Kaeli

She looks tired.

Here’s the URL.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071023/Rowling_Toronto_071023/20071023?hub=Entertainment

I didn’t mean you personally wanted to ban the books. I should have said “they” and “their”, not “you” and “your”.

My feelings on banning books are actually mixed. I obviously disagree with it, but I do think parents have the right to exercise some control over what their children are exposed to. I’m toying with the idea of a “Restricted” section of the library which kids could only access with a permission slip from their parents. Problem is, some of the greatest authors would end up there: Shakespeare (Shylock), Mark Twain (Huckleberry Finn), Dostoevsky (Brothers Karamzov). Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid’s Tale) and so on.

I don’t have the answer, but I do think that the civilized debate we try to have here is part of the solution.

BTW, JKR is giving a reading, answering questions and holding a news conference in Toronto today. Even as we speak. Wonder what she’ll say about the fall-out.

Reyhan said,
“As for banning the books, I accept and will defend your right to try. And fight you all the way to stop you.”

I never said I was trying to ban the books. I’m the one who’s reading them after all & I’ve encouraged others to read them. Hardly the actions of a book banner.

All I said was that if parents don’t want their kids to read HP, then they don’t have to. And if parents have children in public schools, to which they are forced to pay taxes, then they have a perfect right to try to influence the curriculum of those schools.

I agree with what Matthew & Travis have said, nobody can force another person to believe anything. Which is why in this whole debate I’ve been trying to point out to both sides the flaws in their argumentation rather than focusing on the argument itself. Hopefully I’ve done that most of the time, although as with very important issues it’s sometimes hard to do.

I’d just like to thank Matthew & Travis for keeping this thread up as long as they have. I really thought it would’ve been shut down a long time ago.:)

There’s probably a really good chance that sometime in the near future, I’ll consider shutting down comment threads on these particular issues, and let the comments stand as they are. There is no point in going round and round. I’m going to consult with Matthew on this, and if we do decide to go in that direction, we’ll give plenty of notice.

Contrary to Travis’ exhortations moderate discussion is being ignored by many commentors on this thread.

This is not a forum to vent your spleen at others with differing views.

On this thread there appears to be no or little common-ground for further discussion. There has been some excellent discussion, for sure! But there has been too many snide and back-handed swipes at others. This is not what I believe this site is about.

No one is going to be able to convince others into their way of thinking or of their interpretation of scripture here. If you’re serious about winning people to your side do so by first living what we can all agree is good- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

If you cannot help yourself and post inflaming comments you will have your comments edited or deleted and you may banned from the site.

Thank you.

Matthew

signed,
many things, and least of all defined by my lesbianism.

That’s my story, and I’m sticking with it.

Does this piece of ‘back story’ change the way I read the books?
No.

Next!

Just as I was beginning to enjoy the Lovecraft discussion, this had to come up!

My belief that homosexuality is biologically based is based not on faith, but on the articles which I have read on the topic. I realize that that is not an unbiased process. For our purposes I Googled the topic of nature vs nurture with regards to homosexuality. The following site summarizes the arguments on either side succinctly:

http://www.borngayprocon.org/

I am more convinced by the pro arguments (the 50% concordance rate between identical twin brothers vs 20% for fraternal twin brothers and 4% concordance for non-twin brothers did it for me), but will allow there is some room for nurture.

Another perspective on the same question comes from a close gay friend, who has said to me with incredulity: “Who would choose to be this way?”

As you say, whether homosexuality is a matter of nature or nurture doesn’t really change anything. What it comes down to is that the Bible says it’s a sin. And that is something that I don’t think we can sort out through debate. All we can do is agree to disagree and live and let live.

As for banning the books, I accept and will defend your right to try. And fight you all the way to stop you.