Rant warning.

[sildil]

Is it really SO scary and threatening that you have to steal and hide someone's fucking books?

Ahhh, the power of the written word, obviously far FAR more dangerous and seductive than your own narrow-minded, half-baked, homophobic, uneducated, dark-age beliefs. Thank GOD not all Bible-believing Christians are as twisted. Don't for heaven's sake actually let someone think for themselves, or come to their own enlightened conclusions about their faith.

Jesus wept.

Comments

[little-lusty.livejournal.com]

Don't tell me someone hid/stole your gay porn?
What happened?

[sildil]

Not to me, thankfully, but to a friend.

Her books were taken away and hidden, and bear in mind these were NOT porn (not under any description) or even pictorial or graphic, but pure fantasy fiction.

I am just a tadge mad.

[little-lusty.livejournal.com]

THAT is so effed!
NO-ONE, under any circumstances has the right to gdo that. And if they weren't labeled as such or showed pix then the only way they would have known is if they were snopping!
GAWD I hate narrow minded people, they suck!
*helping you rant :)*

[sildil]

Exactly.

[marchwarden23.livejournal.com]

People who try to opress others are afraid of their own introspection. They are too lazy to think beyond their own narrow minded, antiquated beliefs and question themselves because what is there might scare them. Instead of facing what is part of themselves, they will hurt others who make them see it in their own behaviours because society has placed a judgement on this aspect.
Honesty is truly the best policy, both when looking inside and outside one's self. The flip side of that is that one must be ready to face the consequences, and not everyone is mentally or emotionally equipped to admit to themselves that they are okay to be who they are. That other people are okay to be who they are.
Controling other people is NEVER an act that I can condone. Free will is a threat to those who are afraid of losing control. Those who control others are the ones who have no sense of self and must therefore strip others of their freedom in order to assure that they will remain in control.
Religion and politics are prime examples of how abusing one's power by keeping people uneducated, distracted, opressed and afraid can essentially make them bend to their will. Without fuel, the machine goes nowhere. As long as people are weak-minded and succumb to obsolete dogmatic rhetoric and fear tactics, those in power will remain there.
Questioning authority isn't just a catchphrase. It's a good idea.

[sildil]

110% agree.

If your beliefs can stand up to being re-evaluated, then they are worth standing and fighting for. There is nothing small and narrow-minded about changing your mind, about reassessing what you have been told in the light of what we know and have learnt about ourselves.

Where is Christian love in all this? And yes, I would go further, questioning authority isn't just a good idea, it's essential. Questioning doesn't mean rejecting, certainly not if it holds up under scrutiny, if anything it makes it stronger...and if it doesn't hold up? Then it couldn't have been very good in the first place.

[wickedtruth.livejournal.com]

Censorship is wrong, for whatever reason, when the people being censored are adults capable of making their own decisions.

[sildil]

Absolutely, I agree.

[nienna-weeper.livejournal.com]

*headdesk*

[sildil]

Quite. Heartbreaking isn't it?

[mirien.livejournal.com]

I wish I could be eloquent about this but I just want to rip someone's face off. I hope the asshole in question reads the part about Orien. I feel a Cal moment coming on...

[sildil]

Quite. Eloquence has finally left me, I've done the thoughtful and academic critique, now I am spitting blood.

[jaiden-s.livejournal.com]

I don't know the situation, but it sounds like something she should work out with whomever hid them.

It sounds very...odd. Had she discussed her religious beliefs with the person in question? Did he/she wander into her home and take them, or is it a family member? If it's the latter, then I think it's time for both of them to be brutally honest with each other.

[sildil]

Yes she had, and yes they have, already.

[jaiden-s.livejournal.com]

Then I hope it works out for them.

[sildil]

Thanks, I'll pass it on x

[eldraug.livejournal.com]

Voltaire stated "I may disagree with your words, but I will fight to the death your right to say them." Abby Hoffman said, "Question authority ruthlessly." Censorship is a wicked, vile thing that must be stopped at any cost. The most imporant type of speech the First Amendement of the US Constitution protects is unpopular speech -- which, at various times, would include Payne, Jefferson, Voltaire, Socrates, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. If you don't like it, then don't read it. One of the wonders of a free society -- freedom of choice. I agree completely with Marchwarden_23. Censorship is never right! Nor are threats, deception, or stalking.

Aside from the rhetoric and the civility I am trying to keep to the forefront, I'm feeling very Uigenna about the whole thing. It's a cheap and disgusting thing to treat a grown person like a misbehaving child. I might have to channel Ponclast and have some fun . . .

[sildil]

Exactly right. Freedom of speech and choice of reading matter, viewing material (unless it is actually illegal, obviously) and so on is what makes a society civilised. And as you say, at various times throughout history any number of those we now consider to be 'great' men and women were banned and/or hounded. You only have to look at the great and tireless workers in the anti-slavery or anti-apartheid movements to find examples.

Yeah...I have been channelling Ponky for quite some time. Or Cal in Orien mode.

[deathangelgw.livejournal.com]

*hugs and sighs* if you think too much on the stupid people, then you're gonna get an ambolism. *snuggles*

[sildil]

I won't, don't worry. Thinking about the stupid people doesn't do it, but NOT standing up for people against the stupid people might in my case. If we don't, if we let the bastards do this sort of thing to others, then we get the society we deserve and can't complain when they do the same thing to us.

[deathangelgw.livejournal.com]

yes, true, but we also give them ammunition. Need I mention a certain psychotic bitch that had once been in the LOTR fandom? But I agree, don't worry.