Musing Mondays (Feb.7)
This week’s musing asks…
How do you react to the “book police”? (people who judge what you are reading, and try to make you feel guilty) Do you respond to their judgements? Or, do you keep quiet? Do you let what they say influence your reading, or do you do your own thing, regardless?
As I mentioned in my Sunday Salon post, yesterday, I’ve recently been verbally “attacked” by some of my own “book police”. I had a couple of ladies I know giving me a hard time about the fact that I enjoy reading vampire books. To their “whitewashed” Christian minds, I’m reading “trash”. And, they don’t get it. {{don’t get me wrong — I’m a Christian, too! But, I don’t see anything wrong with reading certain types of books. I still have my values, and I still have –self-imposed– boundaries to what I will and will not read}}.
Anyhoo. I laughed off these ladies’ comments, just shrugging my shoulders and arguing that I happen to LIKE reading vampire books! And, they shook their heads and let the issue drop.
But, it has irked me ever since. I really should retort with something like, “Well, I’m sure there are things you do that wouldn’t seem very “Christian” either… shall we discuss that?” But, I can’t do that. I’m not the confrontational type. 
Nevertheless, I won’t let what they’re saying influence what I choose to read. I will continue to read my vampire and faerie and werewolf books. Mind you, I may not post about those books on Facebook any more. 
LOL
What I choose to read is my business. That’s my take on it.
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Musing Mondays post, or share your answer in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! 
Here’s my response;
http://thefriendlybooknook.com/2011/02/07/responding-to-the-book-police/
I agree with you. I am a christian and am careful about what I read but I still get grief about some of my reading choices. As long as I know Christ doesn’t have an issue with it, I just shrug off what people say.
It’s a shame you have to deal with such matters because of your religion, but I agree with both of you. It doesn’t change who you are, and you do live in a country where free speech is encouraged… So, it shouldn’t be a problem. Your faith in God will never change.
Here is mine:
MUSING MONDAYS: The Book Police…. http://bit.ly/h4sSaa and Love Immortal
o0o0 I like this topic! I have to admit sometimes I laugh along and Ill be all “oh yeah just something I wanted to try for a laugh” but then I think NO i wanted to read this and I wish I had the courage to stand up to myself (I sometimes think all that old HS bullying has got to me a lot more than i thought lol)
Don’t give in to them- do what you believe is right!
Here’s my post:
http://abigailannreading.blogspot.com/2011/02/musing-mondays-2.html
I am not a Christian so find it hard to understand why reading vampire books are bad but at the end of the day it is fiction and its not like you believe there is vampires so surely it can’t be that bad.
Here is mine – http://leetidsreading.blogspot.com/2011/02/musings-monday.html
Nope, and I don’t even wait in midnight lines for the release of any of those vampire books, either… I just like to read them, now & then. I’m not obsessed or anything.
Rad what you want to read!!
Here’s mine: http://smashattackreads.blogspot.com/2011/02/musing-monday-template.html
http://readbookswritepoetry.blogspot.com/2011/02/mondays-mailboxwhat-are-you.html
I am not going to get into a discussion of religion..here or in MY POST but I must say, I have never run into the “book police”. Happily…
My answer is here! Happy reading!
Here is my MM
I used to be influenced by the ‘book police’ in my life, I would try to read what they thought I should read, or hide those books that wouldn’t live up to thier expectations and then one day I just realized that was absurd. I don’t see how reading Vampire books makes you any less Christian, in the same way that reading a book about the Amish makes you any more Amish. Read what you want to read and leave the book police to their own judgements.
http://dementedreading.blogspot.com/2011/02/this-weeks-musing-asks-how-do-you-react.html
Heres mine
http://shelovesreading.wordpress.com/2011/02/07/musing-mondays-7th-feb/
Oh, the good ol’ book police…
http://amongstories.wordpress.com/2011/02/07/mm-the-book-police/
I have always been my own person and choose the books that I enjoy reading. They may not be what others enjoy reading, but there are so many genres to choose from that I say, read your genres and leave my genres alone. ; )
My MM is here: http://annsreadingcorner.blogspot.com
Sounds like fourthgrade playground! What next? the “my dad is better then yours”?
Think some adults need to grow up!!!
This was a good topic. Check out my answer for this week’s Monday Musing.
No one gets to tell you what to think/say/write. EVER. LOL, I think your topic is rant worthy. LOL
Here is mine. http://bookluv.blogspot.com/2011/02/monday-musing-feb-7.html
Here is mine
You know where I stand on this issue.
The way I look at it is, “To each their own”. We all have different things we are into. That’s what keeps us interesting and not like everyone else. And if you got nothing nice to say, don’t waste your time or your breath and don’t say anything at all.
Love my vampire books and all of my friends do too and one is even an English Major.
http://ladytinksblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/musing-monday-book-police.html
Musing is up.
What one does or does not read is not what makes or does not make one a Christian…
;o)
Good on you – I am absolutely sure that God (whichever one you believe in) has bigger things to worry about than what books you are reading!
Variety is the spice of life so the saying goes.
Read whatever you want to! It’s for our own enjoyment. And yes, God doesn’t really care what books you are reading…or who wins the Superbowl.
here is my musing
http://thefridayfriends.blogspot.com/2011/02/its-monday.html
Here is my answer: http://www.blackdiamondsbookreviews.com/2011/02/monday-musings.html
It is actually really sad how some people can’t read what they want to read because other people “police” them about it. well here’s mine!
http://iliveforreading.blogspot.com/2011/02/musing-mondays-week-6.html
That’s too bad about the linkys! Thanks for hosting this
Here is ours.
http://www.ieatwords.net/2011/02/teaser-tuesday_08.html
Teaser Tuesday at the book geek:
http://tbgreviews.blogspot.com/2011/02/teaser-tuesday.html
Happy Reading!