Rev. Erudite Redneck, B.S., B.S., M.A., M.Div.

Only now do you begin to see...

The thing about slippery slopes is, the further you slip down 'em, the slipperier they get...
 

Agreed: stupid.
 

In FL public schools, students have been equally encouraged to read all of the "Harry Potter" series in an attempt to get kids to read. Yes, the Christian right fought that too, but to my knowledge, neither group was forced to read either series. No one is forcing these kids to read this book. If the individual parents don't like it, their kids don't have to participate. Saying that reading this book is the same as watching the "Passion of the Christ" is like saying that "Harry Potter" encourages kids to become satanists. Neither is even close. Have they even READ this book?? It is fantastic and unless you are looking for the allegory, it isn't obvious. Most kids would not be able to identify the parallels.
 

This is how people with otherwise sound positions get labeled stupid and extreme: by being stupid and extreme. Grrrr.

--ER
 

When I was a kid, the first five of these books were read to us, in school. As I recall, Christianity is not discussed at all until the fifth.
And even so, the metaphors at large could be about anything, really. Yup, they're overreacting. Now, having said that...
I'm still not seeing a reason for you to quit that particular group, as those who wish to turn personal belief into public law are decidedly on the march.
 

Overreaction breeds overreaction. ... Maybe Lynn will back off some. And, yer right, of course. One overreaction does not an entire organization ruin.

--ER
 

Test.
 

'Nother test.
 

You might want to test "E". Just in case . . .
 

I, too, was read "The Chronicles of Narnia" in school. I think I was in first grade. Yep, Mrs. Touchton - my first crush. Like ER, it was years later before I saw any Christian connection. As a kid I just thought it was an awesome story. I always wanted to find a closet at Grandma's that would lead to Narnia.
 

I saw Lynn on TV last night on one of the conservative 24/7 talk shows, talking about this subject,
He endorsed the book as one that needed to be read, he endorsed the movie, but critizied gov. J.E.B. for having this be the only book in a statewide, State endorsed ,K-12 "reading contest". At least put another book on the list he said.
I've check their site for something about this, but the last press release was for Nov. 9. so until you see something 'from them' rather than 'about them', any reaction should be held to a minimum.
C.S. Lewis specifically said that he wrote these to tell the Christian story in an allagorical form. That makes a difference. What if J.K. Rawlings had said that she wrote the Potter books to tell the Satanist story in an allogorical form.
Would they even be in the book stores much less in the schools.
Intent, is important.

By the way I read these after I read the Lord of the Rings trilogy back in the 1960's. I thought they were boring, didn't flow well, and didn't get past the second book. I much prefered his Screwtape Letters.
It will be interesting to see how the kids take to this?
 

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Most kids wouldn't recognize allegaory if it smacked 'em across the face. These books are just damned good reads, some of the findest reading recollections of my childhood. They're classics, for Pete's sake. Well enough should have been left alone in this case, and Barry Lynn should just shut the hell up. The last things we need is another front in the culture war; we have plenty of fronts open already.

I feel another letter coming on.
 

It is just, when today's Disney Corp. gets involved in "classics", I wonder how true form they will be. Will they spend time on the adventure or on the battle? On the images or on the action? On the message or on the marketing?
My daughter loved the Chronicles, my sons didn't. I'm going to try to see the movie with them when it comes out, they're all adults at this stage, and see if it lives up to their childhood memories of the books.
 

Here's the contest site:
http://www.justreadflorida.com/
 

And here is what is on the site.
Damn big carrot don't you think.

Florida’s Journey Into the Land of Narnia: Contest Prizes
~ A reading in the arts contest that highlights the release of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" as a major motion picture ~

Each Winning Student From Each Category

Private Movie Screening and Award Ceremony at MGM Studios
3 days/2 nights stay at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resort
Dinner for Student and Parent(s)/Guardian(s) at Medieval Times in Orlando, Florida
Disney/MGM Weekend Pass for Student and Parent(s)/Guardian(s)
$100 Simon Malls Gift Card to the Florida Mall
$25 Gift Card from either Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Books-A-Million or Borders Books & Music
Apple IPod (elementary and middle school winner only)
Signed Movie Poster by children cast members of the film
Signed Book by Governor Jeb Bush and First Lady Columba Bush
Each Winning Student’s Classroom Teacher

