# Local government supports turpitude in... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 12, 2004, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/local-government-supports-turpitude-in/254738 "2004-07-12T17:39:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/local-government-supports-turpitude-in/254738/1 "2004-07-12T17:39:47Z")
[Iowa](http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Midwest/07/12/no.book.burning.ap/index.html) I can’t believe the insensitivity of some people! These good citizens only wanted to perform an ancient purification rite in order to remove materials offensive to their God from the face of creation. The Fire Department had absolutely no right to step in the way of this process wielding “legal codes” and “air quality” in defiance of a rite of atonement! At what point did the Law Of Man infringing upon an American’s right to practice religion become acceptable? Now the congregation has been reduced to a “symbolic” book burning—and as it lacks the truth of action inherent in the material destruction through fire, it can be nothing more than a hollow gesture to a god grown wroth by the presence of sinful literature and a following unwilling to suffer persecution and prosecution in the pursuit of His desires! All is lost! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/local-government-supports-turpitude-in/254738/2 "2004-07-12T18:20:40Z")
What do you want to bet that the next “rekindling of tradition” these assholes want to start involves witches? 😃 “She’s a witch! Burn her!” ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/local-government-supports-turpitude-in/254738/3 "2004-07-12T18:27:55Z")
I bet that those fascists down at City Hall will soon claim that stoning is some kind of “assault” or “homicide,” rather than an act of worship. When, oh when, will the tyranny end? (Although from the story, the minister seemed to have a sense of humor about it all. Good for him… I guess.) ---
**Author:** ![GLWasteful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f05b48/32.png) [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/local-government-supports-turpitude-in/254738/4 "2004-07-12T19:37:05Z")
Oh, man. The lengths that secularists will go to all in the name of blocking free expression. Tsk, tsk and all that rot. And while the rev seemed to have a sense of humor, I get the feeling that he was pretty serious about this burning. Or maybe he just wanted publicity. Nah, it couldn’t be that. Besides, what kind of clothing would they be burning? Is that a new twist on this? Or have burners gone after clothing before? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/local-government-supports-turpitude-in/254738/5 "2004-07-12T19:44:29Z")
> [@GLWasteful](#): > > Besides, what kind of clothing would they be burning? Is that a new twist on this? Or have burners gone after clothing before? Pastor: Now bring forward the heathen, godless, Victoria’s Secret clothing to be burned! _A bunch of MILFs step forward and start unbuttoning_ ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/local-government-supports-turpitude-in/254738/6 "2004-07-12T20:31:14Z")
“Good people, I’m so happy you’re all here tonight, but please, just a few words of caution. Now we are going to set this pile of evil ablaze, but because these are children’s toys, the fire will spread quickly. So please stand back and try not to inhale the toxic fumes…” -Rev. Lovejoy ---
**Author:** ![GLWasteful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f05b48/32.png) [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/local-government-supports-turpitude-in/254738/7 "2004-07-12T21:32:50Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > Pastor: Now bring forward the heathen, godless, Victoria’s Secret clothing to be burned! > > _A bunch of MILFs step forward and start unbuttoning_ Then I’m so very in Iowa. Hell, I’ll even pretend at piousness. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/local-government-supports-turpitude-in/254738/8 "2004-07-12T22:07:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Preachers and congregations throughout American history have built bonfires and tossed in books and other materials they believed offended God. Well, factually accurate. But does anyone get the worrying feeling the author thought that was a good thing? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/local-government-supports-turpitude-in/254738/9 "2004-07-13T00:49:52Z")
Yeah, but once they fire gets going, do they strip and dance around it? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/local-government-supports-turpitude-in/254738/10 "2004-07-13T14:59:43Z")
> [@](#): > > The new plan calls for members of the church to throw materials into garbage cans and then light candles to symbolically “burn” the material. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA… I’m sorry… way too funny. What happens to it after? Gets bagged up and put on the curb? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/local-government-supports-turpitude-in/254738/11 "2004-07-13T16:59:50Z")
> [@clayton\_e](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > The new plan calls for members of the church to throw materials into garbage cans and then light candles to symbolically “burn” the material. > > HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA… > > I’m sorry… way too funny. What happens to it after? Gets bagged up and put on the curb? If anyone in the crowd has a any shred of self respect or belief in this whole book burning thing, there will be an “accident” that will eliminate the need for the garbage man.