If you didn’t read Roy Adams impassioned editorial on “Political Correctness” before, hears a second chance. This provocative piece on the need for Christians to clean up their “insider” language has brought huge number of letters. You can read the article, along with a large selection of letters, on the Review website at http://www.adventistreview.org/2001-1511/story2.html

The politically correct verson of Rudyard Kipling's "IF":

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all people doubt you....
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Person, my child!

By the way, what's in italics isn't in the original...

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Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. Rom. 12:12 NLT

[This message has been edited by Andrew Marttinen (edited March 09, 2001).]

After reading the article, and the responses, i'd say we have a big problem in our church today.
People accusing others of impropriety, Bible burning [unconscienable] aand making all manner of statements about what others had written without reading it or misreading it.

I may take exception to some of what he [Roy Adams] said, but over all, his article struck a chord.
Witness the response.

I had a little "fun" with it, but I think the article is so "sensitive" because it touches the very core of verbal/plenary inspiration vs. thought inspiration issues.

If you believe thoughts were inspired and different people have different ways of expressing their thoughts (as varied in history as handwriting styles), then messing around a bit with wording might be OK.

If, however, you're so "stiffly" caught up in an era, you'll never be satisfied.

The translators of the NKJV signed a pledge that they belived that the "autograph" (from the hand of each prophet) of the Scriptures was verbally inspired. Adventists don't accept this view of inspiration--although the NKJV is and excellent translation (and we have it in the pews of my churches).

Things really do get complex for those of us who grew up learning that we shouldn't place hymn books on top of our Bibles out of respect for God's Word!

Great article, though.

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Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. Rom. 12:12 NLT

Amen.
I grew up with the teaching that you didn't put anything on top of the bible.
We weren't real church goers, but the churches we attended made a point of telling me that.

I like the KJV, but then I like the NKJV, NIV, NASB, etc.
I usse them to understand better what I am reading.

Sometimes I take more than one Bible to church. I've actually found myself fumbling to resolve this dilema:

Which version do you place on top of the other? If I have a KJV that's larger, is it OK to put an easier to fit in my hand Bible with "Youth" written on its teal and magenta paper covers on top of it, or would it be disrespectful?

I'm not making light of this--I actually found myself shuffling my hands and feeling a little guilty!

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Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. Rom. 12:12 NLT

I don't want to make light of anyones beliefs or dilemmas, but what about putting the SS lesson quarterly, or pages torn out of it for the current weeks lesson into the Bible. Or putting slips of paper or the church bulletin into it. Or using a bookmark to mark where the scripture reading is located that you will read that morning. Or I have seen ministers put notes or markers in the Bible to assist them in presenting their sermon. Does that putting something on top of part of the Bible fall into the same category?

A very good question.
I never thought of that.
I read somewhere that those of other faiths can't understand why we mark in our bibles. They would never 'desecrate' (sp?) their sacred writings by doing that.
Hard to figure out what to do, isn't it.

How 'bout laser fire clashing against steel--as in a CD Bible?

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Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. Rom. 12:12 NLT

I believe that true desecration of the Bible is simply leaving it on a shelf to gather dust.

__________________________
In His Love, Mercy & Grace

Daryl

You nailed it Daryl. Dust on top of the Bible has to be the worst!!

So, is it ok if I mark my bible and also put bookmarks in it?
Or no?

Thought about what I wrote, changed my mind.

[This message has been edited by Gerry Buck (edited March 12, 2001).]

Answer #1: Once you've bought it, it's your Bible.

Answer #2: I've heard of a Bible that was marked only with tears and the sweat from the fingers of one who frequently turned to the Scriptures in times of trouble.

Answer #3: Would that all Christians be like me--I don't need to look at lots of the New Testament because I've memorized it! Last Sabbath I recited Romans 7, 8, and 12 to 'em.

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Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. Rom. 12:12 NLT

You wouldn't be bragging or anything, would you, Pastor Andrew?

Would you consider tearing pages out of a Bible to be sacriligious? Most likely, but in countries where Bibles are hard to come by or illegal, when they get their hands on a real Bible, they will tear out sections to pass around to all of the church members, so everyone can have some, rather than one person having it all.

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The Lord is the strength of my life and my portion forever.

quote:

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Originally posted by Andrew Marttinen:
Answer #3: Would that all Christians be like me--I don't need to look at lots of the New Testament because I've memorized it! Last Sabbath I recited Romans 7, 8, and 12 to 'em.

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Sounds like you need to memorize the verses about boasting and pride and humility!

You want Bible examples of humility?

Here are some good ones that the prophet Daniel wrote about himself:

Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him... Dan. 6:3a

...They could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. Dan. 6:4b

I've got a wife and three children under my roof and 2 churches to pastor. With so many people to "put me in my place," can't I indulge myself in a little bit of bragging?

Oh yes, I thought that I was wrong once--but I was mistaken.

Here's what happened:

You see, I was going to preach about commitment one Sabbath--but I wavered.

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Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. Rom. 12:12 NLT

I am reading a book entitled "The Life and Morals of Jesus Of Nazareth". It was compiled by Thomas Jefferson in probably 1819. He took Greek, Latin, English and French versions of the Gospels, and clipped parallel passages from them, arranged them in a book in chronological order of Christ's life. I would suggest that cutting up the Bibles was not improper. In fact, it is very profitable reading the Life of Christ in chronological order from the gospels. Is anyone aware of anyone else who has put the life of Christ in order from the scriptures. I don't mean a story written in the author's words, but the scripture account of his life put in order. The work is also known as the Jefferson Bible.

The "Scholar's Bible" was constructed by the Jesus Seminar people.

It's in a book called "The Five Gospels." It places the Gospels in the order that scholars think that they were written. It includes the Gospel of Thomas, which is useful when juxtapositioning the parables and stories of Christ when other Gospels use differing orders. (I don't believe, however, that Thomas belongs in the canon).

Another feature of the Scholar's Version is that since it doesn't have to be passed with "church board approval," it can take away much of the stained glass language.

For instance, when someone is upset, they don't say "Woe unto you" or "What terrible things are coming to you..."

The Scholar's Version has Jesus saying "D*** you, Pharisees!"--Not exactly scripture-reading material.

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Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. Rom. 12:12 NLT

[This message has been edited by Andrew Marttinen (edited March 20, 2001).]

........and not exactly a true representative of the character of Jesus Christ.

__________________________
In His Love, Mercy & Grace

Daryl