Thursday, May 17, 2007 | Reason : In the News | print version

Bible drawn into Hong Kong sex publication row

by Yahoo! News

Thanks to Gorden for the link.

Reposted from:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070516/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_hongkong_bible_indecent

See also "Bible in Hong Kong obscenity row" (thanks to Sam for the link)

AFP/File Photo: A cleric holds a catholic Bible during a mass at the Church of Nativity, December...

AFP/File Photo: A cleric holds a catholic Bible during a mass at the Church of Nativity, December...

HONG KONG (Reuters) - More than 800 Hong Kong residents have called on authorities to reclassify the Bible as "indecent" due to its sexual and violent content, following an uproar over a sex column in a university student journal.

A spokesperson for Hong Kong's Television and Entertainment Licensing authority (TELA) said it had received 838 complaints about the Bible by noon on Wednesday.

The complaints follow the launch of an anonymous Web site -- www.truthbible.net -- which said the holy book "made one tremble" given its sexual and violent content, including rape and incest.

The Web site said the Bible's sexual content "far exceeds" that of a recent sex column published in the Chinese University's "Student Press" magazine, which had asked readers whether they'd ever fantasised about incest or bestiality.

That column was later deemed "indecent" by the Obscene Articles Tribunal, sparking a storm of debate about social morality and freedom of speech. Student editors of the journal defended it, saying open sexual debate was a basic right.

If the Bible is similarly classified as "indecent" by authorities, only those over 18 could buy the holy book and it would need to be sealed in a wrapper with a statutory warning notice.

TELA said it was still undecided on whether the Bible had violated Hong Kong's obscene and indecent articles laws.

But a local protestant minister shrugged off this possibility.

"If there is rape mentioned in the Bible, it doesn't mean it encourages those activities," said Reverend Wu Chi-wai. "It's just common sense ... I don't think that criticism will have strong support from the public," he added.

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1. Comment #41859 by vertigo25 on May 17, 2007 at 8:03 am

oh... man...

What a great idea! :)

Wish truthbible.net had an English version.

Other Comments by vertigo25

2. Comment #41862 by Geoff on May 17, 2007 at 8:07 am

"If there is rape mentioned in the Bible, it doesn't mean it encourages those activities," said Reverend Wu Chi-wai.

Clearly he hasn't read it, which might seem odd, given his occupation.

There is and it does.

Other Comments by Geoff

3. Comment #41863 by v4ri4bl3 on May 17, 2007 at 8:08 am

Funny how one's perspective of a book changes his acceptance of it's content. If the book is considered sacred, there can be no criticism, but when the book is considered with all its peers, it appears so much more toxic.

Other Comments by v4ri4bl3

4. Comment #41864 by BaronOchs on May 17, 2007 at 8:09 am

As much as I like to think of the cognitive dissonance this could cause for the Mary Whitehouses of the world this just gets up my nose. I'm glad I don't live in Hong Kong if that's how patronising it is to its citizens.

Other Comments by BaronOchs

5. Comment #41865 by Geoff on May 17, 2007 at 8:12 am

Comment #41859 by vertigo25 on May 17, 2007 at 8:03 am

Wish truthbible.net had an English version.

There's http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/sex/long.htm

Other Comments by Geoff

6. Comment #41866 by konquererz on May 17, 2007 at 8:18 am

Its amazing, during bible study with my wife (which incidentally led to my deconversion) we questioned the rape and incest incidents as to why they were in there, what they taught, and what they actually lent to human morality. The answer is nothing, its there for fun, for the sick reader. I think its funny that someone who didn't KNOW the bible accussed it of being obscene and then the pastor didn't KNOW the bible either! Classic!

