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Anthony's book @ Koorong!!

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Craig_Maynard
 
Joined in 2007
May 6, 2007, 00:05

Hi all,


I have not had a response to my email… my first one and the second one which you have read. I am now in the process of putting it on paper and take it personally to the management myself… I will demand that they read it before me (while I am holding a pile of books I want to et hold of) and if I have to buy the book from Borders – I will let them know that I will be contacting all my friends and let them know of their reaction to not responding to my letters without an explanation and not responding to the others.


But then I saw Anthony’s bit… “to take it further”… I propose that I take in a hard copy of the letter and ask for a response to it… wait and see what happens? This is appaling really. The books on the list is … what is a nicer way of saying “horrific”, “unholy”, “filthy” compared to Anthony’s book.


They can not treat anybody in this fashion and I am quite prepared to do what my mother would if she is not happy with a shop… she once stood outside and spoke to the incoming customers and had the manager coming out to apologise to my mother for his staff misunderstanding. They say that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Like mother, like son! (I never really had a father figure for most of my crucial growing years).


So just give me your words and I will embarrass the “insert your positive thoughts or words” out of them. That they will loose customers because I will challenge it’s customers on the grounds of honesty and integrity of which Koorong is sadly lacking at this particular time.


Hmmmmmm by the way, the Penrith Koorong is opposite to the Local Court! Hmmmm


Craig.


Please can we at least list an action plan… because if no-one does… I will act – I’m doing alot of restraining and holding back… this goes against my ADHD, my strong social justice perspective, my inner trusting nature, my compulsive need to knock senses into people’s brain, my inner child who is saying but why?, and more so my christian duty to protect the innocent ones.



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
May 6, 2007, 17:44

it seems Craig the whole thing has gone much more beyond my book being sold.


it is as Sandy said in her email. it is not the way a christian organisation should treat an author, their customers or the general public who have taken the time to correspond with them out of genuine concern. I would have thought that even a generic letter would have been polite. I’ve been accussed of ‘encouraging his homosexual friends to harass Koorong’ when all that really happened was that I encouraged readers to tell their own personal stories and hopefully help Kooring know this is not so much about an issue as people lives.


the other thing is that through this I have taken the time to find out exactly what Koorong actually stocks (I purchased 4 books myself while I was there last) so that I was speaking from truth and not just hearsay. Now having read through three of them I, an others are concerned of the harmful impact this outdated and biased view of same sex orientation maybe having on others. If this is the only literature a christian reads on homosexuality (and most likely is) then they would probably not want to have anything to do with us.


I do know the bible (which everyone is defending here) is very clear about bearing false witness against others and that is exactly what these books are doing. this also is very dissapointing.


it seems like this thing is not over and will not go away.


http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?p=34437686


http://pinkmountains.com.au/?News:A_Life_of_Unlearning_withdrawn



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
May 7, 2007, 13:32

Hi Paul


When I was working as a commissioned Salvation Army officer in the 1980’s, I obtained my first text on the subject of homosexuality from Koorong Books. Although I don’t remember the name of this book, it prompted me to take a very conservative approach to homosexuality and to make some major life decisions I have since regretted.


I understand that you have recently removed ‘A Life of Unlearning’ from your shelves and this news disturbs me. I personally support the right of Christian people to understand the plight of homosexual people in the church and to read a broad range of Christian literature on the subject. It appears that Koorong has not graduated to a level where it provides access to such a depth of literature, and as such, you have a powerful hand in manipulating the access Australian Christians have to literature on the subject.


Please reconsider the part such a policy has in damaging the lives of Christian homosexuals and contributing to the suicides of people who cannot reconcile God’s love for them because of who they are.


Sincerely


Kit



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
May 7, 2007, 13:33

Hi Paul


You don’t know me but let me tell you a little about myself. I was brought up a Christian and tought to believe in Christ and most of all to understand it is by your actions that you will be judged, not your posturing in public or in a religious environment.


I was very pleased to hear that you had agreed to sell copies of the book “A Life of Unlearning” by anthony Venn-Brown not least because it represents a factual view of what some people, not just Anthony, have gone through.


To me this was a real “Christ-like” act. We all recall who Jesus associated himself with, the lepers and prostitutes, not just the wealthy and the affluent.


It is with considerable regret I hear that you have removed this book and have not replied to Anthony’s request for an explanation. So let me ask, why have you removed the book from sale and how do you reconcile this with the Christ like behaviour that Christians are expected to demonstrate.


Thank you.


John



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
May 7, 2007, 13:35

Dear Mr Bootes,


Some years ago I received some valuable Life Coaching from Anthony Venn-Brown. I am on his e-mail list & bump into him occassionally. I am quite disturbed to hear that your bookstore is no longer stocking his book, and even more disturbed to hear that his correspondence to you is not being acknowledged.


While not being a Christian myself, I do understand after reading this book how valuable it is as an educational resource for those persons brought up as Christians, where the human genome has dictated that they are sexually attracted to the same sex. Imagine how difficult it would be for that person where some religious congregations and families are not used to or educated in these points of difference in human sexuality.


