News-Record.com

This reminds me of the time that Teddy Roosevelt tried to get "In God We Trust" removed from America's coinage. He thought it was sacriligeous to have God's name rolling around in dirty pockets, dropped in streets with horse droppings, etc. He even managed to create a famous rarity with the 1907 Double Eagle without motto variety. He was quickly overridden by people who couldn't bear to have $20 chunks of gold without the word GOD engraved on them.

So why spend at least 6 figures of dollars on Bibles that will get scraped along on driveways, run over by cars, possibly pooped on by dogs -- in a place that is by all accounts about the most religious in the country to begin with?

How many Habitat for Humanity houses could be built with that money? How many poor kids sent to college? The waste sure looks obscene to me. but then again, I don't see things with the "right sort of logic," do I? :?

Hey Nancy -- I seem to recall that there was a group here in NC that was planning to send a DVD about Jesus to every house in the state. What ever happened to that? I never got my free coaster... did they have trouble raising the money like these guys in Texas??

Two thoughts on this one: EVERYONE has a right to advertise. Freedom of religion and freedom of the press are both in jeopardy if these folks are prohibited or pressured from putting their paid-for ad in the paper. It seems that ONLY Christian ads and efforts of this kind are thought to be somehow wrong or improper though. As the article pointed out, people can just throw away what they don’t want, as they do with everything else. This is a no-brainer as far as rights and freedoms are concerned.

But secondly, there IS a question of the advisability of putting Bibles in newspapers. This is an entirely different issue. Just putting Bibles out there is not going to accomplish as much as personal contact with people who are ready to interact and discuss spiritual matters.

America has generally bought into the idea of shotgun-effect mass advertising, and the Church often follows suit. This might be seen as an act of frustration, if not desperation – in terms of reaching people. The best scenario is for Christians to build strong, viable churches (life communities) where Kingdom reality can be lived-out and demonstrated to others in acts of loving concern and Truth communication. Mass ads and media blitzes are easy attempts to circumvent the hard work of personal contact.

The Book of Acts is a better model than Wall Street. The idea of placing Bibles in newspapers is more than likely a low-yield effort. But then I really don’t have any stats to cite. If a few people actually sit down and read the little Testaments and come to faith in Messiah, that would be great; but there are probably better ideas that would produce more real and lasting results. Sincerity does not necessarily equal wisdom.

"How many Habitat for Humanity houses could be built with that money? How many poor kids sent to college? "...................
eric that same question was posed to Jesus and He replied....." You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But I will not be here with you much longer."........ so you see His word is of paramount importance to be spread throughout the world.
you seem concerned about $$ spent on bibles when you believe the money could be better spent....how many $$ does eric give on a regular basis to house, feed and educate the underprivileged - better yet how many hours of your personal time do you spent serving those very same people. have you hugged a little girl/boy dying of cancer, helped lift a child with spina bifida, changed a soiled child with neurological issues, comforted a child destined to die? how about cleaning toilets, sweeping floors, washing dishes, etc. at a facility that offers services to these types of children ?......unless you are actually doing your part - your argument is only rhetoric. and this is a question not an accusation......
if you want to make a difference and don't know where to help - i can offer a possible solution.
btw i got my Jesus cd.........

"btw i got my Jesus cd........."

Huh! I guess you needed it more than I did. {;-)

Don't think so, Eric.

Eric, I guess what he's trying to tell you is he ( Nikos) already had a a full set of coasters.

Lucky guy. I always figured free coasters in the mail were one of the sweetest parts of life. :P

Hmm, looks like the Gideons have some competition now! Considering that there would be a good number of these Bibles thrown away, etc.; I believe it would be a waste of $$ to distribute them in this manner. How many businesses would remain solvent operating in such a manner? The same goes for this group. What sane person would continually give $$ knowing that it was not being used in good stewardship? Is that not something else that Jesus taught?

Shalom

darryl i am bewildered that you as a professing christian would not want the gospel message to be distributed to every household in america. you act as if God is powerless to use this ministery to glorify Himself.
so you claim that you believe a "good number" of these bible will be thrown away - what do you believe will happen to the rest of them. is there any chance that "some" of them might be read and that "some" of them might come to a personal relaationship with Christ". is one soul saved not worth it compared to building houses for the houseless?
i prefer to let God decide what is good stewadship darryl. i believe we humans have too many biases (me included).

The word need to reach everywhere to everybody and then the end shall come, the military inclunsive.