book banning

I work at a Catholic school and the entire staff received an email yesterday forwarded from the Arch Bishop, banning any book written by Philip Pullman, who wrote the children's Golden Compass series (of which the movie is soon to be released). The teachers had to tell students to stop reading it and the library had to pull all his books off the shelves and turn them into the principle. Suffice to say, the staff is outraged. The author is a self-proclaimed atheist and apparently the book has anti-Christian sentiments. I have yet to read the book, but of course will do so soon and I can think of no better way to get a book on the Best Seller's List than by publicly banning it. The series has been around for a while, yet it's not banned until it's been advertised as a movie, where it can reach an even wider audience. It seems like Christian groups, more than any other faith, publically ban the intellectual works of others as if censorship is the only way to keep the followers believing. God forbid they be subjected to alternative ideas. One middle school student asked "If we're supposed to be accepting of all of God's people, then why can't we read the book?" Damn straight. It's quite hypocritical to spout acceptance then demonize The Other.