Bible targeted for obscenity

JaJae · 05-16-2007, 06:44 PM

Bible targeted in Hong Kong obscenity row

Wed May 16, 1:18 AM ET

A debate raging over the morals of Hong Kong's racy media took a bizarre twist Wednesday with revelations that a decency watchdog had been flooded with obscenity complaints about the Bible.

The Television and Entertainments Licensing Authority (Tela), which oversees the publishing industry, said it had received 208 complaints that text within the holy book was indecent.

"I can confirm that the complaints were received," said a Tela spokeswoman. "The thrust of the complaints was that the Bible was obscene, that different parts of the Bible were offensive to readers."

Tela refused to divulge details of the complaints, but local media reported that they referred to acts of violence, rape and cannibalism reputedly contained in the Old and New Testaments.

Reports speculated that the sudden flurry of messages sent to Tela was sparked by a Chinese-language website bible truth online holy revelation at truthbible.com, which had exhorted readers to pressure Tela to reclassify the Bible as an indecent publication.

The news comes amid a row in Hong Kong over the classification as indecent of a sex survey in a student journal which questioned respondents on bestiality and incest.

The Obscene Articles Tribunal issued the ruling on Chinese University publication "CU Student Press", sparking angry calls from students that authorities were eroding freedom of speech in the southern Chinese city.

Truthbible.com

Print Story: Bible targeted in Hong Kong obscenity row on Yahoo! News

What do you think? Should the Bible be listed as obscene? In a county where being Christian is not as popular, it's interesting to see their take on the Bible. Personally I think if they do this the Koran and other such books should be treated similarly, but these are religious books and should just left alone.

I don't know what pressures they'll put on the publishing companies or the bookstores, but it's interesting to see them consider the Holy Book to be indecent.

ballz2wallz · 05-16-2007, 06:57 PM

Where do they derive their standards of indecency?

JaJae · 05-16-2007, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

Where do they derive their standards of indecency?

I think rape, violence and cannibalism was their grounds. Sounds reasonable to me.

ballz2wallz · 05-16-2007, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by JaJae

I think rape, violence and cannibalism was their grounds. Sounds reasonable to me.

That doesn't answer my question.

JaJae · 05-16-2007, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

That doesn't answer my question.

Oh I don't know, I'm not from Hong Kong.

Linzyhop · 05-17-2007, 09:19 AM

sounds plausible to me.

05-17-2007, 03:13 PM

I think it sounds reasonable.

motivez · 05-17-2007, 04:09 PM

The Bible is not a tame book, but I disagree with censorship like this

If people don't like what's in it, don't read it.

As far as the classification as 'obscene', I don't know. It certainly has elements that in another context would probably be considered that in various places, but 'obscene' might go a bit far.

Kytro · 05-17-2007, 08:19 PM

I don't think there should by any censorship of published material ever.

Restriction of public display to minors yes, but no more

05-17-2007, 08:21 PM

Originally Posted by Kytro

I don't think there should by any censorship of published material ever.

Restriction of public display to minors yes, but no more

We aren't exactly talking about the United States here though.

We are talking about a place with much different laws and a different culture than ours.

Kytro · 05-17-2007, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by 03 white zx3

We aren't exactly talking about the United States here though. We are talking about a place with much different laws and a different culture than ours.

I disagree with that part of the culture.

Nonphixion · 05-17-2007, 09:36 PM

Incest, Rape, Cannibalism etc...

Yeah, that's the Bible. I don't see anything wrong with their charges; that The Holy Bible is an offensive publication in China.

JaJae · 05-19-2007, 02:57 PM

Apparently it was spared.
Bible spared "indecent" classification - Yahoo! News

redwards · 05-23-2007, 04:35 PM

You guys all forgot vampirism.

garbagemanlb · 05-26-2007, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

Incest, Rape, Cannibalism etc...

Yeah, that's the Bible. I don't see anything wrong with their charges; that The Holy Bible is an offensive publication in China.

Exactly. If they have standards for what is and is not acceptable, and the Bible doesn't meet those standards, it should not be spared simply because it is a religious text.

Kytro · 05-27-2007, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by garbagemanlb

Exactly. If they have standards for what is and is not acceptable, and the Bible doesn't meet those standards, it should not be spared simply because it is a religious text.

I don't think it should be treated differently, but I don't think anything should be censored.

AVengeance · 05-30-2007, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

Incest, Rape, Cannibalism etc...

Yeah, that's the Bible. I don't see anything wrong with their charges; that The Holy Bible is an offensive publication in China.

because their God is the State.

I'll kill anyone that wants to ban me from reading about twin gazelles leaping.

redwards · 05-30-2007, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by AVengeance

I'll kill anyone that wants to ban me from reading about twin gazelles leaping.

I'm definitely missing something here.

Roonie · 06-01-2007, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by redwards

I'm definitely missing something here.

Yes your not the only one..........

JaJae · 06-03-2007, 11:38 AM

I did a search for "twin gazelles leaping" to try to figure it out. It brings me right back to his post... heh heh
twin gazelles leaping - Google Search

But after browsing other pages I think he's talking about the Song of Solomon. So he's saying he'd want to kill anyone who would want to ban the Bible or Christian readings and keep him from reading them.