Koorong Withdraws A Life of Unlearning

Koorong Bookshop, the leading Christian booksellers in Australia, originally stocked my book and taking orders on line. It was withdrawn from sale at the beginning of March. I’ve sent 3 emails (see below) to Paul Bootes, the General Manager, and have heard nothing back. The last one I sent I cc’d other managers at Koorong on the email. Nothing! Then I rang and left a message on his voice mail. Still nothing! Don’t you think it’s rude to ignore someone who makes a polite inquiry. Certainly not the way a Christian business-person should behave.

Koorong has more than 30 books on homosexuality.

Only one of those, The New Testament and Homosexuality by Robin Scroggs, offers any sort of balanced view but Koorong’s website has a warning to the potential buyer/reader. http://orders.koorong.com/search/details.jhtml?code=0800618548

The other 30 books are negative, presenting same sex oriented people as sick, perverted, mentally unwell, with an agenda to tear marriages apart, teach homosexuality in the schools so they can convert young people, eventually have sex with children and even marry their pets. In two words; sensationalist and fear-mongering.

Some of the titles include:
A Parent’s Guide To Preventing Homosexuality,
Reparative Therapy Of Male Homosexuality
Coming Out Of Homosexuality
Healing Homosexuality: Case Studies Of Reparative Therapy
Reparative Therapy Of Male Homosexuality
Homosexual Struggle
The Homosexual Agenda
A Guy Who Was Gay
The Gay Agenda
The Gay Gospel?,
Gay Rights Or Wrongs

Why don’t YOU write to Koorong and suggest they have a more balanced book list available. Tell them how ‘A Life of Unlearning’ helped you. How it helps others. How important it is to present the other side of the story. Tell them how damaging their selection can be on young people who are in churches and are gay or lesbian. GLBT youth are six times more likely to suicide than heterosexual youth, probably even higher if you are a young person in a church that still believes homosexuality is a sin and not an orientation. Their book list is contributing to these deaths and also trap people in endless years of torment, thinking God and others won’t accept them as they are and offering them a false hope.

Send an email to the General Manager, Paul Bootes, pb@koorong.com.au
Then cut and paste the management team below in the cc box.
pb@koorong.com.au;

Thanks from a very grateful Anthony

Here is my correspondence with Koorong

From: Anthony Venn-Brown Sent: Tuesday, 13 March 2007 18:44

To: ‘pb@koorong.com.au’

Subject: Anthony Venn-Brown – Author of ‘A Life of Unlearning’

Dear Paul

I was thrilled to hear that Koorong was selling my book online…….and was hoping that it might even make it to the shelves and other bookstores. I’ve been directing people to your site to purchase and I know of quite a number of have already ordered the book through Koorong.

As you’ll see from readers comments below, my autobiography has been valuable to a wide range of people. Young, old, parents, gay and straight Christians and also others who have left the church. I’ve been receiving a steady stream of emails since the original edition came out 3 years ago…….all saying the same thing. Surprisingly I have only received less than 10 negative emails. I know that my story has literally saved a number of people from suicide. So as it has been such a positive influence I wondered why you had withdrawn it from sale. I am aware this issue is a controversial one but from what I’ve seen of your current selection on the topic your range is a limited in perspective and also questionable from a professional mental health position. I’ve attached some endorsements of my work from academics and social educators that might help.

I am happy to discuss this further ….…..and look forward to hearing from you.

Anthony Venn-Brown
Author of ‘A Life of Unlearning – A Journey to Find the Truth’
Tel: 02 9699 2448 Mobile: 0416 015 231
*************************************************************************************

No Answer so tried again 10 days later

Anthony Venn-Brown sent: Thursday, 22 March 2007 12:27

To: ‘pb@koorong.com.au’Subject: FW: Anthony Venn-Brown – Author of ‘A Life of Unlearning’

Hi Paul……just wondering if you got my email…..I hadn’t hard back from you so thought I’d check.
*************************************************************************************

No answer so tried again and cc’d others this time

From: Anthony Venn-Brown Sent: Thursday, 5 April 2007 12:52

To: ‘pb@koorong.com.au’Cc: ‘ph@koorong.com.au’; ‘newcastle@koorong.com.au’; ‘hl@koorong.com.au’; ‘rb@koorong.com.au’

Subject: FW: Anthony Venn-Brown – Author of ‘A Life of Unlearning’

Dear Paul

This is the third time I’ve sent this email. I’ve also phoned and left a message on your office voicemail. To date I’ve received no reply.

You may have been busy or it was overlooked but I would appreciate a response and believe it would the respectful thing to do as well as good business practice.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you