Is the Bible Indictable? Being an Enquiry whether the Bible Comes within the Ruling of the Lord Chief Justice as to Obscene Literature

"Is the Bible Indictable?" by Annie Besant is a thought-provoking essay that questions if the Bible should be considered obscene literature under the laws of the late 19th century. The premise of this intellectual work is to analyze legal standards in relation to the content of the Bible, proposing that certain passages could be seen as morally corrupting. Besant argues that the Bible includes narratives that, when judged by the legal definitions of obscenity at the time, would warrant legal action because they could improperly influence younger readers. By examining court rulings, she points out that stories often considered holy actually include lewd content. Besant discusses possible discrimination in the legal system that may be present depending on the price of the book. The themes call for people to reevaluate the definition of obscenity and censorship, especially when considering the Bible.