Thursday, April 12, 2007

This is an article I found in Ode magazine.

Holey Bible

The Dutch Western Bible Foundation felt the Bible needed updating, according to the Nederlands Dagblad newspaper (July 22 2006). Consequently, it has published an updated edition, in which all passages that refer to money, poverty, or materialism have been cut out. Literally. With scissors. The reasoning: Westerners weren't Paying attention to them anyway.
A joke? Yes, but a serious one. The Western Bible is published by the Dutch Christian youth movement Time to Turn, which encourages members to choose sustainable faith-based lifestyles. Describing the members of Time to Turn,the press release announcing the book's publication reads, "They do not believe in a new legalism or in a utopian state, but in a God who is willing to deliver the world from materialism and injustice."
Conspicuous holes are all that remain in The Western Bible throughout sections of the Ten Commandments, the Proverbs and the Sermon on the mount, when the original text urged followers to take actions concerning justice or affluence. The Bible is selling well.

1 comment:

jp said...

I just now saw what you had under your title for this blog! (Second time back here) "Holey Bible" Probably the original artile's title, a? Funny..sobering too when you think about it.
I'm in OH now.