I will be burning 1000 copies of Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard on Saturday, September 11th.

[onehandle]

I expect a personal call from a member of the White House cabinet and a public comment from President Obama on the matter.

[ProSense]

1. Let me guess:

You're doing an impression of the lunatic whose actions would have offended billions of people?

[Raster]

4. This entire country should be standing up saying that burning Koran is

completely unacceptible. We don't burn books. Period. We read them.

[ProSense]

6. This was a despicable episode

It could have sparked an international incident. Of course, some people seem to think Muslims in the U.S. don't count. The insensitivity is appalling.

[Raster]

I could not agree more. This country needs to be building bridges, not burning them.

The world is made of many countries, many cultures. If we do not respect them, they will not respect us. I can not believe that more people, Congress, the media have not slapped this down AND HARD.

[joeglow3]

39. Why do burning flags and dipping crucifixes in urine not garner this same reaction???

Again, we must stand up for ALL people's freedom of expression, no matter how much we may disagree with it.

[amandabeech]

33. The First Amendment clearly protects book burning

if done in accordance with local safety ordinances fairly applied.

That sentence cost me a lot, and I mean a lot, of dough.

[immoderate]

35. Clearly it does. But what does book burning symbolize?

It's anti-intellectual. It says people cannot be trusted in their thoughts. It elicits an image of a dark and superstitious age. It should not be tolerated by Americans. I can't stop it. And I would not use any force to stop that stupid motherfucker. But I can shun it or ignore it, or denounce it and deplore it.

If the media would appropriately ignore it, I don't care if he has a marshmallow roast.

--imm

[amandabeech]

36. It also means that the pastor and his flock can't stand Islam.

Don't over-intellectualize things in a country that has long been skeptical of intellectualism.

[immoderate]

42. Isn't thinking allowed here?

How can one be skeptical of intellectualism? That's kind of thinking that thinking doesn't work. Maybe scared would be a better choice of words.

--imm

[amandabeech]

46. Some thinking is allowed here.

But I wouldn't do too much of it when trying to understand the pastor's actions.

[immoderate]

47. OK. I have been warned.

:hi:

--imm

[totodeinhere]

37. What would you think about burning Mein Kampf? n/t

[joeglow3]

38. Get the fuck out of here

One of the tough parts of living in America is not only accepting, but standing up for rights guaranteed to all of us by our Constitution, no matter how disgusting we may find it.

[immoderate]

41. Certain actions, though legal and protected, are nonetheless dispicable.

--imm

[joeglow3]

49. Why is burning the Koran so bad, but putting a crucifex is urine is not????

Sorry, but that is a bullshit response.

[immoderate]

51. OK, let's look at the history of packing crucifixes in urine.

Oh wait, there is none. Oops. Not a great analogy.

Serrano's photograph of a cheap plastic crucifix in piss made, for some, an artistic statement. That's a matter of taste. Art critics wrote about it. Al D'Amato was extremely offended. But it did not foment any deaths or riots.

Book burning, OTH, has a long history, and makes a strong political statement. It is ALWAYS an assault on free thought. Someone is trying to restrict the way people can receive ideas. Ironically, and maybe subjectively, though I'm an atheist, I grew up in a family where books were considered sacred, and crucifixes had no power (though I have no urge to piss on one.) Bibles and Korans have an appropriate place in the mythology section of the library. The folly they represent should be there as a warning to humans about the dangers of superstition.

So, one is an assault on individual thought, the other is not. Is that enough of a difference for you?

Edit to add: I would not do anything to stop the book burning. It's protected. But look at this in context. Burn books, demonize a religion, whip up hatred, create scapegoats. Where have I heard that before?

--imm

[Jackpine Radical]

2. The shade of L. Ron Hubbard blesses you form the Land of the Cleared.

The worst that could happen is that you will cause a small shortage of Dianetics books & cause a reprint run to be a little larger, much to the profit of the Prophet.

As for the Koran thing, I just look at it as our fundie nutcases trying to poke a stick in the eyes of their fundie nutcases.

Hole cow, Spellcheck flags "fundie nutcases." Doesn't the stupid program know English?

[Hissyspit]

3. LOL

Spellcheck changed it to "hole cow?"

http://www.inquisitr.com/16188/hole-y-cow-is-this-the-most-disturbing-thing-you-have-seen-this-year/

[Jackpine Radical]

9. After a day like today, I can't type for shit.

And I'm not that great at the best of times.

[woo me with science]

27. Bwah! nt

[jenmito]

43. "As for the Koran thing, I just look at it as our fundie nutcases trying to poke a stick in the

eyes of their fundie nutcases." No-HE was trying to poke a stick in the eyes of ALL Muslims. He called the whole RELIGION evil.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. I'll be printing out most of my ill conceived posts and putting them

in the burn barrel this weekend.

