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Banned Not banned
Debate Score:13
Arguments:12
Total Votes:13
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 Not banned (12)

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Should the Bible be removed from school libraries where questionable books are banned?

Certain classic books, including Catcher in the Rye, Hamlet, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, have and are continuing to be banned in school libraries because they have been ruled as containing offensive and obscene words, or depicted or incited acts of violence. Here are some excerpts from a book, which to the best of my knowledge, has not been banned with other books in said libraries:

Sexual obscenity:

"Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt. For she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses." (Ezekiel 23: 19-21)

"and lusted after her paramours there, whose members were like those of donkeys, and whose emission was like that of stallions." (Ezekiel 23: 21, NRSV)

"And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also." (Genesis 38:7-10)

Inciting violence:

"And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them." (Leviticus 20:10-11)

A description of eating fecal matter:

"And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight. And the LORD said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them." (Ezekiel 4:12-13)

"But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?" (II Kings 18:27)


More obscenity:

"therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jerobo'am, and will cut off from Jerobo'am him that pisseth against the wall..." (I Kings 14:10)

 

These all are, as you might note, from the Bible. There is an effort in translations to clean these up, but, since many believe the Bible to be the unrefuted word of God, then, it would run counter to that to edit anything or remove any offensive passages. Should the Bible be banned, since it contains obscenity, incites violence, and is, at least in parts, unsuitable for children?

Banned

Side Score: 0
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Not banned

Side Score: 13
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I don't think any book should be banned, and banning more books will certainly not help this cause. If a school is going to have a bible, however, I think it would be hypocritical for them not to have at least some other religious texts: a Torah, the Koran, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana or the Bhagavad Gita for example.

I am aware of the reasons why some of the books are banned, and, to be honest, they suck. The books mentioned are some of the most important books in American literature, and to ban them is doing a disservice to all students. Huckleberry Finn is considered by some to be the most important novel in American history. Why a school would remove it from their library just because it uses the 'n' word (a word, that at the time when the book takes place, was used commonly) is beyond me.

Side: Not banned
1 point

Well, if a staff member or student wants to PUT a religious book there, the school should let them. But the school shouldn't feel obligated to put ALL religious texts in the library just because they have the bible.

I mean, then they would HAVE to put the Black Bible... and that's not good for PR.

Side: Not banned

I didn't say they should put all..but there should certainly be some. The Bhagavad Gita for example would be a good choice since it strongly influenced important American thinkers like Thoreau.

Side: Not banned
1 point

Well, banning of books is generally retarded... especially the books mentioned since they were fuckin' awesome.

Cather in the Rye is probably one of the greatest books i've ever read (i identified with Holden Caulfield greatly).

Huckleberry Fin uses the word nigger... so? My friends and I say it all the time... it's not like whenever the word nigger is said a black man dies.

the bible... a book used by people to help them get through tough times that would otherwise drive them to suicide... yeah, pretty retarded.

Most books shouldn't be banned from school libraries or school in general. I'm glad i never went to a school like this (whatever school is banning these books, i hope they die).

Side: Not banned
1 point

Who cares!?

You can buy whatever book you want and put it wherever you want. I don't see what the problem is. ...

Side: Not banned
1 point

I am a Christian. I LOVE JESUS. If a Jew or a Muslim is going to be all whiny about the BIBLE being in a school library, why don't you just put their scriptures in there as well. People these days.

Side: Not banned
1 point

Man, I dunno about your schools, but I've never seen a bible in a library before. But I've never looked either. :-)

Side: Not banned
1 point

.....................................................................Sense Fuckorship...............................................................

Side: banned
1 point

Teach your children to think critically and respect the rights of parents to limit access to books that offend their religious beliefs and there would be no need to ban any book, just the access to the books found offensive. I could care less what other children read and have access to, but I choose to control what my children are exposed to. It is my right and not the government's.

The truth remains that many people of faith believe in the authority of God over government law. It would be advised that our government not make a citizen choose between God's law and that of government. As long as government laws do not contradict God's law, there will be no issue.

The entire issue of banning certain books is grounded in their conflict with religious beliefs. The solution is controlling access to these books and curriculum that is offensive to these groups by allowing parents to opt out. Christian biblical law is not in conflict with our Constitution. Islamic law is. You may be wondering what does this have to do with book banning? It is the root of most misguided book banning policies. Where will it stop? Could we be seeing calls to ban books that question climate change science in the near future?

Side: Not banned

The Bible should not be removed but those violent passages should be removed because there are impressionable minds reading those violent passages.

Side: Not banned