Parent Claims 'Ender's Game' Is Pornographic; Teacher Who Read It To Students Put On Temporary Leave

from the all-those-buggers dept

Wed, Mar 21st 2012 3:07pm — Mike Masnick

Like many kids, I read Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game around the time I was in middle school (where I was from, it was junior high school) -- which is about when it came out. I don't remember exactly when I got the book, but I do remember that the reason I read it was because my father had heard about it and after reading it himself thought I'd like it. He was right. As the next two books in the series came out, I read those too. About five years ago I reread the whole series (including the additional "Shadow" books that came out later) and it's still an enjoyable set of books, even if the first book is by far the best of the bunch. So it's a bit crazy to hear that a middle school teacher in South Carolina was put on paid administrative leave for reading part of the book in class, after a parent argued that the book is "pornographic." I have to admit, I can't remember anything about the book being even remotely "pornographic," though, as Julian Sanchez joked, the book is full of "buggers."

As Reason points out, the police were even called in to investigate, though (thankfully) they quickly determined that no criminal charges should be filed. But, seriously, what is wrong with people that they'd claim that such a popular book, and one that so many young teenagers read, is pornographic, and that a teacher should be investigated for reading it? Since when did we become so fearful of words and stories? Ender's Game is widely considered a good book for teens to read, and with very good reason.

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Filed Under: children, ender's game, kids, orson scott card, pornography, teaching

143 Comments

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RonKaminsky (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:13pm

Streisand, here we come
We all know what book is now on the top of most of those students' reading lists, I suppose.

Rather a small consolation to the teacher, though.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:15pm

For some reason after reading this entry I had the urge to yell, "Santorum for President!"
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- Steve R. (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:31pm
  
  Stealing Ron Paul's Liberty Theme
  Following super-Tuesday, I was flabbergasted when Santorum spoke of preserving liberty. A couple of days later, Santorum evidently made statements (that I have missed)that we need to initiate a "war" on pornography. Seems that Santorum lacks an understanding of the word "liberty".
  
  Anyway, since this is a forum concerning so-called "intellectual property"; Ron Paul should sue Santorum for stealing the look and feel of Paul's candidacy. (just joking for those who take this too seriously.)
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 22 Mar 2012 @ 4:43pm
    
    Re: Stealing Ron Paul's Liberty Theme
    Seems that Santorum lacks an understanding of the word "liberty".
    
    He is a religious nutter. No religious nutter understands liberty. That is why religious nutters should never get voted into public office. They have a long record of abuse of power, motivated by their own religious beliefs, to deprive others of their liberty.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Bergman (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 5:06pm
      
      Re: Re: Stealing Ron Paul's Liberty Theme
      Santorum's religious nutter interpretation of liberty is the freedom to choose to be exactly like Santorum. Anybody making a choice to be different is a Bad Guy.
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- xebikr (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 4:29pm
  
  Re:
  They probably found out that it was written by a Mormon.
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  - monkyyy, 22 Mar 2012 @ 10:40am
    
    Re: Re:
    was that really called for?
    fyi trolling requires some wit so u dont get out of ur stupidity that way
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    - aethercowboy (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 11:42am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      monkyyy:
      
      I think the joke xebikr was going for was a juxtaposing Orson Scott Card with Mitt Romney. Both Mormons.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- jd2112 (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 8:01pm
  
  Re:
  For some reason after reading this entry I had the urge to yell, "Santorum for President!"
  This is from South Carolina, You should be saying "Newt for President".
  (imho God created Santorum to make Newt look acceptable.)
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  - Anonymous Coward, 22 Mar 2012 @ 10:01pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Newt's been fined for ethics violations, that should disqualify him by law. Does in my eyes anyway.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 24 Mar 2012 @ 10:54pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Newts just a con man selling books and business awards.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
:Lobo Santo (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:17pm

Wtf???
That's one of my favorite books, has been since I was... 12?

Anyhow, I own a copy and have read it many times--for the life of me I do not recall it being pornographic in any way.
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- Jim Anderson, 21 Mar 2012 @ 6:56pm
  
  Re: Wtf???
  The reason for the parent's negative view of the book is probably due to the portrayal of authority figures in a nasty way. I read this is taught in some military academies. The book is very powerful. I read it when I was 18 and had nightmares afterward. I can see a parent saying it was to mature for middle school kids but porno it's not. This is a book that should be read.
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- Rose M. Welch (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 11:44pm
  
  Re: Wtf???
  I've read it a bazillion times and just reread it two weeks ago, in preparation for passing it to my 10-year-old daughter. There's no sex or porn in that book. The kids are all pre-pubescent, fer Christ's sake.
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- Joe Publius (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 6:25am
  
  Re: Wtf???
  The closest closest thing I can think of is the fight between Ender and Bonzo in the shower*.
  
