this post was submitted on 18 Aug 2025
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A local church is urging its members to permanently remove books from the Shelby County Public Library by checking them out and never returning them. The books portray gay characters and historical figures or explore LGBTQ+ themes.

Pamela Wilson Federspiel, who has been director of the library in downtown Shelbyville for 34 years, says the action is tantamount to “stealing.”

But three leaders of the Reformation Church of Shelbyville defend what they call an “act of civil disobedience.”

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[–] uhdeuidheuidhed@thelemmy.club 3 points 6 hours ago

That's actually really funny.

I can't believe what goes through these people's minds.

[–] potato_wallrus@lemmy.world 17 points 9 hours ago

Go to their church, and borrow money from the collection tray without returning it

[–] Freefall@lemmy.world 14 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago) (1 children)

Bill them fees. Then take them to court when they don't pay and if they do pay use the money to buy more of the books. These are fools that are used to being milked like cattle...use it for good.

[–] Pulptastic@midwest.social 1 points 7 hours ago

Not if. Heil hydra, replace each stolen copy with two more.

[–] lightnsfw@reddthat.com 11 points 9 hours ago

Wow these LGBT books are flying off the shelves! We should buy a lot more of them!

[–] Adulated_Aspersion@lemmy.world 4 points 7 hours ago (2 children)

Charge them for the full replacement value of the book, and then replace the book with 3 copies.

[–] uhdeuidheuidhed@thelemmy.club 3 points 6 hours ago

I didn't really read this, but it might not be that simple.

Most libraries will actually let you check out books "indefinitely," as long as you come back and renew every once in awhile.

If this church is splitting up checking out these books among different members, then it would be very difficult for a library to properly detect and enforce restrictions on them.

Even if the library could identify these people and put methods in place to stop them from what they're doing, it would still be a hassle and the church could be happy with just inconveniencing the 'liberal' library.

[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 3 points 6 hours ago

Don't forget the late fees. So late fees + full replacement value, to easily fund the 3 copies.

[–] Darleys_Brew@lemmy.ml 15 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

There are two groups here. One wants to be allowed to live their lives in peace and one wants to control you. The press and the ones that want to control you you have twisted it and it’s infuriating.

[–] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago

Cause the press is afraid of not being able to talk to the ones that want to control you, So they double up by covering up/slanting stories that are critical of the controllers while punching down at everyone else..

Then, like good dogs, they look up at the controllers, panting and satisfied with themselves, begging for masters affection.

[–] mavu@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 6 hours ago

There is a proverb in germany, that germans would still buy a train ticket to attend/travel to a riot/revolution.

This is as funny, just that it's actually happening.

[–] UncleGrandPa@lemmy.world 18 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

The religious.... Always willing to break the law

And always willing to punosh others with it.

[–] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 6 points 11 hours ago

Uncivil disobedience

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 3 points 10 hours ago

There's a nice wall over there perhaps some of these people would like to lean on it. And then I have these exciting pieces of lead I wish to introduce them to

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 13 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Typical Shelbyville.

This is what inbred cousin marriage does to a town.

[–] billwashere@lemmy.world 9 points 14 hours ago (4 children)

Stealing from a library should be a deadly sin like kicking a puppy or pineapple on a pizza.

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[–] Hadriscus@jlai.lu 1 points 8 hours ago (1 children)
[–] 0x0@lemmy.zip 2 points 7 hours ago

It's the only way to be sure.

[–] Bronzebeard@lemmy.zip 17 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

That's theft. There's nothing CIVIL about trying to erase the presence of a particular group of people from society ...

No theft is cool. This is religious censorship and the precursor to an extermination campaign. They'll kill us if we dont stop them.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 14 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Theft, plain and simple. The only hope is that they actually read those books and learn something.

Maybe the library should raise and enforce their late-return-fees...

[–] BradleyUffner@lemmy.world 14 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

It's also a criminal conspiracy.

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[–] Saleh@feddit.org 7 points 19 hours ago

Civil disobedience and "petty crime" aren't mutually exclusive. It is integral to civil disobedience that laws are broken. Also there is probably a difficulty and lots of legal debate about when violating a civil contract, borrowing an item for a specified time, becomes theft of the item by not returning it.

I think non of these should be the question here though. It is simply a dick move.

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 14 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

If it's religious, yeah, it's theft. These assholes happily break every commandments they have "in the name of Christ"

Why is it always always the religious that really truly fuck everyone else over?

I'm at the point where if someone claims to be religious that I'm just assuming they'll rape their children because chances are big that they do.

It takes religion to make a good man do terrible deeds.

Mankind will never be free until the last politician is strangled with the robes of the last priest

[–] Alwaysnownevernotme@lemmy.world 4 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago) (2 children)

Mankind will never be free until the last politician is strangled with the ~~robes~~ entrails of the last priest

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 1 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago) (1 children)

You're right, I went from memory and got it wrong

[–] Alwaysnownevernotme@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago

I figured you just saw some sanitized version somewhere. I remember getting called psychotic for posting that quote in the other place.

[–] 0x0@lemmy.zip 1 points 7 hours ago

I should put that on a tshirt.

[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 21 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

The way to fight this is easy. Offer to buy new library copies. Eventually they'll run out of people without overdue books.

Burning or disposing of the books will also generate bad press because it associates them with their kindred spirits: Nazis and church censors.

[–] ouRKaoS@lemmy.today 2 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

I was gonna say start taking pews out of their church until the books come back, but buying new books works, too.

[–] Bwaz@lemmy.world 3 points 10 hours ago

Or just hang around till the offering plate comes by and then help yourself to money to rebuy books.

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