the quote in this article from the english professor above: "It depends whether you are more interested in doctrine or in literary excellence. If your choice of reading matter is doctrinally driven, and you are not interested in challenges to received doctrine, then by all means, Pullman is not the man you want kids reading,"
If you're not interested in thinking, then by all means don't read this book.
Frank Moorman, skeptic
Some idiot wrote into my
Some idiot wrote into my local newspaper whining about how this film indoctrinates kids into atheism, and to boycott the film, and I wanted to respond asking him where he was when everyone was on the ass of Passion of the Christ.
I also wanted to ask how he would respond if we switch all the words dealing with Golden Compass to Prince Caspian. He'd probably say there's nothing wrong with it.
Now, there ya go . . .
. . . being all angry and shit, Brent. You know we atheists should just shut up and go along, not be pushing our rationalism down people's throats by existing.
Sheesh, the nerve of some people!
Jim Downey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Like Science Fiction? Read my novel, Communion of Dreams, for free.
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