  Yeah, they're in a public shower, so there's no clothes.
  But they were showering.
  Then there was a fight.
  And Ender accidentally (Or does he?) kills Bonzo.
  
  As is sometimes the case, this claim of obscenity makes me wonder more about the accuser. They simply had to be going out of their way to find something that wasn't there.
  
  *Being that this books is over 20 years old now, I consider the spoilers limitation null and void.
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- Geoff Maguire, 13 May 2012 @ 11:57am
  
  Re: Wtf???
  Pornography as Justice Potter Stewart is in the eye of the beholder. There are certainly things in "Ender Games' that would get the prudish upset. The central character Ender is frequently naked albeit in a nonsexual context as are several other boys and a girl character. (Spoiler alert) in a climactic scene Ender and his arch nemesis go at each other boyo a boyo in a nude shower room fight to the death. Enders homerotic relation ship with another boy named Alai avoids consummation but is pretty clear to see as is his near incestuous relationship with his sister. Again nothing ever goes "all the way" but its pretty hard to miss and will provide plenty of fodder for prudes and religious fanatics. Throw in a heavy dollop of racism and anti semitism and bobs your uncle. That Orson Card is an active racist and homophobe in his non literary life is certainly curious.. perhaps the Author doth protest to much....in order to hide his real feelings?
  In the end I don't see what the excitement is about with this book anyway. Its half baked morality play plot is implausable and poorly constructed and the writing formulaic and stilted. Its just not that good.
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Richard, 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:17pm

I knew before I started reading this that it was going to be somewhere in the deep south...
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- Anonymous Coward, 20 Feb 2013 @ 9:34am
  
  Re:
  Hey now that's a bit much. I live in Louisiana and fully advocate this and all books.
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Aerilus, 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:18pm

I had to read it for one of my english classes in middle school or high school and was on the list of accelerated reader book where you could read the book then take a test on it and earn points. I remember big controversies over the goosebumps books. there is always some nut that is going to throw a wrench in the works and make it so we no longer have "Christmas break" or birthday cupcakes in class you know who I am looking at.
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- Anonymous Coward, 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:21pm
  
  Re:
  You're looking at the Christians, aren't you? That's just wrong man. Profiling like that.
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  - TtfnJohn (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 4:41pm
    
    Re: Re:
    the Christians wouldn't object to a Christmas break, the rational atheists might make an loud noise about it though.
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    - Rose M. Welch (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 11:45pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      The Christians object to not using Christian-specific names for everything.
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      - John Doe, 22 Mar 2012 @ 4:15am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Especially for Christian holidays.
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        Dementia (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 5:20am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Which are almost all corrupted pagan holidays...
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        Eponymous Coward (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 9:12am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        The pagan outcry was usually pretty loud in my community.
        
        "It's the feast of Sol Invictus, dammit!"
        
        "It's not Easter, It's Eostre, you assholes!"
        
        "If you don't call it Samhain, I'm gonna Sam-Brain you!"
        
        Granted, it was only one girl protesting, but she'd cast a level 5 Intimidating Shout before she started in, so shit got real very quickly.
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        Rose M. Welch (profile), 23 Mar 2012 @ 2:28pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Schools don't have Christian holidays. They have vacation days.
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  - Aerilus, 21 Mar 2012 @ 10:36pm
    
    Re: Re:
    i will bet 20 internets that the person who initiated this farce has strong religious leanings and that they were the cause for that person to pursue action
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BeachBumCowboy (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:20pm

Pornographic
I don't get it. There's nothing pornographic about it.

The book is about a small little boy, and the only way you would think it was pornographic is if you get excited thinking about small little boys.

OH!!!. NOW I get it!
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- Watchit (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 7:22pm
  
  Re: Pornographic
  Hey! Don't discriminate! there was small little girls in there too! In fact Petra's first seen she was half naked- oh...
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  - Rose M. Welch (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 11:46pm
    
    Re: Re: Pornographic
    But they don't describe her at all, except for specifying that she was naked. She was also a little kid, and as the mom of several little kids, they all love to run around naked. That's normal.
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    - Marcel de Jong (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 3:54am
      
      Re: Re: Re: Pornographic
      Oh no, the book contained the word "naked".
      Clearly that's pornography.
      
      US culture strikes me as rather peculiarly puritan. Guns and violence galore on tv, video games and in graphic novels. And kids can watch, play and read that all they want. But as soon as there's even 1 nipple in it, it becomes "BURNINATE ALL THE TEEVEE, VIDJEMAGAMES, BOOKS!" in a hurry.
      
