A funny thing happened at the bookstore the other day.
Some friends and I were hanging at a Christian bookstore (because that is what all the cool kids are doing) when we notice a disturbing amount of what I can only call, “theme bibles”.
First it was, The Woman’s Bible which I assume has more than two books in it named after women. The books of Esther, Ruth, Mary and Elizabeth.
The Men’s Bible, which I would guess smells like motor oil and contains the prophet Samuel’s secret recipe for BBQ sauce.
The Children’s Bible, I know this one, it has a blue eyed Precious Moments Jesus in it. I had that Bible as a kid.
The Men’s Bible, which I would guess smells like motor oil and contains the prophet Samuel’s secret recipe for BBQ sauce.
The Children’s Bible, I know this one, it has a blue eyed Precious Moments Jesus in it. I had that Bible as a kid.
These Bibles seemed odd to me (isn’t the Bible the same for everyone?), but then things got really weird. We found the following Bibles:
The Fireman’s Bible which I would guess puts a new spin on the fire and brimstone type passages.
The Fireman’s Bible which I would guess puts a new spin on the fire and brimstone type passages.
The Nurse’s Bible which reminds nurses not everyone can heal the blind, but they can try.
I know I must have driven my friends crazy. I kept pulling out Bibles and saying things like, “Oh. My. Gosh. Look at this one. I don’t understand.” Obviously, it had been too long since I’d been in a Christian bookstore and my friends probably won’t take me out in public for a while.
My favorite might have been The Sportsman’s Bible which clearly must teach you how to extinguish the fiery darts of the wicked one and bag a four point deer.
Don’t even get me started on the comic book Bible.
I grew up reading the good old New King James Version of the Bible.
My favorite might have been The Sportsman’s Bible which clearly must teach you how to extinguish the fiery darts of the wicked one and bag a four point deer.
Don’t even get me started on the comic book Bible.
I grew up reading the good old New King James Version of the Bible.
Most of my Bible memorization was done in the NKJV or the King James version (Yay! AWANAs in the 1990s). I like the NKJV, I think it is majestic and graceful in its own right, but when I first dived into the Word of God in the New Living Translation things changed.
It was 2006 at the Passion Conference in Nashville, TN – alone in my hotel room reading from my brand new- compact-two-toned blue-NLT Bible. I was reading a familiar passage in Psalms and tears started rolling down my face. I had never read the Bible like someone was writing it just for me. I’ve been hooked on the NLT ever since.
All of that to say I understand finding a Bible version that speaks to you… I have come to love NASB and ECV. I love reading a passage and then rereading it in a different translation. However, all of that is different than the making the Bible a tend. You know what I mean, you've seen them in you local buy-a-Bible store “Bible for Graduates” or “The Drag Racer’s Bible” (okay, I made that one up).
It was 2006 at the Passion Conference in Nashville, TN – alone in my hotel room reading from my brand new- compact-two-toned blue-NLT Bible. I was reading a familiar passage in Psalms and tears started rolling down my face. I had never read the Bible like someone was writing it just for me. I’ve been hooked on the NLT ever since.
All of that to say I understand finding a Bible version that speaks to you… I have come to love NASB and ECV. I love reading a passage and then rereading it in a different translation. However, all of that is different than the making the Bible a tend. You know what I mean, you've seen them in you local buy-a-Bible store “Bible for Graduates” or “The Drag Racer’s Bible” (okay, I made that one up).
I guess the problem I have is with people selling the word of God. People advertising, marketing and making it sexy or more interesting. This is the Word of God! It doesn't need to be dressed up or pimped out.
If you are reading this and love your “Bible for New Mothers” I’m not trying to get on to you. However, while walking around the book store it seemed to me, the whole spicing up the Bible and giving it themes was done to make money, not to actually help the sportsman get into the Word of God.
I don’t like seeing the Bible fall prey to branding games. In the end though, if someone has a friend who is a nurse and gives her The Nurse’s Bible and she actually reads it because of that, then I’m happy for her. And maybe when they make a movie lover’s Bible or something that appeals to me I’ll change my tune…. But I doubt it.
If you are reading this and love your “Bible for New Mothers” I’m not trying to get on to you. However, while walking around the book store it seemed to me, the whole spicing up the Bible and giving it themes was done to make money, not to actually help the sportsman get into the Word of God.
I don’t like seeing the Bible fall prey to branding games. In the end though, if someone has a friend who is a nurse and gives her The Nurse’s Bible and she actually reads it because of that, then I’m happy for her. And maybe when they make a movie lover’s Bible or something that appeals to me I’ll change my tune…. But I doubt it.
I. Love. Your. Blogs. :)
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. I didn't grow up around God, but I can relate with the Chicken Soup for the Soul. LOL. Embarrassing to admit - but I definitely bought, owned, read and wrote in my Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. Totally rocked that book and it taught me a lot about me. Not really. :) I took nothing away from that book. I think I mainly used it to show myself how cool I am and complain about boyfriends.
However, when I really got into the Christian religion I went hog wild reading everything I could about it since I didn't know Hebrew or Aramaic (?)and so it made since to read more than one translation. So now I have 6 translations sit on my shelf. I think my favorite was The Message but it seemed like a lot of people put that one down for legitimate reasons so I read it alongside NLT. Then, I found a bible that had both in one book! And I've come to read that one more often than not.
That's my stint on bibles and thank you for making me laugh - as per usual. :)