More Bible News

Claiming that all translations of the Bible except the King James Version are false and satanic, a pastor in North Carolina is having a book-burning for Hallowe'en. He's burning Bibles that aren't his precious KJV and whatever else his deranged mind considers "satanic" -- which includes books by religious authors who "have occassionally used Bibles other than the King James Version"

This guy is a loony-toon. He might be King of the Loony Toons.

I knew some religious fanatics were insane, but this one really takes the cake. It reminds me of the Texas legislator who proclaimed "if English was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me" -- isn't this sort of adoration of the Bible a sin? Bibliolatry?

According to the church’s Web site, members will also burn “Satan's music such as country, rap, rock, pop, heavy metal, western, soft and easy, southern gospel, contemporary Christian, jazz, soul (and) oldies.

“We will also be burning Satan's popular books written by heretics like Billy Graham, Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, John McArthur, James Dobson, Charles Swindoll, John Piper, Chuck Colson, Tony Evans, Oral Roberts, Jimmy Swagart, Mark Driskol, Franklin Graham, Bill Bright, Tim Lahaye, Paula White, T.D. Jakes, Benny Hinn, Joyce Myers, Brian McLaren, Robert Schuller, Mother Teresa, The Pope, Rob Bell, Erwin McManus, Donald Miller, Shane Claiborne, Brennan Manning (and) William Young.

Wow. I think he covered just about every evangelist who writes books, and the Pope. Must be nice to be so absolutely convinced of your own righteousness. (although, I do have to agree that Graham, Swaggart, Roberts, and some of the other televangelists deserve worse than having their books burned...evil people, the lot of them).

But book burning? Well, I suppose you can't expose your flock to any ideas that you haven't spoon-fed them. Can't expose them to any other ideas that might cause them to think. Can't expose them to a different interpretation of religion than your own, or you will lose control over them. Apparently this particular pastor is absolutely, 100% sure that HE is the only one with the right answers. Hah!

Burning books is an infantile, stupid way to suppress the ideas in them. It's counter-productive - you end up legitimizing the content that you are trying to suppress, while convincing the sane people around you that you are an idiot and harmful to society. I guess, though, that to this guy, ideas really are dangerous and should be squashed.

I can't believe that they lack even basic self-awareness and historical context to realize that they are co-opting something that is as strongly associated with fascism and totalitarianism as burning books they don't agree with. Perhaps that's the intent, though -- absolute, total control of thought and ideas in their congregation (and as many others as they can influence)

I am boggling at the idea that the KJV is the "one, true version", unsullied and correctm too. Um, no. It, like every single other translation of the Bible into English, has copyist errors, introduced errors (because of a political or religious agenda) and is a flawed historical document. Picking this one out of the several hundred translations is pretty damn funny. I'm sure that many of his congregation have no idea of the literary history of the Bible, and they surely don't accept the fact that it was written in a different language. (Yes, I've met people who believe the Bible was written in English - just a few, but even ONE is a bit frightening). I've also met a number of KJV "worshippers", who view this particular translation as the only acceptable one, who have no idea of the history and plan behind the translation. Sure, it's a good one, and wonderfully archaic and poetic, but "correct"? Please.

And the best part about all of this? They'are having barbecued chicken and "all the fixins" to go along with their bonfire of idiocy.