Other Comments by konquererz

7. Comment #41868 by tieInterceptor on May 17, 2007 at 8:21 am

Hehehehe,

http://www.encyclopediaofstupid.com/stupid/images/8/8e/BibleWarningLabel.jpg

Other Comments by tieInterceptor

8. Comment #41869 by privateeye on May 17, 2007 at 8:23 am

Reporting the bible as obscene in this regard is exactly the correct reposte to the ridiculous ruling on the article in the student journal. Meanwhile here in Britain we have the new laws against religious hatred including publications which preach religious hatred and as far as I know no one has yet reported the bible to the authorities for the reams of vitriol in its pages directed at anyone who has the audacity to believe in any other god. Surely directing them to be stoned to death for this is major religious hatred and the bible should therefore be banned from publication in the UK. Maybe its time I phoned the Police!!

Other Comments by privateeye

9. Comment #41878 by Luthien on May 17, 2007 at 8:47 am

Hey Privateeye, I say we start by sueing the Giddions for distributing the thing to every school, hotel, and hospital in the country!

Other Comments by Luthien

10. Comment #41917 by Rtambree on May 17, 2007 at 9:49 am

>>9. Comment #41878 by Luthien on May 17, 2007 at 8:47 am

>Hey Privateeye, I say we start by sueing the Giddions

Good idea! A class action! I'm deeply offended on every level.

Other Comments by Rtambree

11. Comment #41935 by NeoGothic on May 17, 2007 at 10:24 am

I've often thought that the 'moral' christians were a bunch of hypocrites to be so obsessed with preventing sex and at the same time to push a book that's loaded with sex. This is a perfect attack strategy: you could wring some good PR out of this by playing up the 'we're protecting children from filth' angle. The best part is that the moment they argue in favor of the bible we could play the 'hypocrite' card. I know it's easy in a logical argument, but it would be so sweet to hoist the christians on their own petard in something that public relations-wise can be seen as victory.

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12. Comment #41936 by NeoGothic on May 17, 2007 at 10:25 am

I almost forgot: "Stop Public Pornography"

http://www.nobeliefs.com/spp.htm

Other Comments by NeoGothic

13. Comment #41987 by Katana on May 17, 2007 at 12:08 pm

Maybe they should reclassify it as fiction as well.

Other Comments by Katana

14. Comment #42074 by paulcaira on May 17, 2007 at 3:10 pm

konquererz,

Yes, I'm sure bible study (which I'd never attempted before, having been raised a catholic :-) was the beginning of my deconversion.
If you read the bible, (in this case, the Gospel of Mark) with a good commentary and an open mind, it is astonishing how quickly you realise that it is all a load of utter, utter bollocks.

This is what is depressing about those Discovery Institute classes where they spend all day studying nothing but.

Other Comments by paulcaira

15. Comment #42096 by LizW on May 17, 2007 at 3:39 pm

unfortunately TELA have rejected all 2000 complaints and wont send the bible for classification-

"The city's media watchdog yesterday rejected more than 2,000 complaints against the Bible, saying it was part of human civilisation and its contents were not offensive to reasonable members of the community"

apparently because its passed from generation to generation its ok.

Other Comments by LizW

16. Comment #42120 by Axulus on May 17, 2007 at 4:39 pm

This reminds me of a game on a local radio show called "passage or porno". The hosts read a few sentences either from a porno script or from a passage in the bible, and the caller is supposed to guess which it is from. It's pretty funny when the caller thinks its from a porno and its actually from the bible.

Other Comments by Axulus

17. Comment #42127 by Bonzai on May 17, 2007 at 4:58 pm

Hmm... so if I make a movie based on the bible with all the sex and violence depicted in glorious detail that will be considered family entertainment? Wow, I think the porn industry should take note, maybe Disney will even get a piece of the action..

Do you guys have any good suggestion for the biblical title of my upcoming porno flick? We can have a contest for that.

Other Comments by Bonzai

18. Comment #42139 by Russell Blackford on May 17, 2007 at 5:28 pm

Well, Bonzai, let's kick it around a bit. Hmmm, Glory Hallelujah - The Bible Story Revealed. But that's just a first thought. I often like to whack down a first thought and then refine it, or see what further, hopefully better, ideas it prompts. Over to you and the rest ...

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19. Comment #42144 by Bonzai on May 17, 2007 at 5:41 pm

Yeah Russell you wrote the original terminator right? you must have some nice ideas, maybe you can even write a script and pitch it to some movie people just to see if the genre holy porn will catch on. I can only come up with stupid titles like "one night with onan". "Gang banging at Lot's log" and so on. I should keep my day job..

