My Religion and My Banned Books

all religion should be banned.

Very well said, sir - as always. Your thoughtful and humane approach to human foibles gives us all something to aspire towards - a better world.

Fucking cultist

If I had kids I'd give them your books for sure. I should probably read them before I say that...

I immediately went to (rural and very country) library to look for your books. They are still there and in the teen section.
I will not name the location because I need to read them first.

I have loved your crash course videos for years and now I want to buy your books!

Bravo!

i understand this comment is quite late to the game (video) however, to censor books is never the best strategy. i loved reading looking for Alaska and other Greene novels that really hit it off. to see this man be censored in a religious Christian and/or Catholic environment truly saddens me. You were quite an inspiring while I was growing up, thank you for your work.

"Efforts to restrict stories are efforts to restrict empathy" WORD

I had no idea that you worked as a chaplain. This warms my heart, because I worked as a hospital chaplain (intern & resident) for a year, beginning last summer...so what you said about the work definitely resonates. Thank you for sharing about your faith and how it motivates you and your work, including your writing. Thanks for all you are continuing to do to make this world a better place for everyone.

P.S. I am an ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church and I talked about my work as a chaplain in my most recent sermon this past Sunday.

Genuinely, you are one of the most put together Christians Ive ever heard speak.

My father threw away my "An Abundance of Katherines" because of the word "fug." It was from the library... It wasn't even mine.
My mom rescued it for me because she saw it in the trash.
I wasn't having premarital sex in high school, but I was perpetually suicidal because of the constraints of [what I was taught were the final beliefs of] my religion! So clearly, that's THAT'S much better than sex. 🙄

There are many, many books which you do not want to be in your public schools, you just won't admit it because it is the propaganda of your party being put in schools.

I'm totally with you dude!😊

John, I so super respect you, and I welcome anything you are or are not.

John, it was refreshing you hear about your compassion and caring that ALL humans, no matter what they believe, matter! I am an ex-Christian but I love the unconditional-love teachings of Jesus, as well as the unconditional positive regard of any teaching, if that is what they are, indeed, teaching. I'm sorry I haven't read any of your books and do know you're an author. I came to start listening to you on @vlogbrothers through having listened to Hank on the various science channels. I wish you and Hank well and a speedy recovery for Hank.

Highschoolers are drinking and fornicating, aint much gon stop that...

No such thing as a trans kid

Well said, John. I am in seminary for the Episcopal Church and you reflect a lot of my own sentiments. I'd really be interested in learning about some of your experiences as a Chaplain.

As a second grade teacher my kids can’t read your books yet. But I welcome them in my room just the same. I’ve always appreciated your faith, it shows.

I have two grandparents who are fairly religious. Even though its clear that me and my sibling and mom dont practice christianity like them, they still make us pray at dinner time, or other meals through out the day. And i feel like a common theme with book banning is inappropriate material, material that should not be educated in schools. Whenever heavier topics are brought up to my grandparents like my mental health, the possobility i might have adhd or autism my grandparents shrink and dont want to talk about it anymore. Sometimes they seem keen to deny it out right. And i feel like that's similar in terms of book bannings. There's touchy material that some seen keen on blocking out because of how touchy it is. But is that because of religion? I wouldn't say that it is. Its not religions fault that some are more sensitive to much harsher topics that are just second nature to other people, it comes from a place of privilege. Of not ever having to see that kind of pain in your life. So when its brought up you think its so much worse than it is, when in reality it isnt. Its just the human condition. That some are keen to avoid. My grandparents don't want to hurt me. Their intentions never seem to be to make my life worse, in fact it feels like they want the opposite. But when it comes down to the real, pressing issues inside that they cannot face, they can't deal with it. And thats what i think a lot of these book bans are about

This is one of my favorite videos ever. Really profound stuff, well put

Be gone wokie

I’ve been going through some tough times, and I’ve been hoping that I am capable of crying to release some pressure, your sincerity did the job John.
Thank you for being awesome.
I pray for Hank’s complete healing.

This is a nice viewpoint, but it’s one that has an inherent contradiction within itself. How can one simultaneously believe that everyone should be treated fairly and nobody group be marginalized, but also hold the belief that homosexuality is a sin which sentences one to eternal torture?

It would’ve been helpful to cite the specific lines in your book that have caused them to be banned I have no idea about either of these books and out of context all I picked up was “there’s sex in my book so they banned it” like what we talking about here some casual they did it or half a chapter describing minors having sex 😅😅😅

Amen

“Hide not your light under bushel baskets”, as a Christian it is your duty to preach the Gospel to all corners of the Earth. So it is your duty to tell people your beliefs so that more souls may be saved.

What’s that phrase, “you can’t be neutral on a moving train”?

Your description of your work as a chaplain is as close to what Jesus did for us as humans can do. To grieve with those who grieve, to comfort those in need of comfort and to bare one another's burdens.

Kept saying the word human without defining it. The differing groups are not united by the word human unless you’re taking the inherited distinctly Christian approach of a universal humanity that has rights and dignity from being made in the image of God, the Christian God unique with His attributes

Why turn off your brain and embrace fairy tales?

You and Hank really are the coolest. Hope he is doing okay. And you sir...keep fighting against history repeating itself. The Germans dealt with this awhile ago. Should not ever happen again.

As an adamant non-christian...this was beautiful:)

So very well said!

Florida is really being turned into a third world country, I actually encourage republicans to vote for Trump in 2024 because he's still better then DeSantis AND HE'S A MASOGYNIST

Why do they ban Hitler books? Those are my favorite.

Thank you John

I have always struggled with my faith and you reaffirmed why I am a Christian to begin with.

Someone a while ago asked me if I think they would go to hell because they where Gay. I stated to them it not my Job to judge you. You need to make that decision on your own.

Why does it matter to them what I think? I am but a man who has no power. I can listen and solve my problems but only God can solve yours.

Also being gay doesn't send you to Hell common way of misunderstanding the bible. Its all your sin. Lying, stealing, cheating, Murder, Violence from anger. I am a sinner just as much as my best friend who happens to be Gay. God can and will still save you.

It's been a while, how are you?

I’m an atheist intellectually, but a humanist… uh… like, operationally, and I recognize in you someone trying to do that too

I often forget John is a Christian chaplain. I always read him as an atheist humanist.

Sorry bro the Episcopal Church is not a real church.

Hear hear! As it should be. Religious or not, the Do Unto Others as you wish to also be treated seems to be the main truth of any religion/ creed/ social interaction. But it seems to this pagan, that many christians are unable to accept that creed.

"Efforts to restrict stories are often efforts to restrict empathy." Indeed.

I never got the argument about poisoning youth's mind.
You know what poisoned my mind? Not being aware of what being LGBT meant, or is supposed to mean, or how older people take advantage of that confusion. I was 15 years old when a much older man took advantage of my confusion about this "bad thing". So I'm sorry but maybe we should be talking about these more complicated subjects, we should talk about alcohol and sex and all the messy stuff has life in it because yeah it's a difficult conversation, but so is me telling my therapist that I'm having flashbacks and memory recollection of an event that I had repressed for almost a decade. So is finding out your child is in the hospital because you never talked to them about the dangers of overdrinking and didn't let them express that in a way you could control.

Hmmm… My advice is buy a new shirt, I think that one has seen it’s day.

Love separate from truth is poisonous. We should never encourage sinfulness, but we should always love sinners.

I often get a lot of flack online when I say I'm a scientist and a Christian. So I get you.

I still can't find anywhere that has actually BANNED Green's books. All I see is his work being "challenged" not even by districts but by ONE person running for administrative power within that district.