Comments on: Christian Bookstore Puts Warning Labels on Certain Christian Books

By: writerdd

writerdd — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 23:10:57 +0000

Well, I guess they have good reason to do this. It was a Christian book, after all, that led me to start down the path toward atheism.

Decision Making and the Will Of God: A Biblical Alternative to the Traditional View by Garry Friesen.

A great gift for the born again Christians in your life.

By: absent sway

absent sway — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:41:09 +0000

I knew McLaren’s books would be on here! These meant a lot to me and probably kept me in the Christian camp a lot longer than I would have been otherwise. The people who seek to stamp out the notion that you can be a liberal Christian will not end up with more conservative Christians for their efforts; they will end up with more godless liberals.

By: Helen

Helen — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:09:43 +0000

Jesus’ teachings would have been given the same label back in his day. Rob and Donald should feel honored! Rob Bell pretty much puts that very label on his own book “Velvet Elvis” by encouraging the reader NOT to take everything he says as being 100% right but to discern. I have read and enjoyed both of these authors and while as with anyone, I don’t agree with everything they say, I do not doubt their unwavering faith in the Lord Jesus.

By: BagOfNothing.com » Christian Bookstore Puts Warning Labels on Certain Christian Books

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:08:20 +0000

[...] the full Friendly Atheist article here. If you weren’t aware, Lifeway is part of the Southern Baptist Convention, as indicated at [...]

By: i am a dodt

i am a dodt — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 04:18:35 +0000

My local independent video rental establishment put the “Left Behind” movies in the science fiction section. Not totally related, but I thought it was hilarious.

By: Buffy

Buffy — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 03:07:11 +0000

Danger Will Robinson! This book does more than spew the same mindless dogma you’re used to. Please put on your Deflector Shield before reading it to prevent you from considering radical New Ideas.

By: Joanna

Joanna — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:43:03 +0000

I like the way Richard’s Evil twin thinks! ha

This reminds me of a movie called “Cinema Paradiso” where the local priest would go through movies and cut out the “naughty bits”…which were mostly innocent things like men and women KISSING on screen. In the movie theater, the townsfolk would throw things at the screen during that part in protest.
(I think certain parts of books would have to go through this sort of screening also, with black markers running through parts the Church found objectionable. Has anybody heard of this…not quite book “banning”….).

By: Mike Clawson

Mike Clawson — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:21:29 +0000

I noticed that they have a trademark on the phrase, “Read With Discernment.” I also noticed that there were no women authors on the list.

I think I’ll be writing Lifeway an e-mail asking why they’re discriminating against women with the application of this theological label. Of course, it’s entirely possible that in the evangelical community, there aren’t any edgy female Christian voices (but I rather doubt it).

Don’t worry, when my wife’s (the Julie Clawson mentioned above) book comes out next Fall it’ll probably end up on the “Read with Discernment” list.

By: Polly

Polly — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:08:56 +0000

It also shows the childishness of the Fundie god. The big fear is that you may accidentally start to believe the “wrong” thing and burn in Hell for eternity…ACCIDENTALLY!

What kind of fucking prick throws you into Hell for being mistaken about something so completely arbitrary and vague as theology?

By: Richard Wade's Evil Twin

Richard Wade's Evil Twin — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:34:26 +0000

I think the effect of the labels will not be to introduce the idea of reading thoughtfully, critically or with any definition of "discernment." The effect will be that they will not read the book at all. The practical translation of the label is something like the following: WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! THIS BOOK CONTAINS NEW INFORMATION THAT YOU DO NOT ALREADY HAVE IN YOUR MIND! IT IS NOT JUST A RESTATING OF THINGS YOU ALREADY BELIEVE, IT WILL VERY LIKELY CAUSE YOU TO HAVE TO THINK AND POSSIBLY TO RE-THINK SOME OF THOSE BELIEFS! USE ONLY WITH EXTREME CAUTION! LIFEWAY CHRISTIAN STORES AND THE PUBLISHERS OF THIS BOOK ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY EFFECT THAT READING ANY PART OF THIS BOOK MAY HAVE ON YOUR MIND, FAITH OR OUTLOOK! YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO SIGN A WAIVER TO THAT EFFECT IF YOU PURCHASE OR EVEN PERUSE THIS BOOK IN THIS STORE!