A couple of days ago I made my first outing to St Paul's bookstore near the Cathedral. Yes, for the first time. It was a flight of curiosity.
Like the Kingdom of Heaven I heard you find both the good and the bad in there and indeed that was the case. But I wasn't prepared for just how bad in some cases. I don't mean the books by Joan Chittister either (ahem, sister). But rather, quite to my surprise several copies of one of Christopher Hitchen's lastest attempts at writing a book, namely "God is not so Great How Religion Poisons Everything." Quite a surprising find I must say. Well yes, I had a quick peek, only to discover a lot of drivel but it does raise the question of just why they would sell that kind of literature and make a profit out of it? Where does one draw the line?
If the excuse is to let Catholics see the "other side" I must say that just doesn't cut it. While we no longer have an index of forbidden books Catholics are still required to be responsible in their reading and not to endanger their faith. To expose all and sundry's curiosity to such a book is not a good idea. I don't think we'd play such a loose game if the matter were physical rather than spiritual health. Secondly, I'm quite sure there are many other places such a book could be bought if someone is really that desperate (and desperate you'd have to be).
Oh but I did also notice one small copy of a book that's supposed to answer all these atheists. What a relief. Diversity is saved.
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2 comments:
Its interesting what you see in St Pauls bookshop. I myslef bothe find the good and the bad in there and the bad outweighs the good in some aspects. I suppose it is "what sells".
Im curious as to why a Christian and supposedly "Catholic " bookstore is holding copies of books by Hitchens. If they have gone to that level why dont they stock some erotica as well?
Yes, I myself was expecting to find the literature by liberal nuns right along side say, the Navarre bible (which I did). But stocking Hitchen's atheist propaganda was something else.
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