      As if we should all be ashamed to have a body.
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      - Anonymous Coward, 22 Mar 2012 @ 10:05pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Pornographic
        Don't forget-- We're the country who imprisons more of our citizens than any other country! Sometimes, you gotta grasp for straws to meet the quota!!!
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Fzzr (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:21pm

My guess
My guess would be that the parent is overreacting to the naked bathroom fight scene.
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- Franklin G Ryzzo (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 4:12pm
  
  Re: My guess
  That's a possibility, but it seems like the teacher may have read something else and Ender's Game took the fall. Here's the link that got slashdotted yesterday with some additional info and some updates: http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/03/19/south-carolina-teacher-suspended-for-reading-enders- game-to-middle-school-students/
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  - Manabi (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 5:27pm
    
    Re: Re: My guess
    That theory seems to have been invented wholesale by Orson Scott Card (author of Ender's Game) in an interview. There's an update to the story linked at the very top that says the claims the teacher was reading pornography off the Internet (which came from Card) are patently false.
    
    The other two books are another young adult novel and an Agatha Christie novel, neither of which are pornographic.
    
    I think a parent overreacted badly.
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    - Michael (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 11:50am
      
      Re: Re: Re: My guess
      The parent definitely overreacted, but I don't know why the school in question went along with it.
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PeytonFarquhar (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:24pm

Just another example of another Fundie parent alleging porn to burn books. These ppl are like a plague.
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- TDR, 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:45pm
  
  Re:
  And your empirical evidence of that assertion being, Peyton? Your arrogance is astounding if you think they are the only ones who make mistakes and do stupid things.
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  - :Lobo Santo (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:50pm
    
    Re: Re: Leeeeap!
    Wow, that was quite a leap from "alleging porn to burn books, ppl like a plague" to "the only ones who make mistakes and do stupid things"!
    
    I hope you didn't sprain anything from jumping that hard...
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    - Anonymous Coward, 21 Mar 2012 @ 7:17pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: Leeeeap!
      These are the people who need to be shown the dirty parts of the bible.
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      - Anonymous Coward, 21 Mar 2012 @ 8:06pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Leeeeap!
        So what you're saying is, they need to be shown the bible.
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        BSwiss, 21 Mar 2012 @ 9:21pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Leeeeap!
        "So what you're saying is, they need to be shown the bible."
        
        Heck, no!!! They get "shown" the Bible at least once a week, every Sunday.
        
        They need to actually READ the darn thing (and guided study programs that start with predetermined conclusions and circular "reasoning" supported by verses out of context -- don't count).
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        Watchit (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 10:30am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Leeeeap!
        ^this. So, true. I'm always ashamed of those who profess to be such "good christians" when they don't hold up their standards beyond the pew.
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Jake, 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:27pm

The protagonist of this book kills at least two people with his bare hands before he completes adolescence -read it yourself if you don't believe me- and she's worried about it containing sex?
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- MrWilson, 21 Mar 2012 @ 4:17pm
  
  Re:
  Not to mention that he unknowingly commits xenocide, but I suppose the fundamentalists would just argue that the aliens didn't have Jesus, so it was fine to kill them.
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  - zos (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 5:11pm
    
    Re: Re:
    wilson you beat me to it, but as i was typing i realized that we shouldn't be spoiling stuff for anyone with the misfortune not to have read it.
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    - MrWilson, 21 Mar 2012 @ 9:15pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      That's alright. The people who haven't read it are probably heathens who don't have Jesus, so it's okay to ruin it for them...
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  - Watchit (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 7:07pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Ah SPOILER ALERT!
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GARGOYLE, 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:27pm

Ender's Game' Is Pornographic
Pass me some hand grenades pleas

porno porno porno oh no oh no oh no
http://plover.net/~bonds/ender.html
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- Philanthropocalypse, 21 Mar 2012 @ 8:33pm
  
  Re: Ender's Game' Is Pornographic
  So. Effin. Great!
  Shove one 'em those ther 'nades up my shoot. I'm for outttie!
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- Just John (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 2:20am
  
  Re: Ender's Game' Is Pornographic
  I think you just made my brain die, that was how horrible that article you linked to was...
  
  Next time, post a warning, or something.
  
  "What has been read cannot be unread"
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- Niall (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 2:43am
  
  Re: Ender's Game' Is Pornographic
  That is the most lame way of trying to justify porn I have ever read.
  
  "The book in fact caters towards two related fetishes. The most obvious of these is geek wish-fulfillment."
  
  "In the best traditions of porn, each chapter is simply a build-up to a catharsis."
  
  "There is no dramatic tension or genuine excitement about any of these encounters; the only tension comes from how long the inevitable catharsis can be delayed."
  
  This could be said for the average mystery novel or most van Damme movies...
  
  Basically this person is saying "how dare nerds gratify their wish for revenge on all those righteous jocks who pummelled them in the locker room".
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MichaelG, 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:41pm

Actually, I think there is...
Actually, I think there is a scene where one of the boys is accused of being gay by a bully? And there's some mild taunting. It's been years since I read it though.
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Kevin H (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 3:57pm

I see it the other way
I keep reading stories about how Christianity is being attacked by our society and its like a war on religion. I do not actually see that at all.