Other Comments by Bonzai

20. Comment #42147 by Russell Blackford on May 17, 2007 at 5:46 pm

No, no ... I am just the humble author of some tie-in works for the franchise, among my other activities. If I'd written the original thing I'd be rich.

Other Comments by Russell Blackford

21. Comment #42149 by Russell Blackford on May 17, 2007 at 5:47 pm

I quite like One Night with Onan

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22. Comment #42159 by Bonzai on May 17, 2007 at 6:09 pm

Actually "One Night With Onan,--premature ejeculation can be fatal" would be a nice commercial for stamina medication.

Other Comments by Bonzai

23. Comment #42220 by CJ on May 18, 2007 at 12:10 am

"The city's media watchdog yesterday rejected more than 2,000 complaints against the Bible, saying it was part of human civilisation and its contents were not offensive to reasonable members of the community"

Presumably the Kama Sutra would fall foul of the law but would be due equal protection from this statement.

Other Comments by CJ

24. Comment #42221 by CJ on May 18, 2007 at 12:14 am

Meanwhile here in Britain we have the new laws against religious hatred including publications which preach religious hatred and as far as I know no one has yet reported the bible to the authorities.

Why stick at the Bible the Quran is just as guilty.

Other Comments by CJ

25. Comment #42362 by I'mNotAlone on May 18, 2007 at 5:40 am

This seems to be such a fantastic opportunity to
a) point out all the horrid bits of the books that most people dont know about (and religious people tend to hide) and
b) point out the hypocrisy of religious leaders who harp on about sex and violence.

I might just start a petition on the No10 website (here in Britain) to get religious books classified. I dont see why books with this much sex and violence should be accessible to children.
....then there's the teaching of hell and damnation to children. That could be considered to be psychologically harming to children.....

Other Comments by I'mNotAlone

26. Comment #42652 by EverLastingGodStopper on May 18, 2007 at 11:05 pm

There are some fun bible stories illustrated by Lego figures in The Brick Testament: http://www.thebricktestament.com/

Sure, show your kids. It's the bible!

Other Comments by EverLastingGodStopper

27. Comment #42717 by FXR on May 19, 2007 at 6:46 am

What about "God does Dallas"
Or
The God, the Virgin, The Son and the Two Planks!

You could make it in Ireland with a grant from the government but then you'd have to call it:

Sodom and Begorragh!

Other Comments by FXR

28. Comment #42753 by slummingangel on May 19, 2007 at 11:14 am

how about the resurrERECTION of lazarus and i'm sure there's a foot fetish film in the bible too when jesus clean those peoples feet.

You could make it in Ireland with a grant from the government but then you'd have to call it:

Sodom and Begorragh
brilliant you'd probably get it too

Other Comments by slummingangel

29. Comment #42755 by slummingangel on May 19, 2007 at 11:19 am

ah don't sue the gideons i was bored in a hotel room once so decided to read their bible hadn't left page one and i'd found inaccuracies leave them there and let others find these inaccuracies

Other Comments by slummingangel

30. Comment #42763 by Logicel on May 19, 2007 at 12:08 pm

Bonsai wrote, Do you guys have any good suggestion for the biblical title of my upcoming porno flick? We can have a contest for that.
_______

Sadly, all I could come up with is:

Burning desire: bushwhacked in the Bible.

Other Comments by Logicel

31. Comment #42807 by Matt2h on May 19, 2007 at 7:03 pm

If you look carefully, you'll see that the source of the article is not "Yahoo! News," which does not write any of its own journalistic material, but Reuters.

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32. Comment #42811 by catchy_nick on May 19, 2007 at 8:03 pm

This is some hilarious stuff. Sadly I'm not very creative. All I could think of was "Burning Bush" and "From snake to stick".

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33. Comment #43214 by Electric Monk on May 20, 2007 at 9:02 pm

Debbie does Deuteronomy?
The Passion of the Christ?

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