The banned books: Muslim interdict brings to mind the ancient Index Librorum Prohibitorum

A report from Kuala Lumpur  of books  being banned by the Home Ministry for "containing twisted facts on Islam that can undermine the faith of Muslims."  Principal assistant secretary Abdul Razak Abdul Latif said the titles were banned by a prohibition order under Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.  The first book is “Pelik Tapi Benar Dalam Solat” by Abdul Rahman Mohamed, the other “Muslim Women and the Challenge of Islamic Extremism” by Norani Othman, published by Sisters in Islam.
     It brings to mind the old Catholic "Index"  of forbidden books, which ran from 1559 until it was abolished finally in 1966 (though widely ignored before that). Today there is only an "admonitum", by which bishops may inform the faithful that a book is 'pernicious' and not to be read.  The complete lists were fascinating: a full account here.  Though nb it's Wikipedia.
     It ranges from Swedenborg and Kant to Samuel Richardson's Pamela, one of Dante's works and of Montaigne's Essays;  de Sade (obviously...), but also much of Zola, Balzac, Andre Gide, Sartre, and in their day Copernicus, Defoe, Galileo... Times change; indeed many authors taught at my convent school had been, in their day, banned to all Catholics. 

Comments

[Rick Beekman]

Libby;
You brought back long forgotton memories of Catholic censorship.

I remember years ago The RCC would publish a list of "Banned" Movies to watch. Of course they would give The Movie Title Etc Etc. Naturally a Lot of Catholics would go see some of these "banned" movies anyway out of Curiosity Thanks to RCC and their "List"!!
Actually I don't go to any Movies..They are all Fantasy and Hollywood's version of life or how Hollywood wants you to see their version of "Life". Even Religious Movies are not One Hundred Percent Biblically Correct Rather perverted to make the story more exciting or dramatic....

[Don]

Also reminds one of the Nazis burning books that they didn't agree with. Not forgetting, of course, Salman Rushdie. We're not yet out of the Dark Ages it seems.