We are all born atheists. We do not know or believe in any higher being until it is thrust upon us by our parents/family. The only difference between believing in God or Allah is which family you were raised by. What I see is religion loosing more and more control over society and panicking as a result of this loss.
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- TtfnJohn (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 4:49pm
  
  Re: I see it the other way
  I still don't see where the parent's faith comes into this at all. There don't appear to be any reports that the kid's mom is a Christian, fundamentalist or otherwise, though suddenly that conclusion is being jumped to. Oh, I see. South Carolina. It must be then!
  
  Still, religion or the lack thereof doesn't prevent monumental stupidity.
  
  Oh, FYI, God and Allah are the same deity. Different names, same deity.
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  - Manabi (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 5:31pm
    
    Re: Re: I see it the other way
    I still don't see where the parent's faith comes into this at all. There don't appear to be any reports that the kid's mom is a Christian, fundamentalist or otherwise, though suddenly that conclusion is being jumped to. Oh, I see. South Carolina. It must be then!
    To be honest, if you've read the book, it's hard to see how anyone could jump the conclusion it's pornographic unless they have an axe to grind of some kind. Which opens up the possibility that the parent's Christian and overly touchy about some things. So while it may be an assumption it's not unreasonable in this case. Ender's Game is not even remotely pornographic.
    
    So if the parent isn't a Christian with an axe to grind, they've still got issues of some kind.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 21 Mar 2012 @ 5:38pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: I see it the other way
      remember, to some people 'pornographic' means 'objectionable'. they use it figuratively to convey extreme disgust.
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    - mattarse (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 1:24am
      
      Re: Re: Re: I see it the other way
      I'd say they have issues whether christian or not.
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    - Niall (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 2:49am
      
      Re: Re: Re: I see it the other way
      I have seen left-wingers (real ones, not american 'light' ones) get this funky about things, so I could imagine them calling this pornographic for other reasons, but I must admit, South Carolina, not New England does suggest...
      
      Whoever they are, they certainly have issues.
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  - Chargone (profile), 23 Mar 2012 @ 10:50pm
    
    Re: Re: I see it the other way
    given that Allah is/is derived directly from (it's been a while since i read/heard the relevant information) a moon god, while God is not....
    
    i'm going with 'no'
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    - Anonymous Coward, 13 Apr 2012 @ 2:05pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: I see it the other way
      Wherever you heard that. It's wrong. Allah, Jehova, "God", are all the same deity. The difference between the religions are the Messiahs or Prophets... or lack thereof.
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- Anonymous Coward, 21 Mar 2012 @ 5:03pm
  
  Re: I see it the other way
  What does that have to do with anything?!
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- socalgrama (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 5:19pm
  
  Re: I see it the other way
  Actually, we are born agnostic. An agnostic is someone who neither believes or disbelieves in the existence of a deity or deities
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  - Viln (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 6:10pm
    
    Re: Re: I see it the other way
    "Actually, we are born agnostic. An agnostic is someone who neither believes or disbelieves in the existence of a deity or deities"
    
    Actually, we are born Atheist in that we have "no belief in God(s)" until we're taught to do so. Agnosticism, like gnosticism, is about knowledge... not about belief. Your confidence in your ability to know something and your belief one way or the other regarding God are two very different things and are not mutually exclusive. The term "Agnostic" defined as someone who isn't sure if they believe in God is a wretched and deliberately disingenuous label created by Theists as a kinder softer more redeemable middle ground, allowing them to further isolate and demonize Atheists as "people who choose not to believe in God".
    
    The same arrogant and ignorant campaign to redefine concepts like Agnosticism, or "Scientific Theory", is what makes these people so despicable, and it shouldn't be surprising when someone jumps to the conclusion that the latest southern parent to reject a book with hardly any sex as "pornographic" is a fundamentalist Christian. It's a fairly well founded assumption.
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    - Watchit (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 7:11pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: I see it the other way
      Wow! you remember what you believed when you were born? I don't think anyone knows what a baby believes...
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - Viln (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 8:01pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: I see it the other way
        "Wow! you remember what you believed when you were born?"
        
        Our understanding of newborn brains and the human learning process leaves me confident I was also an Aconsumerist, an Acartesianist, an Amazdakist, and quite likely an Azoroastrianist as well.
        
        "I don't think anyone knows what a baby believes..."
        
        Obviously you're an Agnostic.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
        
        Watchit (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 11:25pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I see it the other way
        going for the wookie defense i see?
        
        anyway, can babies really understand such complex concepts beyond things like "I want mommy" "I want food"?
        
        Actually why are we arguing about this?
        
        Lastly, nope I'm not agnostic :3
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  - Anonymous Coward, 21 Mar 2012 @ 11:13pm
    
    Re: Re: I see it the other way
    Agnostics belive they dont know.
    Atheists know they dont belive.
    
    Since babys dont belive at all you should put them to the later even if they dont know that they are not beliving.
    
    (On the other hand small children belive everything you tell them, even the most ridicioulus bullshit, so maby you should callthem "perfect theist")
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    - Pitabred, 21 Mar 2012 @ 11:59pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: I see it the other way
      No.
      
      You can be an agnostic atheist, where you don't think there's a god but you can't be sure. Or a gnostic atheist, where you claim to know there's no god. Just like you can be an agnostic theist, where you think there's a god but can't be sure. Or a gnostic theist, where you claim to know there's a god.
      
      Agnostic is not claiming knowledge. Atheism has to do with belief. Seriously... not a hard concept. The dictionary can help you.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - Niall (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 2:51am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: I see it the other way
        Oh ye gods, I never thought I'd be following this argument not on a Creationist forum but on a tech forum.
        
        What amuses me is how the more 'religious' (read: insecure) Christians feel the need to try and 'disprove' or deny the existence of atheism, as if by its very existence it negates god.
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        John Doe, 22 Mar 2012 @ 4:21am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I see it the other way
        Make up stuff much? Why would a Christian need to disprove atheism? The bible says wide is the path to destruction so obviously there are many people who don't believe.
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sehlat (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 4:08pm

To Paraphrase the Teacher
"For ye have the stupid with you always..." Mark 14:7
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orbitalinsertion (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 4:08pm

Confused?
Maybe the parent has Ender's Game confused with the title of something they read or saw which actually is pornographic.

Or, just maybe, they meant to say Mormographic?
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Mar 2012 @ 4:21pm

Pretty soon libraries will have to pay royalties for reading books to kids.
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Digital Consumer (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 4:24pm

I always meant to read this author because I love science fiction and fantasy, and in school he was always hailed as a great writer by all my English teachers.

/rant

WHY DO YOU FORCE ME TO CAPITALIZE ENGLISH OH RED SQUIGGLE LINE??!! Maybe I don't think it deserves to be capitalized. In the end, I have bowed to the almighty squiggle line:(
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- Lauriel (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 8:24pm
  
  Re:
  The Almighty Squiggle Line probably believes that "English" is a proper noun, deserving of a capital letter. Your obeisance to the Almighty Squiggle Line was wise, young Grasshopper. :)
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  - Marcel de Jong (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 5:45am
    
    Re: Re:
    The Almighty Squiggle Line probably believes that "English" is a proper Noun, deserving of a capital Letter. Your Obeisance to the Almighty Squiggle Line was wise, young Grasshopper. :)
    
    I fixed that Sentence for you.
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    - Lauriel (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 7:39am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Okay, I missed something there?
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      - Marcel de Jong (profile), 24 Mar 2012 @ 2:14pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        I capitalized all proper Nouns.
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        Lauriel (profile), 24 Mar 2012 @ 4:10pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Oh, okay, I get where you're coming from now.
        
        I didn't mean 'proper' as in 'correct'. There are two categories of noun - common and proper. A common noun doesn't have a capital letter, and refers to a person, place of thing. A proper noun does have a capital letter, and refers to a spceific person, place or thing. A person's name, 'Marcel' for example, is a proper noun, whereas 'person' is a common noun.
        
        So the sentence I typed was correct:
        
        The Almighty Squiggle Line (name)probably believes that "English"(name) is a proper noun, deserving of a capital letter. Your obeisance to the Almighty Squiggle Line was wise, young Grasshopper.(name, and KungFu reference).
        
        And I try very hard to resist the lure of being a grammar Nazi, but since the OP asked, I thought it was okay to answer. :)
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        Lauriel (profile), 24 Mar 2012 @ 7:01pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Or you were being funny and I missed it. :/
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- Eponymous Coward (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 9:20am
  
  Re:
  Oh, squiggly line in my eye fluid.
  
  I see you there, lurking on the periphery of my vision.
  
  But when I try to look at you, you scurry away.
  
  Are you shy, squiggly line?
  
  Why only when I ignore you do you return to the center of my eye?
  
  Oh, squiggly line, it's all right. You are forgiven.
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simple simon, 21 Mar 2012 @ 4:32pm

It's Larry Flynt's Fault...
I haven't read the book, but the synopsis on Wikipedia basically describes it as a Sci Fi novel about war on Earth against an alien species. If this is the case, the connection to pornography is probably that Larry Flynt described war as the ultimate form of pornography and Larry Flynt published Hustler magizine, therefore the book "Ender's Game" must be pornographic. All Larry Flynt's fault.
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- zos (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 5:12pm
  
  Re: It's Larry Flynt's Fault...
  read the book. it should frankly be required reading for everyone.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 21 Mar 2012 @ 7:20pm
    
    Re: Re: It's Larry Flynt's Fault...
    Ender's Game is on lots of school's summer reading lists.
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  - mattarse (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 1:25am
    
    Re: Re: It's Larry Flynt's Fault...
    I agree completely. It's one of the few Sci-Fi books I recommend to everyone.
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RyanNerd (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 4:34pm

Rose the Nose
Perhaps the parent didn't like the part in the book where "Rose the Nose" was laying naked on his cot and had a tablet over his groin with the screen showing a fake animated penis.

