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Holy Book Too Graphic for Public Consumption (Jan/Feb 2002)

If you ever wanted proof that the bible is too “hot” for public consumption consider the exchange below. Background: Some moralists in Nampa, Idaho, circulated a petition requesting that library material that could be offensive to children under the age of 18 be removed from the Nampa Library (the focus was on sexual material).

I wrote a guest opinion to the Idaho Press-Tribune (which serves Nampa) in which I supported (tongue-in-cheek) the idea of removing sexually explicit material (books of the bible). As you can see in my exchange with Jay Vail, the opinion page editor, my biblical citations were too “hot” to handle:

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Library critic Allen Marsh is right–there are books on sex that are available to Nampa library users under 18. Here are some examples of sexually charged books in the Nampa Library:

1. A man rapes a woman causing the woman’s brothers to slay every man in the rapist’s village. In addition the brothers take the women and children captive and loot the village. Is this any way to teach children the concept of justice?

2. A daughter-in-law disguises herself and seduces her father-in-law who thinks she is just a common harlot. She becomes pregnant and her father-in-law seeks to kill her until his whole family learns what he has done. Is this any way to teach children about marriage?

3. A man gets drunk and has sex with his daughters, getting both of them pregnant! With all the reports of incest should the library stock such books?

4. Favorable treatment of a “wise” leader who has hundreds of princesses and hundreds of concubines. Is this any way to teach children about monogamy?

5. Use of a young virgin to enable an old king to get an erection. Should young children be exposed to what appears to be child molestation?

6. Description of a son having sex with his father’s concubines in full view of everyone! This makes today’s television seem tame. Should children be taught that this is acceptable behavior?

7. Favorable description of a king who sends a man to his death so he can have his wife even as he loves another man. When in a good mood he exposes himself to people and locks up anyone who complains. And he loves to have sex with concubines! Should the tender minds of youngsters be exposed to such filth?

8. A mother-in-law instructs her daughter-in-law to sleep with a kinsman in order to have security. Should innocent children learn that the way to a secure life is through sex?

What are these sex books that the Nampa Library is making available to library users under 18? While the specific titles are listed at the end of this article, all of these books can be found collected in The Holy Bible.

This book is so sexually charged and so full of violence that Bishop Porteus declared nearly half of the Hebrew Bible (and some of the New Testament) to be too hot to handle.

One hopes that Allen Marsh and his hot-eyed minions will lead the charge to remove all the bibles from the Nampa Library so that library users under the age of 18 won’t be exposed to such blatant sexual depravity and bloodthirsty violence.

1. Book of Genesis (Genesis 34:1-31).
2. Book of Genesis (Genesis 38:11-26).

3. Book of Genesis (Genesis 19:31-38).

4. King Solomon in the Book of 1 Kings.

5. King David in the Book of 1 Kings (1 Kings 1:1-4).

6. Book of 2 Samuel (2 Samuel 16:22).

7. King David (1 Samuel 18:1-5; 2 Samuel 1:26; 2 Samuel 6:20-23; 2 Samuel 11)

8. Book of Ruth (Ruth 3:1-18).

In a message dated 12/26/01 Jay Vail, opinion editor, writes:

Dear Mr. Bennett:

I regret to inform you that after reviewing your guest opinion, Managing Editor Vickie Holbrook has determined that it is too graphic for our readers. Therefore, we won’t be able to publish it in it current form. Thanks for your contributions to our Opinion Page, and I hope to hear from you in the future.

Dear Mr. Vail:

You mean The Holy Bible is too graphic for publication!

Gary

“I’m an aerospace consultant,” writes Foundation member Gary L. Bennett. “I took early retirement from NASA but NASA shouldnÕt be “blamed” for my “heretical” views. I have a PhD in physics and I’ve worked on a number of space missions.”

Freedom From Religion Foundation