Banning Tolkien, some questions

[Iarwain]

I think that's fascinating, Eruwen. I'd like to visit your school. One thing I don't like. If the administration has reasons for banning fantastical literature from the school, they should allow discussion of the material in class, at least to explain why it is wrong.

About the dancing, this is nothing new. Just watch the movie "Footloose". Dancing was banned by the puritan colonials that first settled on the east coast. As far as I know, many Christian churches do not allow dancing within the walls of their buildings. However, I don't think dancing should be prohibited at all times, as can be quoted from Ecclesiastes 3:4,

a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance

Drinking, smoking, gambling, all damaging and addictive habits. If I ran the school, I would impose these bans also.

Personally, I think that "fellowship" with "liberals" is a good opportunity to share Christ with others, and should not be banned, lest there be a ban on evangelism.

The movies bit makes it a bit extreme, but after all these people are just trying to keep the students pure in heart and mind, and Hollywood isn't the best place to find purity.

The separatist stance is contradictory to Christ's own words in Matthew:

28:19 Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 28:20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

On Tolkien, I believe that before sensoring books, the administration should take a closer look at the Literature that they are banning. Blind restrictions are never a good thing, and they always open up others to criticism that they might otherwise not deserve.

Those are my thoughts. Just wanted to let everyone know that these ideas are not totally unheard of, or even considered completely ridiculous to everyone.


Iarwain


P.S. Elder Galadriel, I know from experience that Catholic schools tend to be very much on the liberal side (by my standards). They like to enforce uniforms and service requirements (the latter not a bad thing, the former highly objectable), but beyond that they are content. I, of course, am not Catholic, though I attend papist schools.

P.P.S. Come now, everyone! Isn't it common knowledge that Jonny got his Gun by Dalton Trumbo is the most banned book of all time? It makes perfect sense, being an anti-war novel published just before the beginning of U.S. involvement in WWII.

[ April 30, 2003: Message edited by: Iarwain ]