Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, February 14, 2025
Our local library is well-used by all ages. Here in the teen section (labeled age 13 and older), a day or two ago, I discovered this Valentine-themed display called “Blind Date With a Book.” Looking at the labels – there are two or three per mystery package – I don’t know whether each book contains all of the listed categories, or maybe just one.
Notice the categories? They’ve all been judged on how attractive they’d be to readers of that age group. At this point I must go firmly on record stating that I do not believe in book-banning. I believe that families need to teach their teens to evaluate what they read.
But isn’t it sad to see some of the categories? Revenge, demons, conspiracy . . . Even though the very Bible itself contains all of these, and more, I would hope that the teen would have been taught discernment. I myself read widely when I was that age, and peeked into some of these topics (and sometimes suffered nightmares about them). But since then I have “put away childish things” and become more of a grownup in what I consume.
It might be good for us – whatever age we are – to review some verses the Bible includes about truth. You’ll find several at the link just below: