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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to burn one of each Religious text today?

256 replies

JustMakingAPoint · 09/05/2025 07:54

Not because I hate or dislike them.

Not because I think burning books is good (I do not)

But because I should be able too. Because we have no Blasphemy laws and mean as it is, it’s not illegal and shouldn’t be.

And I want to do it to all of them to make the point it’s not about Islam, though it is provoked by today’s news.

This country is secular, blasphemy laws do not exist. And they shouldn’t.

if it takes every person burning a single religious book of their choosing to make the point - then I’m up for that.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Changingplace · 09/05/2025 07:56

What’s today’s news? Your post would make slightly more sense if you explained what news you were complaining about.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 09/05/2025 07:58

I'm an atheist. I think religion can cause a lot of problems, but I'm not sure how non-believers deliberately seeking to disrespect believers is going to help.

SingtotheCat · 09/05/2025 07:59

Well you can burn stuff, but how does that help you?

PhilippaGeorgiou · 09/05/2025 08:00

Books should never be burned. Anyone doing so is in pretty awful company - it is never about freedom, it is about bigotry. Nor is there reason to go out of ones way to offend others to defend your freedom.

And actually, like it or not, if you are in the UK the country is not secular - it has a state religion and that is the Christianity through the prism of the Church of England.

BMW6 · 09/05/2025 08:01

Well unless you were announcing what you were about to burn to a crowd of people who the fuck would be remotely aware of your "brave stance"?

Youd just be a random oddball burning paper in a street. 🙄

MeowCatPleaseMeowBack · 09/05/2025 08:02

OOoh you're so edgy

ZenNudist · 09/05/2025 08:02

I think if we start burning books or religious texts especially it sends a terrible message to the world. Ignorance and intolerance are not a good look.

DelphiniumDoreen · 09/05/2025 08:02

I have no idea what you are talking about.

Allthesnowallthetime · 09/05/2025 08:03

We should not have blasphemy laws in the UK.

But burning books gives a weird message. As if different ideas can't be tolerated and must be burned. That's not good either!

BallerinaRadio · 09/05/2025 08:03

You do you, you burn your books. Alone. By yourself.

The world will continue none the wiser. But go you?

wrongthinker · 09/05/2025 08:05

I get you, OP. We have apparently brought in a blasphemy law and are punishing people for not respecting Islam. Bet you could burn a bible without any issues. Probably only one religious book you wouldn't be allowed to burn.

Maryqueenofstots · 09/05/2025 08:05

Yes, you have the freedom to burn religious texts. You also have the freedom to choose not to.

I choose to be respectful of others beliefs, irrespective of my own beliefs.

The freedom is in the choice, not in the action.

Couldyounot · 09/05/2025 08:06

Nah, I'm still with Heinrich Heine on this. But it is a pointless law though. We can't enforce most of what we have already, without adding new ones

RufustheFactuaIReindeer · 09/05/2025 08:06

Burning books isn’t a great idea

TravellersLip · 09/05/2025 08:07

So out there and provocative.

RufustheFactuaIReindeer · 09/05/2025 08:07

I would say that i am not going to be respectful of all beliefs either…some are dreadful

BlondiePortz · 09/05/2025 08:08

No one is stopping you are they?

TheNightingalesStarling · 09/05/2025 08:09

Its not just about the book itself.
It has historically been used as a way to create terror. No one is bothered by recycling plants... they are bothered by people making statements of hatred.

TheNoonBell · 09/05/2025 08:10

Be careful burning a particular religious book as you may get arrested and charged.

All the other religious books are unlikely to get a police response.

3WildOnes · 09/05/2025 08:11

Can you link to a news article to give some context?

DoNoTakeNo · 09/05/2025 08:15

So which would you choose, @JustMakingAPoint
There are a lot.

FWIW I think it’s pretty disrespectful to do this - no, more than that, it’s a petty, angry little gesture that will achieve virtually nothing other than presumably satisfying some urge of yours to make a point, wasting a load of paper & releasing carbon into the atmosphere. But as a PP said, you do you, eh?

Allisgoodtoday · 09/05/2025 08:18

What on earth for? How intolerant.
I'm not particularly a believer but I respect the right of all to follow their religious beliefs and would never take part in such an offensive act, even though I don't follow their particular faith.

There are also those who choose to make their 'faith' a vehicle of hatred, but that sort of extremism isn't the norm, and it will never be countered by our doing similarly offensive and inciteful acts.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 09/05/2025 08:18

Your post doesn't make sense.
Is it a Christian book that you want to burn or all religious books.
You would be under serious threat by a lot of deeply religious people, I suspect, if you started a movement.

Evaka · 09/05/2025 08:18

Can anyone explain what OP is riled up about?

Gallowayan · 09/05/2025 08:20

The UK is not a "secular" country. The Church of England is the official religion - the king being the governor of the C of E. You would be correct if you were talking about a republic such as France or the US. Burning books or anything that others value or hold sacred is goady and stupid and calculated to cause offence.