What? My Sources are Fake?
While writing my first position paper for this class, I was having trouble finding specific evidence to support my claim. I was trying to argue that some Evangelists behaved irrationally and dangerously in response to the Harry Potter books. Then I tumbled onto an amazing website: the Landover Baptist Church. Perhaps their subtitle – “the largest, most powerful assembly of worthwhile people to ever exist, unsaved are NOT welcome” – should have made me question the reliability of the website. But the content was too perfect for my essay:
“The Ladies of Landover are holding a midnight prayer vigil on July 15th outside the Freehold, Iowa Barnes and Noble…If you see anyone with this book in hand [Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince], shout, ‘Fire on you! In the name of Jesus!’ Snatch the book from them, toss it to another Christian brother or sister and put flame to it as quicly as possible. Make sure you hand the person a bible to replace it.”
“Churches to hold all night prayer vigils to counter thousands of Harry Potter Black Masses being held across America! National bookstores to release the Devil’s latest manuscript at midnight! Pray for our children!”
Yet do not assume that I simply copied the quotes into my paper without checking the site at all. Rather, I wandered extensively through the forums and ministries sections. Instead of questioning the credibility of the source, I was questioning the stability of humankind. Sadly, it seemed more likely to me that a group of determined, technology-savvy Evangelists had created a vast, hateful website than that someone with a sense of humor had fabricated an elaborate parody. Maybe you have figured out by now that the website is just a big joke, but I had no idea until I received an enlightening "comment" on my essay.
Looking back at the website now, I laugh. Some of the titles are so ridiculous, like:
“Women Probably Don’t Have Souls”
“Pastor Expelled for Praying to Moses!”
“Tampons: Satan’s Little Cotton Fingers”
Yet I still could not find anywhere that acted as disclaimer for the site, or that explained the true motive of parody. Thus, I do not consider myself crazy for considering the site valid. In all honesty, I am relieved to find that the beliefs expressed at www.landoverbaptistchurch.org are only make-believe. Now I just have to revise my Harry Potter essay.
“The Ladies of Landover are holding a midnight prayer vigil on July 15th outside the Freehold, Iowa Barnes and Noble…If you see anyone with this book in hand [Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince], shout, ‘Fire on you! In the name of Jesus!’ Snatch the book from them, toss it to another Christian brother or sister and put flame to it as quicly as possible. Make sure you hand the person a bible to replace it.”
“Churches to hold all night prayer vigils to counter thousands of Harry Potter Black Masses being held across America! National bookstores to release the Devil’s latest manuscript at midnight! Pray for our children!”
Yet do not assume that I simply copied the quotes into my paper without checking the site at all. Rather, I wandered extensively through the forums and ministries sections. Instead of questioning the credibility of the source, I was questioning the stability of humankind. Sadly, it seemed more likely to me that a group of determined, technology-savvy Evangelists had created a vast, hateful website than that someone with a sense of humor had fabricated an elaborate parody. Maybe you have figured out by now that the website is just a big joke, but I had no idea until I received an enlightening "comment" on my essay.
Looking back at the website now, I laugh. Some of the titles are so ridiculous, like:
“Women Probably Don’t Have Souls”
“Pastor Expelled for Praying to Moses!”
“Tampons: Satan’s Little Cotton Fingers”
Yet I still could not find anywhere that acted as disclaimer for the site, or that explained the true motive of parody. Thus, I do not consider myself crazy for considering the site valid. In all honesty, I am relieved to find that the beliefs expressed at www.landoverbaptistchurch.org are only make-believe. Now I just have to revise my Harry Potter essay.
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