Poor religion for poor people

[water]

Poor religion for poor people



So I realized that my 1584 Bible isn't exactly useful for a proper Bible study.
The book is of an unpractical size (a beautiful facsimile of 26 cm x 9.5 cm x 36 cm, 6 kg heavy); written in a language which I understand, but I can't use it as it is too archaic; the verses aren't numbered; and most of all, the book isn't mine so I can't write into it, make marks.

As the Bible isn't a book one could borrow from the library, read, and return, I decided I need my own Bible. In my native language. I'm sick of reading the Bible in English; and I can't speak about it then in my native language.

So I went to a few bookshops, and also to a bookshop specialized into Christian religious books.

And saw that a proper Bible (but without the Apocryphas and the Deuterocanonical books, as here, we have only Catholic editions, while my 1584 Protestant Bible has those books) -- that such a Bible costs 12.500 SIT, which is about 68 USD or 52 EUR. This is too much for me.
A pocket edition is cheaper, 4.500 SIT, but I can't read that, the print is way too small for my eyes.


In order to be able to study the Bible, one must first have the money to buy a proper edition (not some non-standard edition without annotations).

Religion costs money.
If you want to know, you have to pay.
Alright, but I think they want too much!

Bibles shouldn't be so expensive, they should have a more affordable price.
Otherwise, a poor person is left with poor religion.

 

[Adstar]

Whats your native Language?

All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[water]

Slovene.
There is only 2 million people in my country, and the bookmarket is small. Books in my native language usually cost (much) more than the imported ones. -- This is understandable.
But they really could have done something about the price of the Bible!

 

[glaucon]

How ironic is it that one needs money to study the Christian bible?
Perhaps you could visit a local Christian Church that wouldn't mind giving you a free copy?
By the way, it sounds like you're seeking the New Testament; why are you limiting yourself by excluding the Old Testament?

 

[water]

Perhaps you could visit a local Christian Church that wouldn't mind giving you a free copy?

Yes, I have, and I got a NT (my country is officially more than 90% Catholic; you won't easily find the whole Bible, just the NT).
In a tiny-print edition, and it wasn't the standard translation.

1997 we got a full, new standard translation -- and this is now the standard Bible. That's the one I want.

By the way, it sounds like you're seeking the New Testament; why are you limiting yourself by excluding the Old Testament?

Not at all! I want to have all the books, the OT and the NT, and the additional books. (The 1584 Bible is perfect in this regard.)

 

[Jenyar]

This is an often lamented dilemma in the Christian book trade - ideally, nobody should make money from the gospel (2 Corinthians 2:17). But unless someone subsidises the printing and translation of of Bibles, they are as expensive to produce as any other book (even more so, because of the special paper and small printing required). This is especially true for privately translated or "value-added" editions (like study Bibles). Sometimes a bookshop will subsidise their Bibles by making its other books more expensive, but they still have to survive. You might look for bookshops that provide subsidised Bibles.

You could go to a local church (protestant if you want a protestant version) and look for a second-hand Bible, or ask the minister there. They'll probably give you one for free. For instance, we have a depository for extra Bibles that people can just take from as they need.

 

[WMA]

I know it probably isn't much use, but it is all I have.


Svetopisemska druzba Slovenije
URL: http://www.drustvo-svds.si/
In Slovene. This site contains an online Bible in Slovene and links to other religious sites in Slovenia and around the world.

 

[Adstar]

Thats the kind of thing i was thinking of. An online Bible. I am not sure what bible WMA's site gives?

I will ask around and see if i can get another site.

All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[Crunchy Cat]

Poor religion for poor people



So I realized that my 1584 Bible isn't exactly useful for a proper Bible study.
The book is of an unpractical size (a beautiful facsimile of 26 cm x 9.5 cm x 36 cm, 6 kg heavy); written in a language which I understand, but I can't use it as it is too archaic; the verses aren't numbered; and most of all, the book isn't mine so I can't write into it, make marks.

As the Bible isn't a book one could borrow from the library, read, and return, I decided I need my own Bible. In my native language. I'm sick of reading the Bible in English; and I can't speak about it then in my native language.

So I went to a few bookshops, and also to a bookshop specialized into Christian religious books.

And saw that a proper Bible (but without the Apocryphas and the Deuterocanonical books, as here, we have only Catholic editions, while my 1584 Protestant Bible has those books) -- that such a Bible costs 12.500 SIT, which is about 68 USD or 52 EUR. This is too much for me.
A pocket edition is cheaper, 4.500 SIT, but I can't read that, the print is way too small for my eyes.


In order to be able to study the Bible, one must first have the money to buy a proper edition (not some non-standard edition without annotations).

Religion costs money.
If you want to know, you have to pay.
Alright, but I think they want too much!

Bibles shouldn't be so expensive, they should have a more affordable price.
Otherwise, a poor person is left with poor religion.

68 USD? I'll buy that bible for you.

 

[water]

Sometimes a bookshop will subsidise their Bibles by making its other books more expensive, but they still have to survive. You might look for bookshops that provide subsidised Bibles.

Hm. You mean like special offers for students and the retired? I must inform myself.

You could go to a local church (protestant if you want a protestant version) and look for a second-hand Bible, or ask the minister there. They'll probably give you one for free. For instance, we have a depository for extra Bibles that people can just take from as they need.

I wouldn't mind a second-hand Bible at all -- were it not that the version I want is so new that there probably aren't any second-hands yet. At least there weren't any at the book fair so far. Wait, I might try a shop with used books!