[Uzybone]

7. You have to get liberal icons like Olberman and Schultz to rant on your act of idiocy first.

Then get the stalwarts of FOX news and the rest of the M$M to interview you countless times.

Maybe then Obama can rescue you from your foolishness.

[BrklynLiberal]

8. Will we ever learn that to merely point and laugh is sometimes the best response...

[Retrograde]

10. I'll settle for burning the toast like I usually do

if I try to function without my morning coffee. If the White House tries to call I hope they remember about the time difference.

[ensho]

11. lol

nt

[WI_DEM]

12. I will be praying and fasting on whether to burn my copy of THE THREE STOOGES GO AROUND THE WORLD IN

A DAZE.

[Imajika]

13. Xenu will not be happy...

...and according to many in our media you should be stopped from burning this sacred Dianetics book.

I predict thousands of Scientologists out in the streets rioting and threatening to kill people for your blasphemous crime!

Also, many people will feel the need to explain that it isn't just Scientologists that blow up stuff and attack people when their holy book is destroyed - Christians do it too, well, almost, but not quite, but they get mad and scary which is nearly as bad and makes them equally crazy!

[mkultra]

14. Where we attacked by Scientology extremists or something?

[old mark]

15. Yes, but no one noticed....nt

[opihimoimoi]

16. LOL,,,thts the best kind of "ATTACK"...the ones NO ONE NOTICES"

Attention Diversion Dept Success Ratio hits the roof lately what with Whacko GOPers attack Mode...

those are the ones known as Psyops, brainwashing, propaganda, etc

[mitchum]

23. Well, that new Cruise movie sucked even more than usual

[boppers]

24. Some interesting history:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snow_White

"Operation Snow White was the Church of Scientology's name for a conspiracy during the 1970s to purge unfavorable records about Scientology and its founder L. Ron Hubbard. This project included a series of infiltrations and thefts from 136 government agencies, foreign embassies and consulates, as well as private organizations critical of Scientology, carried out by Church members, in more than 30 countries;<1> the single largest infiltration of the United States government in history<2> with up to 5,000 covert agents.<3> This was also the operation that exposed 'Operation Freakout', because this was the case that initiated the US government investigation of the Church.<3>"

[old mark]

25. See? Who noticed that? nt

[IndianaGreen]

17. You might get a call from Tom Cruise

Can you get Tom's autograph for me?

[Jennicut]

18. This would be like a tree falling in a forest...no one would notice.

Except for maybe Germany, where everyone would jump for joy.

[woodpeckercider]

19. Hahaha

priceless!

[Ignis]

20. I'm offended.

How dare you fill Scientology's coffers by buying 1000 copies of that trash.

:evilgrin:

[slackmaster]

21. That might qualify you to be designated as SP2

If so, welcome in advance to the club!

I got a personal email from a lawyer for the Church of Scientology demanding that I cease and desist something I was doing that they didn't like.

[Ikonoklast]

22. Anonymous is Legion and has many allies.

Welcome.

[awoke_in_2003]

26. Beware the wrath...

of Tom Cruise :)

[onehandle]

30. "Cruise Determined to Strike In U.S."

I ignored that briefing. What's the worse that could happen?

[NoPasaran]

34. Battlefield Earth 2

:scared:

This is nothing to joke about!

[kiranon]

28. Just think about burning them and they will self destruct. n/t

[PurityOfEssence]

29. Interesting: another religion created by a middle-aged businessman...

Hmmm...

[and-justice-for-all]

31. The HORROR!!!!! aaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

Some one get Onehandle his/her 15min.... :sarcasm:

[Umbral]

32. You may get a 'Thank You' note from Bridge Publications, but I wouldn't expect much more than that.

[CLANG]

40. Don't do it man. It's not the right thing to do.

[quakerboy]

44. Wouldnt that require you to purchase

1000 copies of said?

[Orsino]

45. But should you?

Shouldn't they be pulped and recycled instead?

[rasputin1952]

48. There is something inherently evil about destroying, or on a lesser scale, banning

any written work, or silencing any oral work.

Of course, not everyone is required to read anything, nor is there a requirement to accept what is read, (or spoken). The whole idea behind placing ideas in book and other forms of media is to preserve them for the future. I have a copy of Mein Kampfand there is nothing in it I agree with. I got it to delve into the psyche of a maniac, I keep it for reference, nothing more, (btw, it is poorly written and rambles on to the point of absurdity).

Anyone who advocates burning books is a fool, anyone who advocates banning books is a fool. Someone much wiser that I said something to the effect of, "where books burn, soon people will burn", this sentiment is one of the great truths. The loss of the Library at Alexandria helped to bring in one of the great periods of darkness and ignorance, the amount of knowledge lost is astounding.

[Exilednight]

50. Phone for ya. I think it's Tom and Katie Cruise.

[ThoughtCriminal]

52. I think the Scientologists would pay you to do this

Every religion needs the "We're being oppressed for our beliefs" routine. You should call them and threaten NOT to do it.