Obviously like another person that commented this accusation of pornography had to have come from the deep south or some other place where inbreeding has caused some brain damage.
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- Rose M. Welch (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 11:49pm
  
  Re: Rose the Nose
  Oooh, good point! Still. Stupid on the part of the parent.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Mar 2012 @ 4:44pm

and this is technology related how??
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- Charles (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 5:00pm
  
  Re:
  we are trying to figure out if the book is technically dirty.
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  - zos (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 5:13pm
    
    Re: Re:
    because after hearing about this story, i don't want to live on this planet anymore, and i'm going to need some tech to make escape velocity.
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    - That Anonymous Coward, 21 Mar 2012 @ 11:20pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Screw that I like this planet, they can all GTFO.
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- Mike Masnick (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 6:17pm
  
  Re:
  and this is technology related how??
  
  1. It's a sci-fi book that many folks who read this site likely read.
  2. We post all sorts of stuff that wouldn't normally be considered "tech" but which think are interesting.
  3. Why does it matter?
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  - Niall (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 3:03am
    
    Re: Re:
    Mike loves to highlight stupidity in all sorts of forms. Don't like it, go start your own blog :) Me, I love this book so any news about it is good. In fact, I only just re-read it last month... gotta get the rest of the Shadow series!
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- Watchit (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 7:13pm
  
  Re:
  It's his blog, let him do what he wants with it
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- G Thompson (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 10:00pm
  
  Re:
  and this is technology related how??
  
  In other words:
  
  "I come here to read all the IP entries so I can troll and shrill. Instead I read this entry that I actually agree agree with so have to come up with some sort of put down and negative comment to justify my small existence."
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Mar 2012 @ 5:27pm

supposedly the book contains the phrase 'bruised testicles' in describing an injury someone received, and this is what made everyone flip out. thats what i heard, anyway.
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- Anonymous Coward, 21 Mar 2012 @ 5:43pm
  
  Re:
  Oh never mind, RyanNerd remembered better. Here's a pornographic quote:
  
  "Everybody erupted in laughter. It took Ender a moment to understand why. Rose had programmed his desk to display-- and animate-- a bigger-than-life sized picture of male genitals, which waggled back and forth as Rose held the desk on his naked lap. This is just the sort of commander Bonzo would trade me to, thought Ender. How does a boy who spends his time like this win battles?"
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  - Rose M. Welch (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 11:51pm
    
    Re: Re:
    By definition, this isn't pornographic.
    
    Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.
    
    Genitals, by themselves, are not sexual. Even waggling back and forth doesn't qualify it, especially since the purpose was amusement and not arousal.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 20 Apr 2012 @ 7:43am
    
    Re: Re:
    The linked article (on aikenstandard.com) points to commonsensemedia.org as saying parents should be aware of the violence, sex and language in Ender's Game. If you go to their website, their "sex' rating is due to "boys and girls are naked in dorms. A boy makes a picture of enlarged genitalia on his computer screen'. Of course, they also say that it's fine for 12 year olds, and the kid who complained was 14, but whatever.
    http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/enders-game
    
    "Rose had programmed his desk to display-- and animate-- a bigger-than-life sized picture of male genitals, which waggled back and forth as Rose held the desk on his naked lap. "
    
    I guess that a vague written description of a video of male genitalia might be pornographic. I don't really think any part of the human body is inherently pornographic, but I can see how a reasonable person might. I might even have a problem with reading that passage to, say, a 5 year old. But it's ridiculous to file a criminal complaint for reading it to a 14 year old.
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arrgster (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 6:50pm

uumm
I think there is more porn in the bible than in Enders Game.
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- Watchit (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 7:23pm
  
  Re: uumm
  yep yep
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- Just John (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 2:29am
  
  Re: uumm
  Did you read the one about the guy who got his daughters drunk and then had sex with them? In a cave no less.
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  - Niall (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 3:04am
    
    Re: Re: uumm
    Actually, it's the other way around. Lot's daughters got /him/ drunk and had sex with him. Every red-blooded goat herder's fantasy. Apart from /that/ one... ;)
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- Anonymous Coward, 22 Mar 2012 @ 2:39am
  
  Re: uumm
  Such self righteous "religious" parents never actually read the bible, doesn't fit their views.
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Watchit (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 7:17pm

A CLASSIC!
Ender's Game is a CLASSIC! it's what got me started in the sci-fi genre to begin with.
Even if books could somehow be thought of as "pornographic", I've read way way worse books from my middle-school library.

