OK, I confess. This disgusts me. It offends me. I sit here wondering what on earth will be next. This is the utter prostitution of the text of Scripture, all in the name of money. What is it? A new publication from Thomas Nelson Publishers. Here's the link so you can see it up close. Click on the "See Larger Photo" link and read the incredible cover for yourself.If you go to the link in White's comments, you will see Thomas Nelson's take on this "Bible." It reveals quite a bit about their opinion of Scripture:
Can you imagine putting on the front of a "New Testament" ">>Sexcess: Success with the Opposite Sex!" Aside from using a children's version, I am simply offended that God's Holy Word, this awesome gift of grace that should cause us all to bow in reverence that God would deem it proper to communicate with us in such a manner as to give us light and direction and comfort, could be treated in such a shameful fashion. Shame on Thomas Nelson. What will we be subjected to next?
Ever wish your Bible was as easy to pick up as your favorite magazine? Now there’s a new BibleZine™ created with today’s modern guy in mind. With an edgy, techo-savvy style and content that makes Biblical truth fresh and relevant, it might just make Bible reading the best part of your day. By putting one of the most readable versions of the Bible, the New Century Version®, together with articles about the topics you face everyday, we’ve created a ‘zine that will help you get deeper in the Bible, find out what God has to say for your life, and grow in your faith.I don't really know anyone who has ever said, "The Bible is pretty good but it would be so much better if it was in magazine form." I just don't understand this. I'm trying but I can't.
I notice that the price isn't very "magazine-y" at $17! So, you can pay for a paper Bible that will become dog-eared very quickly if it is read with any sort of regularity and then what - disposed of, I imagine. Not the best use of money even if it is "relevant" for our sorrowful generation.
1 comment:
Today's media is increasingly understood to be full of lies. Why would we want to dress the Bible up (or dumb it down) to seem like something people already distrust?
When Wycliffe publishes a new translation, they charge the people a nominal fee so that they understand its value and won't use it as toilet paper. This is a good idea. I skim through a magazine, look closely at the articles I find worth my time. I may tear out the articles I want to archive and discard the rest. People shouldn't be encouraged to treat the Bible so flippantly and relativistically. The Bible has a value that far surpasses any other ancient texts. It can be demonstrated to have been reliably transmitted over time accruing less errors than any other ancient text. Today we know the extent of those errors and have available to us reasonably accurate source texts of the writings that comprise the canon of the Bible. The Bible demonstrates continuity of meaning unlike any body of ancient liturature despite the fact that it was written over a period of a few thousand years by several different human authors. The Bible contains specific prophecies that were demonstrably fulfilled. Few texts have specific prophecies - most are vague. Of those that are specific, none can claim fulfillment but the Bible. The Bible is unique also in its message of grace.
Magazines are interesting because they play on our vanity. The Bible is hard to read because it tells us the truth about ourselves. For the same reason, the Bible gives hope and magazines do not. It's not a question of style, but I suggest that the magazine format turns the Bible, which brings the message of grace and mercy, into a self-help book.
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