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The Associated Press reported yesterday that the Office for Intellectual Freedom for the American Library Association has published their list of most objected books.
AP says, "On the latest list of books most objected to at public schools and libraries, one title has been targeted nationwide, at times for sex and violence it contains, but mostly for the legal issues it raises."
That would be God's Word---the Bible.
Other's listed as objectionable are "Fifty Shades of Grey" and "I Am Jazz"-a transgender picture book.
Here's how books get on the "most objected list."
The association bases its list on news reports and on accounts submitted from libraries and defines a challenge as a "formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness."
The ALA, Associated Press says, "has long believed that for every challenge brought to its attention, four or five others are not reported."
James LaRue, director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom for the American Library Association, emphasizes the Library Association does not oppose having Bibles in public schools, because official guidelines note that the Bible "does not violate the separation of church and state as long as the library does not endorse or promote the views included in the Bible."
Why then does a student carrying their Bible to class, putting it on top their desk or even reading it, come under different scrutiny, with students often being denied that freedom---sometimes punished for their actions?
There have been dozens, if not hundreds of cases where students were denied the right to carry and/or read their Bible on campus.
While LaRue says he and the library organization doesn't mind having Bibles in the libraries, he does admit that he was concerned by legislation in Virginia that required parents be warned "if there will be assigned books with sexually explicit content" for required reading.
Why would he be concerned that parents would know what their children were required to read?
However, as it turned out, there is no worry---Governor Terry McAuliff (former head of the Democrat Party) vetoed the bill, killing the notion that parents should be notified.
LaRue says they get a few complaints about the Quran being in public school libraries, but fewer than the number of complaints regarding the Bible.
It's interesting how the battle against the Bible rages.
The content, or teaching in the Bible is challenged every day in public classrooms---on a variety of topics ranging from absolute eternal values to human sexual behavior to family to marriage to the sanctity of life.
Even the mere presence of the Bible in public school libraries is challenged by some---while they enjoy the very freedoms based on biblical truth.
American Founder Patrick Henry said, "The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed."
Teddy Roosevelt said, "Almost every man who has by his life work added to the sum of human achievement of which the race is proud, of which our people are proud, almost every such man has based his life-work largely upon the teachings of the Bible."
From the beginning of this country, the consensus among citizens and leaders has been the importance of the Bible to the well being of the country and the citizens.
Ulysses S. Grant said, "Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet anchor of your liberties; write its precepts on your hearts and practice them in your lives. To the influence of this book we are indebted for the progress made, and to this we must look as a guide in the future."
Upon hearing a man defaming God's Word, Andrew Jackson replied, "Sir, that Book is the Rock on which our Republic rests."
Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Bold. Be Blessed.
