Question about the Catholic Church; concerning banned books.?

J

Jennifer

New member
>>>I take the first amendment quite seriously and and it concerns me that any books are banned but especially these.<<<

The books you mention are no longer banned by the Catholic Church. The Church has not published a list of banned books since 1966.

So, you can rest easy that the Big Bad Evil Catholic Church is not out to try to squelch the First Amendment.

What's more, when the Church banned a book, it only prohibited CATHOLICS from reading it. The ban did not apply to non-Catholics. And since the USA had very few Catholics in the 19th century -- when "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "Tom Sawyer" were published -- the ban did not affect very many Americans.

The Church has the right to issue proclamations -- including bans on certain books -- whenever it deems something to be a threat to the faith of individual Catholics.

As for the books you mention, I imagine that they contained certain things that were objectionable in some way -- sexual or religious, for instance. Despite whatever good points they may have had.

With regard to "Uncle Tom's Cabin," in particular: its author, Harriet Beecher Stowe, was the daughter of Lyman Beecher -- who was a raging anti-Catholic bigot.

So, while I have never read "Uncle Tom's Cabin," I imagine that there was perhaps some anti-Catholic elements to it. Not unreasonable to assume that Beecher's anti-Catholicism influenced his daughter, which in turn influenced her literary work.
.
 
I was looking through the list of books banned by the Catholic Church, and was absolutely shocked. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Adventures of Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Mockingbird, James and the Giant Peach, and Uncle Tom's Cabin!!!!! Why on earth do children's classics such as James and the Giant Peach, and Mark Twain's two most famous novels have need to be banned? And what is wrong with To Kill a Mockingbird and Uncle Tom's Cabin? They are two wonderful books concerning racism and discrimination in our country, they are to inform people of the hell that African Americans went through. I do not understand this at all, if the Church is going to ban books at all why not things like The Secret, or books supporting the Masonic faith: they contradict the teachings of the Catholic Church, but you could hardly call books about racial discrimination, slavery, and innocent children's novels to be harmful to Catholic faith. Can someone please explain this to me; I take the first amendment quite seriously and and it concerns me that any books are banned but especially these.
 
I did not know they did that and would be interested in your source. But I could understand them banning any book by Mark Twain as he was an atheist.
 
The Catholic Church takes its teaching role very seriously, and seeks to make sure that Catholics only read literature that is based on truth. I don't know what the current status of these books would be.

The Church has tended not to issue bans recently. She prefers to teach principles. There is also so much literature these days, that ploughing through them to decide on what to ban, or not, would be a full-time, mammoth task.

The ban list may be from several decades ago, I would think. If Mark Twain was an atheist( as stated by another), then that would clearly be the reason there. Who wrote "To Kill a Mockingbird"? I studied it at school (Catholic).

These are just my thoughts. I'm not overly certain.
 
A Jewish Rabbi and a Catholic Priest met at the town's annual 4th of July picnic. Old friends, they began their usual banter.

"This baked ham is really delicious," the priest teased the rabbi. "You really ought to try it. I know it's against your religion, but I can't understand why such a wonderful food should be forbidden! You don't know what you're missing. You just haven't lived until you've tried Mrs. Hall's prized Virginia Baked Ham. Tell me, Rabbi, when are you going to break down and try it?"

The rabbi looked at the priest with a big grin, and said, "At your wedding."
Labels: Jokes
This makes me feel peaceful...
Psalm 42:1
As a hart longs for flowing streams,
so longs my soul for thee, O God.

--------------------
C.S. Lewis once said that there were times that he wondered if we really desire heaven, but that much more often he wonders if we have ever really desired anything else. Everything that we truly love is loved, not only because it is loveable, but because it participates in a mysterious way in Him who is ultimately Loveable because He is love. That is why we cannot live on bread alone and why water still leaves us thirsty. We need more than physical or even emotional needs met. We need God and our hearts are restless till they rest in Him. That is why Jesus gives us the water we may drink and never thirst again. Today, drink of the Holy Spirit and let that living water well up in you to eternal life for someone you love.

Catholic Exchange
 
I was given every one of those books for reading assignments in my Catholic schools growing up. The Church has not had a banned-book list since before most, if not all, of those were written. So whatever list you are reading is just plain fake.
 
I was given every one of those books for reading assignments in my Catholic schools growing up. The Church has not had a banned-book list since before most, if not all, of those were written. So whatever list you are reading is just plain fake.
 
I was given every one of those books for reading assignments in my Catholic schools growing up. The Church has not had a banned-book list since before most, if not all, of those were written. So whatever list you are reading is just plain fake.
 
Back
Top