• Sep. 8, 2008
Bible Rant

Alright, I know that is a somewhat misleading title.  I am not upset over the actual Bible.  I am, however, miffed at the Bible I just purchased my daughter.

It is called the True Images Bible for girls.  My daughter saw it at a Christian bookstore and told us she would really like to have one.  It has a really cool pink and brown (they call it bubble gum and chocolate) cover with a belt around it.  She was overcome by the cuteness of it I guess!  Anyway, I looked it up online and it looked pretty neat so I ordered her one.

Needless to say I was somewhat taken aback by the inserts in the bible.  It has several magazine like inserts scattered throughout the Bible.  These are on full color, thicker, shiny paper and contain different quizzes for the girls to take.  Some of them are good, there is a spiritual gifts quiz, parent/child relationship quiz and friends quiz.  Then there are others.  These deal with dating (a.k.a. divorce practice).  Okay, so I have strong opinions on dating that I know not everyone shares but these particular inserts don't even attempt to make a biblical connection.  They are nothing different than what you would find on the magazine rack at the store.  There is an insert on your self-image which includes this question with the following answers:

At the top of this year's New Year's resolutions list is ...

• A.  Start lifting weights - you heard it's good for your bones.
• B.  Work on that muscle tone - no more dreading swimsuit season.
• C.  Lose 15 pounds and buy a push-up bra - the new me!

Now, could you please tell me what place that has in a Bible!?! 

Then there are the 'ever so inspirational' reflections from the other side which have quotes from boys.  Here is one:

• What makes you ask a girl on a second date?  My dream girl...if I went out with a girl and had fun and was able to hold an interesting/funny conversation with her and was also attracted to her, then I would certainly ask her out again.

Well, fabulous, so if my daughter reads this she will think all she has to do is be attractive and be able to talk and she will make the perfect date.  No need to be devoted to Christ, just cute and funny.  Good grief!  Zondervan really let the ball drop when they published this Bible with these pages in it.

In the interest of fairness I want to say that we are keeping the bible.  I know that sounds strange after all that I have just said, but the actual bible and study helps in it are good.  It has an introduction to each book to give a grasp of the setting.  There are profiles of all the women in the bible, good and bad, so that girls can learn from their examples.  There are little study notes throughout that are helpful.  But, we will be cutting out the 'magazine' pages.  I have no intention of bringing pagan teen magazines into my house and I will certainly not have them coming in through my daughter's bible.

Shannon

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