You may not be aware that as humans we obtain our morals from a combination of different sources, chiefly genetically through our parents, and via our environment eg family environment, schooling, friendship groups etc… We do not obtain our morals solely through the teachings in the bible or any other ancient scripture – thank goodness for that because as for example, if my wife cheated on me I would then according to the bible, be allowed to stone her to death!!


The point I am trying to make here is that if you cared about humanity as much as you claim to do as Christians, you would rise above what limitations the bible places upon you in regard to moral teachings, and consider the broader experiences that you and others in our wonderful society have had.


This book has saved many lives, has stopped suicides, given hope in the face of prejudices of the most immoral kind. I urge you to reconsider your position in a) having the decency in returning Anthony’s messages and b) stocking your bookstore with this award winning book.


Do not be frightened of your future. Your God will love you for helping others help find peace and happyness in themselves.


Kind Regards


Scott



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
May 7, 2007, 13:37

Dear Paul, 

 

I have heard from Anthony about the withdrawal of his book. I am disappointed. If truth is truth then let people read and come to their own conclusions. He has apparently left messages to which there has been no response. If so this is disappointing and I hope it is explainable as an oversight and not a deliberate action. I think that higher standards of business ethics and practice are demanded of Christian businesses than of others. 

 

Yours sincerely 

 

Robert



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
May 7, 2007, 13:39

Paul?


I have noted that you have removed Anthony’s book from your book list and have made copies unavailable to the public.? I think this is not in keeping with your wider and more philosophical attitude to learning in the ‘christian academia’ and private study.


No doubt within your tombs we could find much more radical points of view, whether we agree with them or not.


The Trinity denied

Objection to women in leadership.

The Virgin Mary Denied

The value of?Escene texts, dead sea scrolls.

Many?apocryphal works?disputed by many scholars.? I?acquired many years ago a 10 volume of the Ante Nicene fathers that had some very radical views indeed.


I seems as homosexuality is a political hot?potato with the?contemporary church it seems it is easier for you to dump it than allow our more learned friends to deal with it.? By denying access to this and any other book denies your reading public of proper debate.? Come let us reason, would be at the centre your reasons to be such an exceptional player in the market place. Why is this any different?


I think you get the point.? I think it could put you in the position of only books on the Fred Nile bedside table reading list as acceptable.


Could you put Anthony’s book back on the shelf.??


Thanks

Stephen



happywanderer
 
Joined in 2005
May 16, 2007, 11:47

Hi Paul,


I am a long-standing Koorong customer, and have found Koorong to be a great source of Christian material since my becoming a Christian at the age of 28 in 1977. The Lord Jesus Christ is my personal Saviour, and even revealed Himself physically to me when my first son died in 1985. I am also gay.


Homosexuality is an explosive topic amongst Christians. But I have met many Christians who are gay and who, like me, tried for years to overcome their homosexuality. Suicide amongst gays is rife, yet I understand that Koorong doesn’t stock any of the excellent books written by Christians that put homosexuality in a positive light, denying desperate people a source of comfort and encouragement.


You may have read recently that a Board Member of Dr James Dobson’s “Focus on the Family” – and Principal of a tertiary college in the US – acknowledged that people are born gay, even though he went on to say that medical science will now have to be used to determine the likelihood of an unborn child being born gay, and to “do something” to prevent its happening. Even the Christian community is beginning to acknowledge that homosexuality is something a person is born with, and which cannot be overcome with “reparative therapy” or any other treatment.


I read Anthony Venn-Brown’s excellent account of his own personal struggle with homosexuality in the 1st edition of “A Life of Unlearning”, and have just started reading the latest edition. Is it true that you guys pulled the plug on this book – which Koorong stocked when it was released – because it is “pro-gay”? If so, I beg you to reconsider this action, as I believe that Anthony’s book has the potential to save many Christians who just happen to be gay in a society that still doesn’t accept them for who they are. Koorong has a responsibility to serve the Christian community, and this includes those Christians who happen to be gay.


One of the “memory cards” I keep on my desk jumped out at me today. It was a quote by Samuel Johnson: “God Himself, sir, does not propose to judge man until the end of his days”. If Koorong would change its policy on the stocking of pro-gay Christian material, I believe it would be showing the world that it is not falling into the trap of being judgemental.


Thank you for your consideration of my request.


In His Name,


Paul



Craig_Maynard
 
Joined in 2007
May 28, 2007, 01:49

What’s the latest? Has anyone got a response.


When I go next to Koorong, I will be taking a print out of the email and ask for a response from the local manager.


Smile.


ps. where is “A Life of Learning” being sold at? It’s possible that it’s run out at Borders. Hmmmm sigh.



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
May 30, 2007, 00:51

As far as I now Criag not one person has heard anything. not me or the public or the customers that have written or even the psycholigists that have written out of concern that clients of thiers have self harmed or attempted suicide as a result of reading thier books on homosexuality. its getting even more irresponsible of them.


peter stokes of the salt shakers Luke 14:34-35 Salt therefore is good: but if even the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is fit neither for the land nor for the dunghill: men cast it out. cut and pasted from my email here and sent it out to his list asking them also to email Koorong and thank them for withdrawing my book and not be presurred. It would be interesting to know if any of those people got a reply.


Currently we are in talks with some people in the AMA, the Australian Psychologists and Australian Psychiatrists Associations about the unscientific damaging nature of the 30 books sold by Koorong.


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