'Too Christian' for Academia? A four-volume encyclopedia gets pulped in the name of political correctness.

Wiley-Blackwell, a major academic press, was set to release its four-volume Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization this month. According to the encyclopedia's editor, George Thomas Kurian, the set had been copy-edited, fact-checked, proofread, publisher-approved, printed, bound, and formally launched (to high praise) at the recent American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Literature conference.

But protests from a small group of scholars associated with the project have led the press to postpone publication, recall all copies already distributed, and destroy the existing print run. The scholars' complaint? The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization, they have reportedly argued, is "too Christian." "They also object to historical references to the persecution and massacres of Christians by Muslims," Kurian says, "but at the same time want references favorable to Islam.

"Political correctness in academic publishing is nothing new, but it would be unusual, to say the least, for ideological pressure to lead a publisher to reverse itself so late in the process, especially given the significant financial losses involved in pulping a print run of a gigantic four-volume encyclopedia. As Kurian puts it, "This is probably the first instance of mass book-burning in the 21st century.

"Last week, Kurian e-mailed a memo to his nearly 400 contributors informing them of Wiley-Blackwell's decision, and of his intention of pursuing on their behalf a class-action breach-of-contract lawsuit. Kurian's memo was soon distributed on the e-mail list of the Society of Christian Philosophers, and is getting attention in the blogosphere.

The memo also claims that the "words or passages [the critics] want deleted" include "Antichrist," "BC/AD (as chronological markers)," "Virgin Birth," "Resurrection," and "Evangelism." "To make the treatment 'more balanced,'" the memo says, the critics "also want the insertion of material denigrating Christianity in some form or fashion.

"Kurian reports that critics objected to contributions from a number of established scholars, some from prominent academic departments and widely published in mainstream journals and academic presses-their work was deemed too theologically conservative and orthodox.

A representative of Wiley-Blackwell has sent an e-mail of his own to the encyclopedia's contributors, insisting that Kurian's charges are "completely without foundation." The press's actions, the representative claims, stem simply from a concern for "standards of appropriate scholarship." This concern has led it to decide that the work's articles require further review before publication. The publisher has not explained why its academic standards did not prevent it from granting final editorial approval and printing the encyclopedia. To paraphrase John Kerry, it would seem that Wiley-Blackwell was for publication before it was against it.

Nothing really new here except that the books will be destroyed. Social studies books for seventh graders already have a pro-muslim agenda.

Wilders flying in to Heathrow this morning, defying ban

Wilders has some really big balls. Not only is he subject to arrest in the UK, but the muslims there are probably trying to figure out a way to kill him. Oh, and notice how well they can spell? It must be all that religious schooling in the madrasas.

The British Home Office has further stated that in barring Geert Wilders from the UK it is stopping “extremism, hatred and violent messages” from coming to its country. The British Home Office is wrong. These things are already there. With this crude rebuff of Mr. Wilders, the Netherlands, and freedom of speech, the British government has all but ensured that such extremism, hatred and violent messages will continue to flourish in British soil, taking root and taking over.

You can see how peaceful the cult of Old Mo really is.

Egyptian cleric: Valentine's Day more dangerous than AIDS, Ebola, cholera

There Is No Fun In Islam* Alert: "Egyptian Cleric Hazem Shuman Warns Muslim Youth Against Valentine's Day – More Dangerous than AIDS, Ebola, and Cholera"

For Valentine's Day, "Everything Red Will Become More Expensive... Only One Red Thing Will Become Cheaper: The Blood Of Muslims... [Due To] Sins Committed By Muslim Youth"

Hazem Shuman: "In a few days something very important and dangerous will take place in the world of the youth - perhaps even more important than tonight’s Al-Ahli soccer match. People will follow this event everywhere. I am talking about the global Valentine’s Day, the global holiday of love.

"In a few days' time, Planet Earth will turn red. We will become the reddest planet in the universe. Everything red will become more expensive. Red teddy bears, red candles, red pens - they will all become more expensive. Only one red thing will become cheaper: The blood of Muslims. All this is the result of the sins committed by Muslim youth."

"A Very Dangerous Virus... The Valentine Virus"

"In a few days time, a very dangerous virus will attack the body of the nation. What virus? Is it AIDS? No, something more dangerous. Something more dangerous than Ebola, which dissolves the human body, more dangerous than cholera, which killed half of Europe a few centuries ago. I am talking about the Valentine virus, people.

"I have come tonight to warn all boys and girls about an extremely dangerous virus, which is about to attack the hearts of the nation’s youth, and to destroy our relations with God. We must confront this Valentine virus! [...]

"The More You Celebrate Valentine’s Day, The More the Jews and Christians Are Happy, and the More the Prophet Muhammad is Sad"

"Imagine that the Prophet Muhammad is standing before you, and so are the Jews and the Christians. The more you celebrate Valentine’s Day, the more the Jews and Christians are happy, and the more the Prophet Muhammad is sad. The more you do this, the more the Jews and the Christians gloat at us, while tears flow from the Prophet’s eyes. Do you want to make the Prophet sad and the Jews and Christians happy?!

"People, if Muhammad Ahmad Ibrahim holds a party, and George Mikhail whatever holds a different party, [Muhammad the Muslim] will wear the same clothes as [George the Christian], both will buy dresses for their wives from the same shop, both will seat their wives on the stage for all the people to see, both will book a hall in the same club, both will invite single men and women and have them intermingle, both will hire a band, musicians, and female singers and dancers, and both will have crowds intermingling outside the club. If you are invited to Muhammad’s party, how would you distinguish it from George’s party?

"You can’t tell the difference between a Fatima and a Mary anymore. Fatima wears the same clothes as Mary, listens to the same songs, she loves the same singers, and she watches the same TV channels. How long will we go on living this lie?"

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MEMRI is a great site. They take shows from middle east TV and translate them.

Aren't they entertaining? I just love to watch muslims get all upset about a holiday that celebrates love. Muslims don't believe that love matters in a relationship. All that matters is that they muslim male gets sex on demand. When his old wife does not look like a little girl anymore, he can just divorce the old one and buy himself a little girl. Or, he can just take on another wife or four.