HP the star of a book burning

[Amy Z]

This was the top news story on CompuServe's "What's New" today.  

I always wonder where they get the books.  Surely they didn't buy 
them for the purpose of burning them?  Maybe they come from former 
sinners who've seen the light.

Amy Z


Church Burns "Harry Potter" Books

The beloved and best-selling "Harry Potter" books are 
deemed "supernatural" by the members of the Harvest Assembly of God 
Church in rural western Pennsylvania so the congregation hosted a 
book burning on Sunday evening. Also thrown into the ceremonial fire 
were a number of "ungodly" videotapes, music CDs, and books that 
included 1970s albums by Joe Walsh and the rock group Foreigner; CDs 
by Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, and AC/DC; and Walt Disney Co. 
videos of "Pinocchio" and "Hercules." Books by actress Shirley 
MacLaine and psychic Edgar Cayce were burned, too. As the smoke rose, 
teenagers led the congregation in singing "Amazing Grace" and "Father 
of Creation." The church said it was following instructions in the 
New Testament's Book of Acts and to express their love of God. "It's 
the same old devil with a new face," said the Rev. George Bender, 60, 
leader of the 95-member Pentecostal church. Book burnings are 
relatively rare, according to the American Library Association, 
because local authorities seldom grant legal permits for such fiery 
spectacles. ALA says the last book burning of which it is aware took 
place in the 1980s. "This is not because people have not wanted to 
burn books. But book burnings are really very extreme," said Judith 
Krug, director of the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom. She also 
said that the "Harry Potter" series has attracted more formal 
challenges in public school libraries than any other book or book 
collection for two straight years. --Cathryn Conroy 

Get additional news reports on a variety of topics from the 
CompuServe NewsRoom at Keyword: NEWS. Is this book burning a threat 
to free speech or an act symbolizing love of God? Sound off in the 
NewsRoom Forum at Keyword: NEWSFORUM.