I wasn't sure were to put this other than here;



Da Vinci Code banned in Lebanon

Best-selling book The Da Vinci Code has been banned in Lebanon after complaints it was offensive to Christianity.
Catholic leaders called for the book to be withdrawn because of its depiction of Christ marrying Mary Magdalene and fathering a child.

Shop owners said security officials had told them to pull French, English and Arabic copies off their shelves.

In the fictional book by Dan Brown, an academic uncovers riddles hidden in the religious works by the famous painter.


Sexual relationship

Father Abdou Abu Kasm, president of Lebanon's Catholic Information Centre, said the contents of the book were "insulting".

"There are paragraphs that touch the very roots of the Christian religion... they say Jesus Christ had a sexual relationship with Mary Magdalene, that they had children," he said.

"Those things are difficult for us to accept, even if it's supposed to be fiction.

"Christianity is not about forgiveness to the point of insulting Jesus Christ."

"Lebanon is a country with many different religious communities and there are still laws that ban articles that offend different communities."

The book, which has sold more than 7.5 million copies worldwide, portrays Catholic Church leaders as demonising women and covering up the truth about the Holy Grail, which Brown says is Mary Magdalene herself.

Roger Haddad, assistant manager at the Virgin Megastore's bookstore department in Beirut, said the book had been a success in Lebanon, where about 35% of the 3.5 million population is Christian.

"It was definitely one of our most popular books.

"This is censorship, people should be allowed to read what they want ... This book is fiction, everyone knows it's fiction. It is not political or propaganda or history."

Ahmed Fadlalla Assi, the head of Lebanon's Publisher's Union, was angry at the decision.

He said: "Salman Rushdie is forgotten in the annals of history, whereas Islam stayed on and Dan Brown will go, too, and Christianity will stay on."

The General Security Department said it consults with Christian and Muslim religious authorities on all books that deal with sensitive subjects.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/3663344.stm

Let's see:

Smoking is offensive so ban it.

Hunting foxes is offensive so ban it.

Owning a gun is offensive so ban them.

The Da Vinci Code is offensive so ban it.

Your statement about our government is offensive.

You are banned. Permanently!

Gte lost Joc, your not a mod you can't ban people because you disagree with that they say

I have heard this theory before. It does seem possible, and it should not offend the catholic church. They just can't belive that he could give into temptation. Also it is a fiction so it should not offend them at all.

No, no, no....you missed my whole point. I wasn't banning you personally Talon. I was simply stating the progression of taking away rights. First guns, then smoking, then foxes, then books, what is next? When you disagree with the government on anything or even dare state your negative opinion about them? Then you get banned .....permanently.

While i think banning things for personal safetly or the like is good, this whole banning because someone gets offended by something is getting REALLY out of control.

I get offended by rap music. SHould it be banned!? NO!! Just because some people get OFFENDED doesn't mean dick. They should learn not to be so damned offended by everything.

Another good decision has been made here, "it may offend some! lets ban it then, its the only option"
So what if some are offenede by it, they dont have to read it, everyone should be able to choose what they see and read, its up to them, they should decide whether they like or dislike it!

One book, fiction one at that. Stop! Take it away, you do not need personal freedom, we will tell you what you can and cannot read, hear or see. Way to go.