It begins. Or rather it continues. Those dangerous and wacky Christians might influence your children through gasp! horror! books. Even though the word Christian, Christ, or Jesus is never used. I am talking about The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis. Lewis was a Christian, in fact an incredibly influential Christian apologist, and so there is an explicit Christian cast to the books. Therefore we must protect our little darlings from its pernicious subtext. That it also references Norse gods, Greek gods, and Jewish belief that is non-Canonical for Christians is besides the point. That it is a classic, a rousing good adventure, and soon to be made into a movie (which might motivate media saturated youths to pick up and finish the book) is beside the point. The point being that Jeb Bush recommended it in the Florida wide reading campaign.
"Separation of church and state!" scream the usual suspects. The Palm Beach Post has all the scary connections laid out. GOP, Big Business, Catholic, Donor. I'm surprised they didn't dig up some evangelical Christian gushing about how much better than the "godless Harry Potter" books they are.
The Big Business in question is Walden media, a production studio engaged in making movies that will enable educators to get kids to read. They are geared toward family friendly and high quality. With titles like: Hoot by Carl Hiaasen, Holes by Louis Sachar, Charlotte's Web by EB White, and The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper, Walden is making movies with titles that are loved by kids not those that necessarily beat the drums for Christians.
Still I am waiting for the usual suspects to object to Dante, Madeline L'Engle, Milton, John Donne, GK Chesterton, JRR Tolkien, and George MacDonald from being suggested as reading material to school children.
(ht: the Corner) Offered at Basil's
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