Warsaw (AFP) - Catholic priests in Poland burned books they say are sacrilegious this weekend, including tomes from British author J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of fantasy novels. "We obey the Word," priests said in a Facebook post showing photographs of the public book burning and quoting Biblical passages from the book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament. One passage exhorting believers to destroy the enemies of God includes the command to "burn their idols in the fire".
The post, on a page run by the Catholic "SMS from Heaven" evangelical group, stirred controversy and has gone viral. Photographs show three priests carrying a basket of books and other items, including an African-styled face mask through a church to an outside fire pit. Priests are seen saying prayers over the fire pit where other items, including a book from the Twilight vampire-themed fantasy romance series, a 'Hello Kitty' umbrella and a Hindu religious figurine, are also burning. Father Jan Kucharski, the priest in the Gdansk parish where the book burning took place, told the natemat.pl news website on Monday that they had burned items "linked to the occult and magic."
"Aside from the books, there were talismans and amulets. Parishioners brought them to put things in order" as part of spring cleaning, added the priest, who is also listed as an exorcist on the Gdansk diocese official website. The burning took place in front of his church after Sunday mass. Kucharczyk dismissed comparisons to the cultural censorship of totalitarian regimes like Nazi Germany. "We know what's harmful to our faithful so that's why we held an event like this. I'd even call it evangelical," he told natemat.pl.
The absolute lads, but I'm not deleting my Index collection.
Ayden Diaz
April Fools I guess? Only ever heard evangelicals get mad about them.
Lincoln Scott
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Michael Foster
Based Poland is at it again. Though I am disappointed they didn't drill holes in the H*rry Poofter books before hand. It would have made burning it much smoother and easier. Why am I not suprised?
Isn't this going far? Sure J.K Rowling is a degenerate who retcons her crap constantly to virtue signal, but to burn it? I wouldn't exactly call Harry Potter evil. And Hello Kitty? C'mon, I understand people who revolve their life around consumer crap are retarded, but I wouldn't say it's the Brand's fault. Those types are always going to find something to attach themselves to.
If its just "consumer crap" whats the point of getting upset that its being burned.
Jackson Lee
Why not? Pop culture franchises revolve around shallow consumerism. It's the only reason they're so heavily shilled everywhere.
Justin Martinez
One would argue because it's pointless and a waste of time
True, but I think it's a much more deep rooted issue that burning them isn't going to help. But by all means ago ahead, I just think it's a waste of time. What about burning useful things, like things like lgbt kids books.
Kevin Adams
Yeah, in the end burning those books isn't going to achieve much. But pop culture (especially movies and secular music) has done more to normalize faggotry and sexual immorality than all gender studies books in the world.
Matthew Rodriguez
I agree 100%, I seriously can't stand turning on the radio and hearing the latest hits about "Muh dik" or "Partys haha xDddd we so drunc". Modern TV isn't much better, but I am preaching to the choir at this point.
Andrew King
Seeing the types that the Harry Potter and Twilight books spawned I would say burning them is a kindness in itself. Then there is the symbolism of burning such things, the optics of doing it(seeing Ive already seen a bunch of hp fags screech about it), and there is the spiritual side of it. Nothing wrong with burning the modern gods that others worship today. And seeing it seems they sourced all of these things from parishioners, it is getting rid of things that were probably spiritual stumbling blocks for them, and the very act of giving them up was a good.
So maybe its not pointless, it could be youre vision to narrow.
Lucas Nguyen
Again? Did I wake up in the 90s?
Cooper Russell
Can I burn am abortion clinic though?
Cooper Ross
Soon.
Angel Edwards
I don't think anyone could seriously say that burning an abortion clinic is wrong. You can make the argument that killing a baby killer is wrong, but if you just burn their baby killing dungeon down without hurting anyone where is the issue?
