The Holy Bible, along with several other books including 50 Shades of Grey and Two Boys Kissing, has made the American Library Association's list of top 10 most challenged books in 2015.
At No. 6 on the list, the Bible was challenged for "religious viewpoints," based mainly "on the mistaken perception that separation of church and state means publicly funded institutions are not allowed to spend funds on religious information," said Deborah Caldwell Stone, deputy director of the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom, according to NPR.
Stone told the news outlet that the presence of the Bible on the list for the first time shows that faith is "very present on the minds of many people in society."
"As a society, considering an 'index of complaints' helps us to understand who we are and where we're going," James LaRue, director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom wrote. "Cultures change over time, and the things we fear, or celebrate, change with them."
Nearly all of the other books were objected to because of sexually explicit content (Looking for Alaska, Fifty Shades of Grey) or because of having an LGBT theme (I am Jazz, Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out, and Two Boys Kissing).
The association clarified, however, that the list of challenged books is not comprehensive, and offers only a snapshot of reports.
Less than a month before ALA released its research, Answers in Genesis president Ken Ham penned an op-ed suggesting that it might not be long before the Bible is banned in the Western world after reflecting on news stories of prison chaplains being forced to resign for quoting Bible passages.
"This is an alarming example of how quickly Christians are losing religious freedom across the West. In this case, it wasn't even acceptable for this chaplain to use God's Word during a chapel service - a completely voluntary service where those attending would expect to hear from God's Word. It won't be long before we see this happening in other countries, including America," Ham said in an article for AiG.
"And really, the authorities are saying the Bible itself is not suitable for people! How long before it will be outlawed?"
He added, "Christians are increasingly being punished for the free exercise of their faith and for standing on God's Word and holding to biblical convictions about sin. This is especially apparent with the gay lobby. They claim they want acceptance and tolerance, yet anyone who dares express disagreement with their agenda or lifestyle is boycotted or dragged off to court and punished."
"This will only continue as our culture drifts farther from God's Word and becomes more secular," he added, urging Christians to continue to pray for God's will.
