# Amazon sells book condoning child abuse **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 13, 2013, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806 "2013-11-13T09:05:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/61 "2013-11-13T20:34:09Z")
Why is the OP harping on Amazon? B&N sells it, so do other booksellers. Why not hammer on the publisher No Greater Joy Ministries? These people are weirdo religious fanatics. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/62 "2013-11-13T20:57:01Z")
The publisher is wholly owned/operated by the author, so kind of redundant. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/63 "2013-11-13T22:19:20Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > The publisher is wholly owned/operated by the author, so kind of redundant. So that makes B&N blameless somehow? Why is Amazon so very evil and other booksellers get a pass? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/64 "2013-11-13T22:58:42Z")
I don’t think Amazon is evil. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/65 "2013-11-14T00:09:01Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Somewhere there just has to be a sequel, _To Train Up a Spouse_. Don’t you mean “To Train Up A Wife”? ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/66 "2013-11-14T00:30:29Z")
Well, in Spain right now there is a furor over a book published by the archbishop diocese of Granada, authored by a woman and directed to women. It is titled [“Get Married and Be Submissive”](http://www.nuevoinicio.es/libros/casate-y-se-sumisa/) and it seems it is as backward as the title indicates. And some will be happy to know that freedom of expression is Spain only goes as far as expressing ideas the majority shares and not any pernicious ideas. So there are voices calling for the prosecution and imprisonment of the author and the publishers for “encouraging violence against women” and similar crimes. Which is not to be taken lightly because some years back a Muslim cleric in the same area was sentenced to jail on pretty much the same grounds of not being up to date in his views of women. You are free to express whatever you like as long as it is in line with the government and public opinion du jour. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/67 "2013-11-14T02:21:35Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Somewhere there just has to be a sequel, _To Train Up a Spouse_. [There is](http://www.amazon.com/Created-Be-His-Help-Meet/dp/1892112604) and of course it’s the same people behind it. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/68 "2013-11-14T02:42:38Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > I think Amazon needs to rethink their policies in this matter. A book like that of the OP or the one written by an anti-vax moron or Ezzo does not deserve a place on the shelf. Depriving it of such is not censorship. It is merely a reasonable determination that not all people deserve to be heard a place in the public square. We make such determinations all the time. I fail to see why it would be so outrageous should Amazon officials decide to do so as well. Of course it is censorship. It’s just not government censorship and it is censorship in line with your own views. But calling it censorship is only a problem if you have the viewpoint that censorship is automatically bad. You happen to be arguing that some censorship applied in accordance with the sensibilities of the common people is a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/69 "2013-11-14T04:38:12Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Why is the OP harping on Amazon? > > Why not hammer on the publisher No Greater Joy Ministries? Because I have a day job. I get surprisingly little income from posting here. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/70 "2013-11-14T12:38:43Z")
I don’t know if it means anything, but I looked at this book on Amazon yesterday. When I went back to Amazon today, it showed up as previously viewed, and the banner for “Customers who viewed this item also viewed” included the “X Rated Screw Me Sex Kit.” ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/71 "2013-11-14T13:42:12Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > You happen to be arguing that some censorship applied in accordance with the sensibilities of the common people is a good thing. _¡Qué barbaridad!_ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/72 "2013-11-14T16:34:56Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > Because I have a day job. I get surprisingly little income from posting here. Is your day job working for B&N?:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/73 "2013-11-14T16:36:28Z")
> [@Eutychus](#): > > I don’t know if it means anything, but I looked at this book on Amazon yesterday. > > When I went back to Amazon today, it showed up as previously viewed, and the banner for “Customers who viewed this item also viewed” included the “X Rated Screw Me Sex Kit.” That would be fun. Also we should look at Mein Kapmh, Anarchists Cookbook, Protocols of the Elders of Zion… ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/74 "2013-11-14T16:44:27Z")