Private Movie Screening and Award Ceremony at MGM Studios
3 days/2 nights stay at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resort
Dinner for Student and Parent(s)/Guardian(s) at Medieval Times in Orlando, Florida
Disney/MGM Weekend Pass for Teacher and Guest
$100 Simon Malls Gift Card to the Florida Mall
$25 Gift Card from either Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Books-A-Million or Borders Books & Music
$165.00 cash prize by PEOExperts
$25 Starbucks Gift Card
Signed Movie Poster by children cast members of the film
Signed Book by Governor Jeb Bush and First Lady Columba Bush
Each Winning Student’s Classroom

AMC Movie Theatre passes to ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe’
Movie Posters


Just Read, Florida!
325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1548
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone: (850) 245-0503
Fax: (850) 245-9530
JustRead@fldoe.org
 

say, are Oklahoma kids getting a chance at these spoils? If not why not? ER your the press, what gives?
 

ER, you know what my opinon is on this issue.

So you will understand when I say I think you made the right decision.

I believe when you look at a lot of AUSCS's issue points you will see similar overkill, but I may be wrong. I don't go to their site.
 

Now, arguably it doesn't matter if kids *get* the allegory--the allegory is there, and whatever stories kids are told do help form their sense of right, wrong, how stories "should" work out, and so on. Even if they don't realize it's an allegory, it's still gonna shape their thinking.

Having said that, first off, that's clearly not something one can legislate; and second, the fact is that Christian allegory *is* culturally important (they'd get it anyway, and it's worth understanding). And anyway, it's just a dumb ass argument. There are *way* better fights to have.

But it *is* a Christian allegory, no mistake. So is "The Velveteen Rabbit," which is a favorite of mine.
 

Holy smokes, Bitch, the Velveteen Rabbit is a Christian allegory? No freaking way. I never knew that, and I have a BA in English.

And I agree there are way bigger issues facing the country than this.
 

There was a short article (login needed: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/13/magazine/13wwln_consumed.html) in this Sunday's NY Times Magazine about the distributers of the Left Behind videos, at the end of which is this:

"There have been murmurs that Hollywood is more tuned into religious moviegoers since the astonishing box-office performance of Mel Gibson's 'Passion of The Christ,' but [Peter] Lalonde says he doesn't believe it. He mentions 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,' from the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. 'Great film,' he says, but 'there's nothing Christian about it.'"

So I suppose it depends on your p.o.v.
 

Mark, yo:

The following is why most of your rants against the organizations I generally support fall on deaf ears over here. You've put yourself in a box that filters out anything that doesn't confirm what you've already decided: "I don't go to their site."

Unless I'm misreading you. ... DO you ever read the positions and arguments of the people and groups you oppose, or do you just take your fellow righty travelers' word for it?

Just asking.
 

MBR, absolutely. I think AU just overreacted.

The main idea -- keeping church and churches as one thing, and keepin' the government and governments as totally separate other things (which says NOTHING about what individual Christians can and should or should not do as citizens of this SECULAR nation) -- is still sound.

Besides that: Gawdlemighty! If the U.S. WERE a Christian nation -- EVER, in history or in the present -- wouldn't all of us screwed-up followers of Christ be so totally ashamed at what is being done in His name?
 

That's actually a good point, ThePress...

I am not very proud of my elected representatives right this minute.

If I thought that any of them thought that they were engaging in the current hatespeak against one another in the name of Christ...

This is not what Christ came here for...
 

Every advocacy group whould hire one outside consultant who scans its press releases with one question in mind: "Do we sound completely crazy on this one?"
 

TStockman, that is a great idea.
 

I may have to agree with you on this one. It is still just a book. It's not like they tried to push the Bible. However, considering the source (Bush) you know that he is pushing an agenda and thought he could sneak this one in without anybody noticing. Although I believe the intent to be malicious it is just a book and it’s hard for me, someone who lives with a librarian, to say that someone shouldn't read any particular book. Shit, Star Wars is about good and evil too.
 

Christ:
Lord of Lords, and King of Kings!


Aslan Rules!