Just to play the Devil's advocate (note the intentional irony), let's say the the
critics are right and the book is anti-Christian and/or anti-religious. So what?
does that mean it has no place in a school library. I can see a Catholic school
rejecting the book, but in a public school don't atheist have a right to have their
views represented? I have the Left Behind series in my library. It is definitely
pro-Christian. It is in fact evangelical. So why not a pro-atheist series (and
one that is much better written than LaHaye/Jenkin's series)?
Pullman's defenders should stop quibbling about whether the series is
anti-Christian or anti-authoritarian or anti-whatever and defend it as a different
viewpoint on important moral questions. His books make you think and question your
beliefs and they are great stories. I guess for some that is a very dangerous
combination, but they are worth defending.
Tony
--------------------------------------------------
Tony Doyle, Library Media Teacher
Member California Young Reader Medal Committee
Livingston High School
Livingston, CA
tdoyle@MUHSD.K12.CA.US
Http://www.lhswolves.org/library/index.htm
Http://lhsblog.edublogs.org <http://lhsblog.edublogs.org/>
"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture; you just have to get people to
stop reading them."
Ray Bradbury
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