There were many beautiful books, but as they contained nothing but superstitions and falsehoods of the Devil, we burnt them.
-Diego de Landa, Bishop of Yucatan
For many centuries, the most common reason for burning a book was that it contained heresy, which could lead believers into error and eternal damnation. Many books--and sometimes their authors--were burned to protect the Christian faith. Although the charge of heresy is not often raised in modern times, religious scholars may be silenced when their statements do not accord with higher authority.
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