Also, Ender's Game was the best, the sequels were kinda meh, and then Ender's Shadow and it's sequels were Amazing!
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- Watchit (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 7:20pm
  
  Re: A CLASSIC!
  Anyone else read Ender's Shadow? if you enjoyed Ender's Game you'll like Ender's Shadow guaranteed.
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  - Nacimota, 21 Mar 2012 @ 8:50pm
    
    Re: Re: A CLASSIC!
    I actually prefer Ender's Shadow.
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    - Watchit (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 11:29pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: A CLASSIC!
      hmmm I really can't decide, I read shadow so long after game that it's hard to compare the two :D
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      - Niall (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 3:05am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: A CLASSIC!
        It's quite good to read them both in sequence to get the full effect.
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    - inconsistency (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 12:34am
      
      Re: Re: Re: A CLASSIC!
      i do, too
      
      And the 'Shadow' sequels more than Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide
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      - Niall (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 3:08am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: A CLASSIC!
        Probably because the first one I read was actually Speaker for the Dead, I do like the later books, although they are almost a different sub-genre, and certainly have a very different feel - older, mature Ender is really a different person to child Ender. The newer books are making an interesting attempt to try and show the progression here, which might help. Anyway, the later on books are much more philisophical in a different way, but it all goes into the nature and morality of Xenocide and racial survival.
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      - Watchit (profile), 23 Mar 2012 @ 1:21am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: A CLASSIC!
        Yeah I enjoyed the Shadow sequels much more than the Game sequels.
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Watchit (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 7:24pm

Oh hey, is this somehow related to Techdirt offering freaky German Porn?
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Mar 2012 @ 7:25pm

Digital Consumer, read Enders Game. It's a great scifi romp and a true classic. You'll love it if you like the genre. You'll read it again after you've read it the first time.

More and more, I've had it with religion. Even today, its still killing in the name of peace. While Islam is labeled the religion of peace, there are sure a lot of people dying over it.

The Pope seems to have a lot of troubles between the church, pedophilia, and priests.

Is there much difference between this and Sanatorum wanting to do a war on porno and the whole GOP wanting in your bedroom to see you are doing sex in the approved manner?

Humans didn't learn a dang thing during the Inquisition and it looks as if they all want to go back to it, one step at a time if the way present laws are made, considered, and approved.

Lord, save me from your followers...
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- Watchit (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 11:33pm
  
  Re:
  There's good and bad in every crowd no just religions :P
  people always find an excuse, religion is just the easiest to "justify" sometimes
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  - Some Other AC (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 6:30am
    
    Re: Re:
    I agree with your statement. I am a Christian, but I will not be told what I can/can't read, watch, listen to, etc... In my recent experiences with attending services, both my current Pastor and previous one(different church) stated that one should always read the entire passage from the Bible that is being quoted/used in a message or service. If you are given 2 verses, be sure to go back at least 5 or to beginning of the chapter and go forward at least 5 or to the end of the chapter. This is the only way to gain context in the verse.
    
    As for Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Mystery, etc...there are some fantastic authors out there. While have not read Ender's Game, I will likely do so now and get my 10 yr old son to read it. As for "pornographic" material, if you have read anything by Erik Van Lustbader(spelling?) or any of The Game of Thrones series, one would understand what potentially pornographic material is.
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    - Watchit (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 10:40am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      yes, that is a great way to be! :D
      It also helps sometimes to research the Hebrew culture surrounding the meaning of a verse to more fully understand what the original authors were talking about.
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Xenophorge (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 8:00pm

The enemy's gate is down, wink wink, nudge nudge, knowwhatImean, knowwhatImean?
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- Watchit (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 11:30pm
  
  Re:
  iseewhatyoudidthere!
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- Yakko Warner (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 8:22am
  
  Re:
  Say no more!
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Jeffrey Nonken (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 8:10pm

Lord, please save me from those who would protect me from myself.
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Darin (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 8:13pm

re:
Read the series when I was young and read it again when I was older. I agree that it is bad for the teacher, but great for the series.
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Rekrul, 21 Mar 2012 @ 9:18pm

It's 'political correctness' run amok. Somewhere along the line the idea of 'tolerance' came to mean that we have to tolerate every crackpot who gets their panties in a bunch over something that they heard from a friend, who saw an internet post from someone whose brother read an article about something that might possibly offend them.
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That One Guy (profile), 21 Mar 2012 @ 10:44pm

I swear, I only read it for the plot...

Ender's Game.... Pornographic... man, they must have some amazing drugs down there to come to a conclusion like that.

Mentally reviewing the book, the only thing that comes even vaguely close is the shower scene(s) where for some strange reason the people washing up aren't dressed.

