O Poder de um Livro ("Have you heard the bad news? in Economist)

SOME conservative Christians see a threat to religious liberty in America in the shape of a children's book. “King & King” is about two princes who fall in love and get married. This spring, a Massachusetts schoolteacher read the book to her seven-year-old students. Rob and Robin Wirthlin, parents who think homosexuality is deviant behaviour, complained. “I'm part of diversity,” said Mrs Wirthlin. “I should be included in your safe and welcoming community too.”

The Wirthlins relayed their tale of woe on “Liberty Sunday”, held on October 15th in Boston. The event was co-ordinated by the Family Research Council (FRC) and broadcast to millions of Christians. It aimed to show how the gay-rights movement is undermining religious freedom.

This is a new line from the Christian right. Unfortunately, examples are rather hard to come by, though another father did complain that his son had once brought home a “diversity bookbag” from kindergarten. So “King & King” was frequently mentioned. Mitt Romney, Massachusetts's governor, railed against it. James Dobson of Focus on the Family sent his condemnation via video. Tony Perkins, the president of the FRC, brought a copy so everyone could understand what they are up against. “The kids were treated to pictures of two princes kissing one another,” he explained, displaying the picture. “Yuck!” shouted someone in the peanut gallery.

“If God calls homosexuality an abomination, if he calls it ‘vile affections’, if he calls it wickedness, [why can't] I call it inappropriate behaviour?” asked Wellington Boone, bishop of the Father's House Church in Atlanta. Despite his complaint, Mr Boone seemed scarcely cowed by political correctness. He anticipated a new Sodom and Gomorrah, and invited closeted homosexuals to come out “and let God deal with you and let the nation deal with you.”

The FRC, however, has much to do before it can argue that antipathy to homosexuality is a key part of Christian doctrine. Among white mainstream Protestants, less than a quarter believe that people can choose to be gay—and nearly two-thirds support civil unions.