Department of God Archives - Page 2 of 7

Your LDS Neighbors

April 29, 2021 Holly Department of God 5 comments

How to Respond to the Latter Day Saints
Kaiser
1977

Submitter: Jaded me, read the cover and said “Turn the lights off and don’t answer the door? ” This book was published in 1977, one year before the church changed its viewpoints on some of its traditions and values.

Holly: Religion is a section that is easily overlooked because you think of it as having a longer shelf life than other subject areas, but many faiths make official updates to their doctrines over time! It’s actually a pretty complicated collection to manage if you’re not familiar with the timelines of different sects and denominations.

Side note: I wonder if the Mormons published a document on how to respond to the Lutherans about their “cult”?

Dinosaurs in the Garden of Eden

February 12, 2021 Holly Department of God 15 comments

The Great Dinosaur Mystery and the Bible
Taylor
1989

Submitter: Earlier this year while we were only doing curbside service, a patron called and asked for dinosaur books for her kids. Somehow I had missed this gem while weeding the J-nonfiction, and I was so glad that I found it before anyone else did. I deleted it before I looked to see how many circs (if any) it had- it hadn’t circulated at all since I got here a year and a half ago. My favorite picture is the one with the guy (Adam?) lovingly petting the little Parasaurolophus.

Why Am I Afraid to Tell You Who I Am?

December 14, 2020 Holly Condition/Processing Fail, Department of God, Feelings and Self Help 11 comments

Why Am I Afraid to Tell You Who I Am
Powell
1969

Submitter: This well loved 1969 copy of John Powell of the Society of Jesus – Why Am I Afraid To Tell You Who I Am is filled with underlining and other notations from some past perplexed borrower. Still in print today and time for this copy to move on. Included the creepy clown picture for Mary…

Jesus and the Minecrafters

November 19, 2020 Holly Department of God 7 comments

The Unofficial Bible for Minecrafters Life of Jesus, Stories from the Bible Told Block by Block
Romines and Miko
2017

Submitter: I was extremely surprised to find this (British) book in our British public library, having only ever seen similar horrors coming from the USA displayed in Awful Library Books. It is worth noting that it twice includes the disclaimer ‘This book is not authorised or sponsored by Microsoft Corporation…or any other person or entity controlling rights in the Minecraft name, trademark, or copyrights.’ That statement somewhat raises the question of how it ever got to be published in the first place, especially in the Sue-you-if-you-so-much-as-mention-me United Kingdom with its draconian libel and copyright laws. Back of the book does, however, reveal the fact that ‘Authors Garrett Romines and Chris Miko are both involved in primary school education in the United States, and in providing educational camps, camps, workshops and curriculum around interactive classes’.

The Trifecta of Evil Goes to Mass

June 15, 2020 Mary Kelly Department of God 14 comments

Acting Out the Gospels with Mimes, Puppets, & Clowns
DeAngelis
1982

I have often referred to mimes, puppets, and clowns as a trifecta of evil. Integrating things inside a Catholic Mass is just horrific on so many levels. Maybe it is a way for those attending Mass to glimpse what Hell would look like. The images of a clown face on a crucified Jesus or the Apostles is so disturbing. This is the stuff of nightmares. I am just Catholic enough to be weirded out about this book.

We Came to North America

November 13, 2019 Holly Department of God 17 comments

We Came to North America: The Jews
Horton
2000

Submitter: Perhaps the most surprising thing of all about this book is that, despite being published in the year 2000, the author and editors decided that it was okay to name the book “The Jews”. My birthday is Pearl Harbor Day, and at the age of 5, my mom took me aside to talk about why my granddad saying that it was the day the “Japs bombed Pearl Harbor” was not okay for me to repeat when talking about my birthday’s significance. If a 5-year-old can comprehend that certain terms are racist, why is it so hard for this book publisher, author, and editors to comprehend it? Even more so, if the nonfiction section in my library was weeded semi-recently, why was this book not weeded earlier, or, even better, why was it bought in the first place?

God Loves Mimes

October 30, 2019 Holly Department of God 8 comments

Mime Ministry: An illustrated, easy-to-follow guidebook for organizing, programming and training a troupe of Christian mimes
Toomey
1986

Submitter: Weeded for condition from a public library, where it was still circulating. I think I’m finding it funny because of the “Troupe of Christian Mimes” in the title – one trained Christian mime isn’t enough to spread the Word?! My collection has a slightly more recent title on the topic that I’m keeping, which has the hilarious (to me) LCSH of “Clowns — Religious Aspects — Christianity”.

Homemaking as a religious experience

August 7, 2019 Mary Kelly Department of God, Ladies only! 11 comments

Beautiful Homemaking
Johnson
1961

This book is some Christian based cleaning and cooking help. Evidently, the way to heaven is a tidy home and some decent meals. Fine. A lot of folks take homemaking seriously. More power to you.