Suppressing the book would be useless: it would be easy to conceive of a bad novel in which all these principles were incorporated becoming the new guide. But the book’s impact may not be all that great. People looking for an excuse to abuse their children are apt to find one, and will teach themselves to hide it. This book at least serves the purpose of letting religiously-oriented potential abusers identify themselves. No need to ban Exhibit G. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/75 "2013-11-14T16:59:48Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > Sites where blacks are called the n word and Jews are called kikes deserve access to Facebook? Largely irrelevant question but I’m curious: why not say “niggers and kikes” or “n word and k word”? I’m sure “k word” would have been equally as clear as “n word”, after all, so why would you give special sensitivity to just one? ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/76 "2013-11-14T19:17:46Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > I read the 9 comments of people giving your book a 1 star, though admittedly my eyes glazed over with one of the wall of text ones. > > They have their opinion, but I don’t see anything written nearly as egregious as: The comments were made to me in other forums including on Facebook. > [@Mithras](#): > > The answer to your questions are: Yes. No. No. No. > > The definition doesn’t change just because you really, really disagree with someone. Restricting their ability to say what they want to, whether as a government or private entity, is censorship. Whether a view is valid or not doesn’t really enter into it. I assume, in fact, that many times a view is censored, it is also declared to be invalid/a crackpot idea/harmful to society. > > But that doesn’t make censorship illegal or, necessarily, immoral. Like I kind of said, I’m not saying that it’d be wrong in this case. But I do think it’s wrong to explicitly argue for censorship while claiming to not be advocating censorship. That feels creepy. No one’s putting a gag on someone’s face and literally denying them the right to speak. You are not owed the right to speak in public place nor are you owed the right to speak in a private place that you don’t own either. That has never been part of our collective societal agreement. I do see your point on the term censorship but I think most of us use the term censorship to imply that someone has a legitimate point of view that is based in facts rather than an ill-informed rant. > [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Of course it is censorship. It’s just not government censorship and it is censorship in line with your own views. But calling it censorship is only a problem if you have the viewpoint that censorship is automatically bad. You happen to be arguing that some censorship applied in accordance with the sensibilities of the common people is a good thing. Again I see your point but I think the word generally implies that someone has something legitimate and sensible to say. > [@Silver\_Fire](#): > > Largely irrelevant question but I’m curious: why not say “niggers and kikes” or “n word and k word”? I’m sure “k word” would have been equally as clear as “n word”, after all, so why would you give special sensitivity to just one? Force of habit probably. If someone called me a kike I would laugh at them the way I might if they called my husband a mick because it seems like such a quaintly ridiculous thing to say. Whereas the word nigger seems to me to still have a sad and ugly power. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/77 "2013-11-14T19:35:17Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > You are not owed the right to speak in public place Saywhatnow? Would you kindly expand on that? 'Cos I’m pretty sure I do have the right to speak in public. > [@](#): > > I do see your point on the term censorship but I think most of us use the term censorship to imply that someone has a legitimate point of view that is based in facts rather than an ill-informed rant. I’m not seeing that. Maybe we have different ideas of what censorship means, but ISTM it’s always applied to crappy arguments as well as noncrappy. -a- ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/78 "2013-11-14T20:01:28Z")
> [@DMC](#): > > [There is](http://www.amazon.com/Created-Be-His-Help-Meet/dp/1892112604) and of course it’s the same people behind it. What the hell is the title of that book even supposed to mean? I’m not sure I need any help meet. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/79 "2013-11-14T20:17:46Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > Censorship, it seems to me, implies that you are not being allowed to speak or access to something and you have a valid point of view. Who gets to decide what point of view is valid? You? Congress? The Supreme Court? The tyranny of the masses? The Pope? You’re on a dangerous path there, pal. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806/80 "2013-11-14T21:06:29Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > The best way to protest a book and make sure that nobody buys it or reads it is to post a link to it and give the full title of the book on one of the most popular message boards on the internet. I agree and I’d love to help but I really don’t feel like signing up for Gaia Online. Or 4chan. Or Something Awful. Or [Bodybuilding.com](http://Bodybuilding.com). Or … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-sells-book-condoning-child-abuse/673806.md?page=5)