Of course if that's the reason I can only assume the nutjob who filed the complaint thinks that beaches and swimming pools are likewise horrid pits of sin and obscenity.
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- mattarse (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 1:32am
  
  Re:
  If your beaches aren't horrid pits of sin and obscenity then you need to find a better beach ;)
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Mar 2012 @ 12:33am

This is what happens when you let religion dictate life.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Mar 2012 @ 12:36am

They need to ban LOTR too. Sam is clearly gay for Frodo, this sets a bad example for children.
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- Niall (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 3:11am
  
  Re:
  Ah, but what you're forgetting is that this is a clear case of 'lowly servant venerating wise massah' from the 'good old days' when peons knew their place - so they'll encourage it as a good example overall.
  
  Besides, he gets safely married and sprogs and only follows his old master when about to die. Not exactly Brokeback Mountain.
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Lennart Regebro, 22 Mar 2012 @ 4:21am

They are playing games with somebody's end. Clearly gay porn.
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Jeremy Lyman (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 4:32am

Think of the children!
Oh my goodness, I wish there were some Congressmen brave enough to suggest putting a warning label about sex and violence on every book that doesn't have cardboard pages.

And then I wish they'd realize how stupid that sounds and apply the lesson to all their other efforts to sterilize the world and "save the children".
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Lord Binky, 22 Mar 2012 @ 8:03am

This obviously is the consequence of a lack of comprehension of english and the refuseal to use a dictionary. This would not even be possible to come up if the student or even the parent knew what the words in the book actually ment, instead of imagining their definition (and really why is their imagination even going there when thinking of children at school).
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david allsebrook (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 8:16am

What lesson to learn from this?
Two thoughts come to mind.

First, the awesome power of denunciation. Most of these comments are about the book, not about whether a teacher should be suspended based upon a complaint.

Second, literacy is a very suspicious and those who promote the literate lifestyle need to be closely watched and monitored at all times.
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artp (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 8:44am

Jeepers, Mr. Wizard!
I don't know which is worse:

a) trying to get Enders Game banned for being pornographic,
b) using that to prove that religion is a blight on the earth, or
c) getting upset because there are some (numerically indeterminate) nutcases that don't like [my|your|his|her|its] views.

I think this thread is entertaining. I just don't know if I can stomach it. Prejudice is not the exclusive property of any one group.
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- Watchit (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 10:42am
  
  Re: Jeepers, Mr. Wizard!
  Bluh, you are obviously supporting [insert view here], therefore you are an evil, immoral [insert insult here].
  
  Yeah... it does get annoying...
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  - artp (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 4:58pm
    
    Re: Re: Jeepers, Mr. Wizard!
    Yes, I implicated myself in the criticism when I posted, as I then became part of the thread that I criticized.
    
    Catch 22!
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aethercowboy (profile), 22 Mar 2012 @ 11:48am

Does this parent forbid their children from watching Winnie the Pooh?

He's not wearing any pants, you know...
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Mats Svensson, 22 Mar 2012 @ 4:24pm

Well my daddy wasnt a dang monkey!!!!
*kicks a lump of shit grumpily*
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Garz, 23 Mar 2012 @ 2:47pm

porographic book
What do you expect when an atheist can get GOD thrown out of out schools and eventually the country?????????????????
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adg, 21 Nov 2013 @ 1:47pm

interesting
I just completed the book for a college course and I am looking for essay topics. I find it interesting that this book caused so much controversy in areas that clearly are over analyzed. I my 14 and 15 year old kids will also be reading this book for their home school literature course. I do not see porn. I see kids in the locker room showering after a game just as they do everyday after football or soccer. i do not see homosexuality, I see immature kids being kids. I do not see incestuous relationships, i see unconditional love between siblings. I am a christian and do not see these ridiculous notions at all. What i can see is lack of self control in people who voice ridiculous things that are otherwise to the point descriptions. If you can't deal with realism just lock yourself indoors and be a monk.
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adg, 21 Nov 2013 @ 1:48pm

interesting
I just completed the book for a college course and I am looking for essay topics. I find it interesting that this book caused so much controversy in areas that clearly are over analyzed. My 14 and 15 year old kids will also be reading this book for their home school literature course. I do not see porn. I see kids in the locker room showering after a game just as they do everyday after football or soccer. i do not see homosexuality, I see immature kids being kids. I do not see incestuous relationships, i see unconditional love between siblings. I am a christian and do not see these ridiculous notions at all. What i can see is lack of self control in people who voice ridiculous things that are otherwise to the point descriptions. If you can't deal with realism just lock yourself indoors and be a monk.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Apr 2014 @ 8:16am

hi all pronstars
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Justin Douglas, 16 May 2014 @ 10:05pm

I know this is an old post but there was one scene depicted towards the end that could most definitely be considered pornographic in its nature. Had nothing to do with any of the boys. But when you mention penetration and shuddering in ecstacy, it get pretty clear. Great book.Read it.
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