Book Bannings and Stumbling Blocks

I was over at LaShawn’s, where a couple commenters are talking about how silly it is to go ballistic over Rowling and completely ignore Pullman. Assuming the book banner is a Christian, which Laura Mallory, discussed at the link, says she is, one would think that he or she would be more interested in getting the works of a militant atheist like Pullman off the shelves. I guess ignorance must be the reason why she hasn’t gone after him. I would consider Pullman to be pretty famous, but I also think Hermann von Helmholtz is famous, so my judgment is obviously suspect.

Anyway, I was thinking about book banning, which I obviously don’t support, and also thinking about the fact that the His Dark Materials sequence is a poster child for the kind of books I would not want my child reading (at least not unguided), and I suddenly realized what motivates book banners of the Christian stripe. I had always thought they were just being unreasonable, but I realized that they believe that these books present a stumbling block.

Romans 14 says:

1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written:
“ As I live, says the LORD,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”
12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

So I was thinking about the Biblical argument to be made against the actions of people like Laura Mallory and teetotallers of all stripes (not just in relation to alcohol). On the one hand, they do believe they are removing stumbling blocks from other people’s ways; but on the other hand, as Paul points out, there is nothing unclean of itself.

As a Christian, it is my duty to avoid placing stumbling blocks in my fellow Christians’ way. I might choose not to talk about Harry Potter or D&D in front of people who I know don’t approve. That decision doesn’t change the fact that, for me, those are perfectly harmless pursuits, and others should acknowledge that. Let not him who does not eat judge him who eats.

Ms. Mallory, the person for whom these books are a stumbling block is you.