on the front of things, especially when you read sites such as atlasshrugs this is a horrible example of censorship.

How can the publishers demand that a encyclopedia not use words such as “Virgin Birth,” “Resurrection,” “Evangelism,” and others? How can the publishers request that they post a certain number of articles that put Christianity in a bad light? How can they force the editor to not put in stories about Islam's historical mistreatment of Christians?

The thing is the editor has a point to a degree. However he is exaggerating and completely changing the focus of their changes.

Basically to sum things up, this encyclopedia is marketed to colleges and scholars. In order to do this effectively, the ENTIRE story needs to be told. You can't put in only the feel-good righteous and virtuous things that Christianity is responsible for or have aided. You must also talk about the multitude - and lord knows there is a ton of horrible deeds done by the Church. There has been every kind of depravity known to man just as there has been every kind of virtue.

To be a college text, it needs to be as bias-free as is possible. It may have a positive slant, but it can read like something written by the Pope.

So many sites and readers are furious about this act of so-called "censorship". They are even calling the destruction of the existing books, "The first mass book burning of 2009". I have to wonder what they would think if a encyclopedia about Islam spoke only of the multitude good deeds and tolerance and righteousness they were responsible for or aided. If an encyclopedia refused to discuss any negative aspects of Islam (we all know what they are no need to enumerate them), those same people that are ranting about a more balanced book on Christian Civilization would be up in arms and protesting that the Islamic Civilization Encyclopedia wasn't more balanced.

yes some of their requested changes are ridiculous and the editor can probably negotiate a relaxation on some of their requests, but their overall desires are perfectly understandable considering the books intended audience.


See this as well. It is informative:

The world has gone mad

*sigh*
An "Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization" without using these words could not be considered an "encyclopedia" because it would be glaringly incomplete. I would expect it to be "Christian" just as I expect an encyclopedia of Islamic Civilization to be "Muslim" in content. It's kind of the point. I don't think this book would "convert" anyone who was not already considering a change of religion.