Candy Store Bibles

Yes, that's what I said.
Before I go any further, let me just make it clear, that I believe THE Bible, is pure, holy, God breathed, and something to be relied on as solid rock in a shifting, unstable world. But today I went to the bookstore to help a friend select a particular kind of study Bible she had been looking for. As I walked down the aisles I was amazed and dazzled by the many, many types of Bibles you can buy, many of them for outrageous prices. And then something snapped in me and I was filled with such anger and disgust as my eyes roved over the shelves. The persecuted church in other countries is thankful to have a scrap, or a page of the Bible, and if caught will pay dearly for it, with imprisonment and maybe death. And for some reason we feel like we have to deck our Western Bibles out in jewels and toys to make them appealing. I think there is something wrong with that. Maybe we take our Bibles too much for granted.

So, as I stated. I was at the store, perusing the aisle, looking for a specific Bible for my friend when my eyes lit upon The Sequin Bible.

Really? (Picture my nostrils flaring, here.) Forgive me if I find this a little over the top. It's not that I don't like pretty Bibles, really, I do. But please, let's just call a spade a spade. They should have named this one the Bling Bling Bible because it's an attention grabber. "Hey, look at me, I carry a fancy Bible!" Something about this just makes feel queasy. But wait! There's more!







Next we come to the Princess Bible. Again, I say Really? I don't know any princesses. Do you? No I didn't think so. This is misleading. This one should be called the Fantasy Bible. Because you're living in a fantasy if you think your child is royalty. I hate to be the one to tell you, but she's not a princess. I used to pretend I was a princess, but there was a line of reality I didn't cross. Let's be real, here. The Word of God is holy. It is God's plan through his son to save us. It's about dying to our flesh. Is that the message we are sending with the cover of this Bible?

It's the Simply Charming Bible. I'm guessing that's some kind of ring or charm on the front? Somehow I don't think this is one of the Ten Thousand Charms of Christ. Hmmm. It's just pure utter vanity, in my opinion. But it's just marketing you might say. If we make the outside appealing, maybe they will want to read the inside. I say that if your child desires this for the ring on the outside, then they probably aren't interested in the words on the inside. When will we stop bribing our children to learn scripture (yes, I have actually seen children PAID to recite scripture) and teach them the pure beauty of God's Word. It can be done! I promise! The power of what's written in the book WILL draw them if they read it! Without the junk jewelry!                              

The Bible for Girls and The Bible for Boys. I don't have as big an issue with this one, but this has to be said. Is there a difference? Is the scripture in one different than the other?

Along the same lines is the GUYS Bible. The Bible for dudes who are too cool to have a Bible a girl might carry. I think I see the problem, though. If the girls weren't all carrying the bling bling Bibles, the guys would have no need for this Bible, which clearly states, HEY, I'm MACHO.  Had enough yet?...Me either....So how about the

Sportsman's Bible. I'm sorry, I just have no words for this. Except WHY. Did Jesus play football? Soccer? Is there Hockey in Heaven? Hey! I have an idea, how about something for the ladies...like The Quilter's Bible...Or GASP... The Shopper's Bible! No? Ridiculous? Outrageous? I agree. See what I mean?


As long as we are catering to every individual taste and whim out there with our Candy Store Bibles (well, isn't that what they are?), let's get really, really honest. How about an Overeater's Bible. How about an Alcoholic's Bible. Maybe an Addict's Bible or a Screaming Mother's Bible. My own personal Bible would have to be the Cusser's Bible. 'Cause, yah, I have that problem. Or we could just simplify the whole process and call it The Sinner's Bible. But...that would never sell...and that should tell you everything you need to know about the motives of these Bible publishers. Cha-CHING is what this is all about. Exactly like those money lenders in the temple. You know, that time Jesus knocked over all the tables? Because they were robbing the people in the house of God? Wrapping the precious Word of God in cheap plastic junk and selling it for outrageous prices...isn't it the same thing?