Does Jesus support book-burning?

Question

This mom is trying to get Harry Potter banned, even though she admits she's never read the book. Is this a common view among Christians?

http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=32&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=14074&change_well_id=2

It is sad when the 16 year old in the article shows more intelligence than the woman.

Answer 1

Jesus probably not.
The Catholic church considered that printing press were instruments of the devil. They were probably right since the printing of the Gutenberg Bible in a language other than latin made many people read it themselves for the first time and protestantism erupted.
Of course some want to ban Harry Potter. This book, now translated in more than 80 different languages is more read and certainly more enjoyed than the Bible. This is, of course, unacceptable. If people study science for their enlightenment and Harry Potter for their enjoyment, there is no place left for old middle eastern tales and legends...

Answer 2

I read the link you included, but already have an opinion on book burning/banning. God gives us a free will & doesn't impose His will upon us, but allows us to make our own choices. By His example, I believe we Christians can tell others how we feel, but we need to allow them to choose for themself how they will believe. Our right to free speech means that I can say or write what I want to. If I don't like the shows on t.v., I can change the channel, rent a movie, get NetFlix or turn off the t.v. If I don't approve of a book that has been published, then I reserve the right to not read it. If we Christians, well-meaning as our intent may be, go about burning/banning books we don't approve of (especially ones we have not read), then we are giving those who disagree with our viewpoints the same permission to burn/ban Bibles, Christian-themed videos, and books written by Christian authors. It's a two-way street. We don't need to be hypocrites. We can state our views, try some persuasion if we must, and then let others make their own choices. As a Christian parent myself, if I find a book or movie objectionable, then it is off limits to my kids - plain and simple. When they are adults, they can read or watch what they want to. If one doesn't like what one reads, or sees, or hears, then one can decide to not open the book, turn on the t.v., view the movie or listen to the music. It's that simple.

FYI - I used to hear bad things about the Harry Potter books and I discouraged my son from reading them when he was younger because of what I heard. I never once opened up the books to see for myself what they contained. A couple weeks ago, a Harry Potter movie was on t.v. and I was intrigued, so I watched it with my kids. It was actually pretty good and had good moral lessons in it. We ought not to judge without getting the facts!

Answer 3

Not all Christians are like that. I'm a Christian, and I have never burned a book in my life. I own a bookstore. I carry Harry Potter books. I've read them, seen the movies, and am currently awaiting July 21 when the new one comes out. I also watch Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica, and Firefly. There is such a thing as perspective, and some people don't have it.

Answer 4

Yes, when many became believers, they burned their books regarding spiritism.

Acts 18 & 19 "And many of those who have become believers would come and confess and report their practices openly. Indeed, quite a number of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them up before everybody. And they calculated together the prices of them and found them worth fifty thousand pieces of silver."

If you have something that you know God does not approve of, and you want to please him, would it be right to just give it away to someone else? Would you not be harming them? It is best to destroy anything that may be harmful. No matter what the value.

Of course, this would be something done in private at your home, not a public spectical. The trash can would also work. The smart thing to do is not buy it in the first place.

Answer 5

No I do not think Jesus would support book burning there is nothing wrong with Harry Poter they should be forced to read it or hear the story. but there is record of witch craft books being burnt in the bible not asked for by Jesus possible initiated by Paul ?

Answer 6

Yes, in the book of Kingfish ch 2 ,Jesus burned not only Harry Potter books but Tom Sawyer as well.But it was Jesus (Hay-Zeus)Hernandez .

Answer 7

Yes, it's very common for Christians to judge things in which they have no information -- and no, Jesus would not approve of that, according to his teachings.

Answer 8

No that was Elijah....oh, that was bull burning

18 "I have not made trouble for Israel," Elijah replied. "But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the LORD's commands and have followed the Baals. 19 Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."

20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him."
But the people said nothing.

22 Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the LORD's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23 Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God."
Then all the people said, "What you say is good."

25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire." 26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it.
Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout louder!" he said. "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me." They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which was in ruins. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Your name shall be Israel." 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs [a] of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood."

34 "Do it again," he said, and they did it again.
"Do it a third time," he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."

38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!"

40 Then Elijah commanded them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let anyone get away!" They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.