I'm glad I brought this up. I get all sorts of useful advice.

* * *

I know it probably isn't much use, but it is all I have.

Svetopisemska druzba Slovenije
URL: http://www.drustvo-svds.si/
In Slovene. This site contains an online Bible in Slovene and links to other religious sites in Slovenia and around the world.

Thank you! How did you find that? Do you speak Slovene?
Yes, I went there, and got an email subscription for Bible passages. At least something.


* * *

Thats the kind of thing i was thinking of. An online Bible.

I hate reading things from the screen, but it'll have to do for now.

I am not sure what bible WMA's site gives?

There are several versions available there, including the 1584.

* * *

68 USD? I'll buy that bible for you.

Really?

 

[Crunchy Cat]

Really?

Yes. Really and truly. It seems a shame that 68 USD would have to stand
between you and something so important to you. My company had a really
great quarter and I am willing to part with 68 USD to make someone's day.

Just let me know what I need to do to make things happen.

 

[VossistArts]

Maybe the message should be that you dont need to read to know the truth and to realize heaven within. all you need is the living father, the host. perhaps this bible problem is his way of telling you that.

 

[water]

As I was startled by the response, I'd almost forget why I started this thread.
Not to ask for help (but thank you all so much!), but just to point out the practical problems of the affordability of religion and the consequences this has for a person's religiousness.

 

[WMA]

Thank you! How did you find that? Do you speak Slovene?
Yes, I went there, and got an email subscription for Bible passages. At least something.
* * *

Just did a google search. That sight came up initially but I couldn't understand, than found a link on another site. Only speak English.


Regards,
WMA

 

[Crunchy Cat]

As I was startled by the response, I'd almost forget why I started this thread.
Not to ask for help (but thank you all so much!), but just to point out the practical problems of the affordability of religion and the consequences this has for a person's religiousness.

It is true that practicing religion tends to come with a price tag . Let
me know if you want to move forward with the bible offer.

 

[SnakeLord]

This is an often lamented dilemma in the Christian book trade - ideally, nobody should make money from the gospel (2 Corinthians 2:17). But unless someone subsidises the printing and translation of of Bibles, they are as expensive to produce as any other book (even more so, because of the special paper and small printing required). This is especially true for privately translated or "value-added" editions (like study Bibles). Sometimes a bookshop will subsidise their Bibles by making its other books more expensive, but they still have to survive. You might look for bookshops that provide subsidised Bibles.

Oh c'mon Jenyar. In the jealousy thread you went out of your way to tell me that money takes people away from god, etc etc yada yada, and that you should just trust god to look after you. It is quite clear, given your statements on that thread, that god will pay the publishing fees.

You even agreed by pointing out biblical text that specifically says nobody should make money from it. But hey, who listens to god anyway?

 

[Jenyar]

Oh c'mon Jenyar. In the jealousy thread you went out of your way to tell me that money takes people away from god, etc etc yada yada, and that you should just trust god to look after you. It is quite clear, given your statements on that thread, that god will pay the publishing fees.

It's the love of money that's so dangerous. Money itself is just a placeholder for material value. You saw Crunchy Cat's generous offer. God provides, and money isn't the only means.

You even agreed by pointing out biblical text that specifically says nobody should make money from it. But hey, who listens to god anyway?

You make a valid point, but you're also generalizing. Most Bible Societies are non-profit organizations, and many outlets don't make money - they just cover expenses. If they go down there would be no Bibles available, which is even worse for people who need them.

No doubt there is corruption and "pandering" going on, but they will have to answer to God for that. In the meanwhile, there are people who are serious about the Bible, including 2 Corinthians 2, and wherever there is work there must be "business" - stewardship, responsibility, and money:

"In 1989 Dr. Lars Dunberg of Living Bibles International (now the International Bible Society) calculated that if all existing Bible Societies in the world worked at one hundred percent of their capacity between 1989 and the end of the century, they would meet only 25% of the need for Bibles during that eleven-year period. This causes one to reflect on what would have to be done differently in order to raise that percentage by ten, twenty-five or fifty percent. Considering that the 75% unmet need represents people without Bibles, the situation bears serious reflection.

...The cost of production for that edition of the Bible is US$7.20. The Bible is sold for the local currency equivalent of US$1.00. The one dollar collected is not used toward the cost of production but rather for in-country costs such as storage, transport and profit margin for resellers. As a result, the US$7.20 represents 100% subsidy from outside the country of destination, with the end- user contributing nothing toward the cost of production. One begins to get a glimpse of what lies behind the 75% unmet need calculated by Dr. Dunberg."

- Bible Societies and Self-reliance​

 

[Crunchy Cat]

It's the love of money that's so dangerous. Money itself is just a placeholder for material value. You saw Crunchy Cat's generous offer. God provides, and money isn't the only means.

It could be argued that the Bible offer had to come from an Atheist rather
than a fellow Protestant...

 

[Jenyar]

It could be argued that the Bible offer had to come from an Atheist rather
than a fellow Protestant...

Let's leave the arguments for water, if she wishes to make any. Everybody has their place, even if we see our places differently.

1 Corinthians 3:7-9
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.​

 

[Crunchy Cat]

Let's leave the arguments for water, if she wishes to make any. Everybody has their place, even if we see our places differently.

1 Corinthians 3:7-9
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.​

Fair enough. Even if an argument is not raised it doesn't change the
truth however... and posting fantastic claims without evidence doesn't
change the truth either...