i asked for it, and when i asked why they kept it behind the front desk, they said "well, it's adult or questionable material, we have to". why is it questionable material?
2007-03-14 13:28:25 · 10 answers · asked by kelleygaither2000 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Granted I might be going off of stereotypes of Alabama, but even stereotypes have kernel of truth to them. I surmise why they keep Dawkins brilliant treatise against religion, “The God Delusion”, behind the counter, accessible only to people who ask for it, has a lot to do with the hyper-religiosity that is common among southern Bible belt states like Alabama.
People, like those native to Alabama, hold pretty orthodox and literalistic interpretations of Christianity and the Biblical text it is based on. Dawkins promotes evolution, which is diametrically opposed in principle, to a literal reading of the Bible, especially the Genesis account. Hence, like most people who believe dogmatically in something, they seek to repress contrasting points of view, because they know that the pervasiveness of their beliefs is dependent on keeping the faithful away from perspectives that could easily shatter unsubstantiated beliefs.
A less sinister reason is that the library might want to genuinely preserve the written works of all people, regardless of their opinions, from a population of people who would seek to destroy their works. I have heard that is common in such Christian fundamentalist communities for Christians to walk into bookstores and buy every book that is antagonistic towards Christianity, and it is also common for many Christians to check out every book in the library that is adverse to Christian teaching, and then these people will destroy these works so no one else can be influenced by them.
The library’s policy might be applied to Richard Dawkins book to thwart people with less than good intentions from preventing the genuinely curious from reading the book. I hope against hope that it is this latter conviction that is dictating library policy more than the former mentality of religious bigotry and censorship.
2007-03-16 11:47:18 · answer #1 · answered by Lawrence Louis 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They probably got enough complaints from people (for one dumb reason or another, IMO) that the only way to keep those people happy and still be able to keep the book in the library was to keep it behind the front desk. Really, having it behind the front desk does not keep anyone from reading the book, it just keeps people from coming across it when they they are just browsing the shelves, but it can still be found through the catalog.
2007-03-15 02:16:37 · answer #2 · answered by BlueManticore 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like censorship to me. Are you living in a God fearin' area? My guess is that there is fear that the idea might catch on with the young and impressionable. You might want to point out to your librarian that it is a public library and therefore should be secular, so they should not be censoring what people can pick up on the shelves. I worked in a library of a Catholic College and they had all of the books about Popes and Priests molesting alter boys locked up in a room in the basement. That was their right because they are a private Catholic College but a public library should not be doing that.
2007-03-14 13:34:53 · answer #3 · answered by -- 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The book suggests that 'religion' in general (or especially, Christianity) is a superstition! It goes against many modern day and old time beliefs. Thus, some feel it necessary to only 'allow' this material to be viewed by an adult (type of) mind.
Some readers have left reviews here ...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0618680004/ref=cm_cr_dp_pt/102-6887342-0438532?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books
Could be interesting reading but me thinks further understanding of the author is demanded to understand his work fully! He could be a fruitcake! No, I have not read this yet. I prefer The Bible, myself.
Hope this helps!
The Ol' Sasquatch Ü
2007-03-14 13:48:15 · answer #4 · answered by Ol' Sasquatch 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i am going to come out in want of the library right here and say that's not a controversy that they are censoring the e book, particularly retaining human beings's correct to study it. that's plausible that a lot of human beings complained and particularly than thoroughly eliminate it from the shelf they compromised and positioned it in the back of the table. yet another excuse may be to make certain that it is not stolen by ability of a fanatic attempting to lead away from others from reading it. It sucks that it should be a controversy, yet, regrettably, historic previous is full of human beings attempting to suppress the written note.
2016-12-02 00:37:20 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
For the same reason, some people find Creationism, oh sorry Intelligent Design an appropriate science topic.
2007-03-14 13:52:11 · answer #6 · answered by sapientia2010 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because it's about God not existing. You live in a Religous State, and they probably also need to be careful of people destroying it.
2007-03-14 14:10:34 · answer #7 · answered by Flugs 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because you live in Alabama!
2007-03-14 16:00:27 · answer #8 · answered by nanlwart 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are doing their own censorship. The librarians are trying to impose religion on you and are are afraid that if you read it, you will know stuff that they don't.
2007-03-14 13:33:48 · answer #9 · answered by Aldo the Apache 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Narrowmindedness and that Bible Belt Republican mentality C.
2007-03-14 13:32:36 · answer #10 · answered by Persiphone_Hellecat 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