Bøger af James LaRue

The Tangled Web contains the letters and essays I wrote when I was in the Church of Bible Understanding (COBU), a religious group that some say is one of the worst mind control cults of all time. This book contains stories and descriptions of everyday life in the cult, providing the reader with a front row seat view of what life is like inside one of these organizations. America has always been a breeding ground for many kinds of religious expression, from large well-known mainline denominations to small isolated religious communities which remain, for the most part, hidden from view unless some event brings them to the attention of the media or the authorities. COBU was just another in the long line of isolationist religious communities, centered around an authoritarian leader who claimed to have the only true version of Christianity in a world where all others were in darkness. Communities such as the Oneida Perfectionists, the Shakers, the Shiloh Colony in the 19th Century - and the Church of Bible Understanding in the 20th - and now, 21st, Centuries are just some of the many expressions of Christianity on the fringe. The Church of Bible Understanding has dwindled from some 3,000 members in its heyday to about 80 members now. What was once a small legion of people who were zealous to proclaim the Gospel are now a much smaller group of people who now seem to be primarily concerned with their business operation known as Olde Good Things, an architectural antique business located in New York City and several other cities in the US.

"In America, censorship surges in periods of demographic and political change. Its primary purpose is to silence challenges to an established elite or norm. Today, censorship is part of a larger assault on such American institutions as schools, public libraries, and universities, the better to establish more control over the people--while also pilfering their wallets. In this concise look at censorship, author James LaRue explores the topic through a librarian's lens. Using humor, reason, and intelligence, he builds a case against censorship as he recounts stories from his experience as a librarian confronting book banning, while also casting a wider net to encompass larger issues of censorship. On Censorship is a part of Fulcrum Publishing's Speaker's Corner Books series"--

How can you become an effective advocate for intellectual freedom and patron privacy while maintaining a positive relationship with diverse elements of your community?