Eli Foster
Depends on how you do it and if you get caught. If you are sloppy (ie gas can and matches) and get caught than you will make Christianity look bad and only justify abortion in the eyes of the normies more. If you do it smart and make it look like an accident or an electrical fire and don't get caught than the law and media won't be able to connect it to christianity and the abortionists will collect their insurance and open up a new clinic.
Again, vigilante justice doesn't solve anything and will only backfire.
Joshua Reyes
this is unironically a good idea.
Luke Lewis
Like how Jesus driving the buyers and sellers out of the temple backfired?
Zachary Powell
Looks like I have to get rid of almost everything in my life then.
Joseph Walker
Even Harry Potter fans burning the books at this point
Jonathan Gonzalez
At least someone who doesn't give a toss about what secular culture thinks. Someone out there who's still fighting.
We can't *adjusts brown scapula* let demonic forces *fingers rosaries bead in pocket* influence vulnerable souls *mutters prayer to Saint Joseph* into following silly superstitions *kisses a statue of Mary* and leading them *bows before piece of bread* away from God alone *obtains indulgence* *dances around statue of Santa Muerte* *bans someone from 8ch for hurting his feelings*
Jason Myers
prots! when will you learn?
Evan Barnes
Looks like I will have to get rid of my own life…
Kayden Howard
Says the prot that follows the traditions of man.
Jaxson Nguyen
It's a great story and all, but you people using it wrong all the time is kind of cringe.
Nathan Allen
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Gavin Cooper
What Jesus did is the definition of vigilante action you mong. According to you Jesus should have just peacefully protested outside the temple and campaigned for politicians who promised to make buying and selling in the temple illegal.
John Lee
This
Just imagine the kids that read this and end up turning into occultists and trying to learn magick. JK knew what she was doing when she included names of literal demons in her books.
Isn't that what he did? He was a teacher not some Antifa f jerk t. Spreading the word of God against pagan religions through teachings and stories sounds like a peaceful protest to me.
Jacob Sanders
No, in this particular case he whipped them with whips and destroyed their property.
John Gutierrez
You are challenging Jesus' authority. It is not vigilanteism if you are acting on a proper authority. You on the other hand hold no such authority, divine or public.
This is literally what Jesus did. And we're supposed to be like Jesus.
Jaxson Thompson
It is not some private enforcement like you are suggesting, he holds an authority in the temple, and an authority over all. Are you in public office? Have the people entrusted the well being of their collective body to you? Under what authority do you want to start destroying buildings?
The whips were obviously for the animals. But He did throw tables over and make a lot of noise.
Jacob Powell
Heads: the pope is telling people not to point fingers at violent child molesters of all kinds, naming their tribes one at a time as he commands his magic hat cult to forgive/ignore them. Tails: old guard romanists torch the gay bible
The priests and the Roman government, society's designated law-making institutions, didn't agree, which is what makes what Jesus did vigilantism by definition. Was Jesus in public office? Had the people entrusted the well being of their collective body to Jesus? Under the authority of God, which is higher than the authority of society's designated lawmaking institutions.
Jayden Diaz
Very good.
Wyatt Robinson
That's great and all, but the people who sold/made these books are gaining a profit from these Catholic priests. (unless, of course, the books were voluntarily given to burn.)
Michael James
There is no reason to think he didn't use violence against the people involved, which is how you can actually drive them out. Which is why, through history, it is what has been traditionally understood that happened.
Blake Cruz
The items that were burned belonged to the laity, but was given to the priests. So no extra profit was given to JK or her publishers. From the article:
Isaac Diaz
all leftists read harry potter. Reason enough for me.
Leo Flores
That's a retarded, fallacious reason.
Benjamin Nguyen
The violence He used was to flip tables over and scatter what the merchants were selling. Not a single Father claimed that the whip was for the people, that's ridiculous. Whips were used to get animals to run. The thought of Jesus whipping the ass of merchants might be satisfying but it is cartoony and completely displaced from the context.
