Re: [asa] Nailing sacred things to the wall... and idols

I'd think it a mean-spirited and juvenile way of expressing an opinion, like burning a flag or
tearing up a picture of the Pope, but it wouldn't upset me.

As for people being more emotionally attached to the Bible in book form, as opposed to
cassette or computer disc, I think that's just a conditioned emotional to the more traditional
format. That's why people lay their hands on a book when testifying in court or taking an oath
of office, not a CD-rom. A black letter-bound volume that looks like the one you remember
your grandmother reading is probably going to evoke a bigger response than a mass paperback
with a green cover. A Jew would probably have a stronger response to a scroll Torah than to a
bound book, simply because he's more used to the former being treated with special reverence

__
Louise M. Freeman, PhD
Psychology Dept
Mary Baldwin College
Staunton, VA 24401
540-887-7326
FAX 540-887-7121

-----Original Message-----
From: "Dehler, Bernie" <bernie.dehler@intel.com>
To: "asa@calvin.edu" <asa@calvin.edu>
Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:58:00 -0700
Subject: [asa] Nailing sacred things to the wall... and idols

> From: http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=33156
>
> "The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights and the Christian
> Anti-Defamation Commission are calling for disciplinary action against
> biologist Paul Z. Myers. On July 24, he placed a video on his blog in
> which the Eucharist - the communion wafer that Catholics believe is the
> body and blood of Christ after it has been consecrated by a priest
> during Mass - was pierced with a rusty nail."
>
> This made me think. Would people on this ASA list be upset if Myers
> took a Bible and nailed it to the wall? How about a "Bible on CD?"
> What about a "Bible on cassette?" Just wondering as to some opinions.
> I suspect that nailing a Bible would upset many, but nailing a cassette
> would mean nothing ... why is that? Both the book and cassette are
> only vehicles for transmitting the message. Can this reveal if the
> Bible (in book form) has become an idol in the minds of some?
>
>

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Received on Tue Aug 12 16:33:48 2008