Careful What You Ask For! Book Burning in Tennessee, with a Twist!

 Apparently, Christian nationalists--a kind of Christian who unites extremely conservative theological positions with hyper-nationalism and authoritarianism approaches to modern politics--have decided that book banning and book burning are "in" these days. And they do this with no sense of history or educational awareness that this is the very thing that other authoritarian, fascist governments have done and do, like Hitler's Nazi movement in Germany of the 1930s. 

In Texas, Florida, and Tennessee, along with other states throughout the US, there is a movement afoot to ban books, and in some cases, burn them, if the book offends the sensibilities of parents of children. What books are being banned? Books exploring issues of racism in this country, along with LGBTQIA+ young adult novels, because of the "vulgar" language, and discussion of sex, all which disturb some white, middle-class, able-bodied, heterosexuals children and their parents or guardians. 

I was delighted to read of the twist on such book burning in Tennessee, sponsored by anti-LGBTQIA+ pastor Greg Locke, whose group was burning books, including Harry Potter books and Twilight books. 

But, as reported by Rachel Shatto of advocate.com (Feb. 7, 2022), Chris Hardin and his husband, a gay couple, arrived at the book burning with a protest in mind as well. "Hardin's husband can be seen throwing a Bible on the fire and yelling, 'Hail Satan.'

It took him shouting 'I Burned a Bible!' several times before they stopped cheering and realized they'd been had,' Hardin wrote in the caption for the video... (Hardin's husband told the) cheering group, 'Keepin' my copies of Darwin's Origin of Species and Fahrenheit 451!'

When the crowd realized what he was saying, they suddenly turned on him and started demanding he leave, with several men attempting to escort Hardin and his husband off the premises. 

Once they reached their car, the couple staged one more protest as they shared a kiss to the cries of horror from those surrounding the vehicle.

'They aggressively threw us out but we had a chance to disgust them with a kiss before we left,' wrote Hardin.

Comments on the video praise the couple's bravery. 

'Honestly, regardless of however you feel about this move, that guy has balls of steel and is very brave for doing that,' wrote one."

Here's a link to the article, including the video: https://www.advocate.com/religion/2022/2/07/gay-man-burned-bible-protest-tennessee-book-burning.

Friends, the struggle is real. Librarians, bookstore owners, and parents are engaged in the struggle, being sure that book banning and book burning is not the last word.

And the church?

What has your church done today about book banning and book burning?

And would you join in and throw the Bible onto a fire? After all, there are stories of sex, bashing babies against rocks, and death of a savior figure. Religion and sex in the Bible. 

What would you and your church do?


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