Bible Statistics

[Brewmeister]

Interesting stuff in here for the group: http://www.americanbible.org/uploads/content/State%20of%20the%20Bible%20Report%202013.pdf

 

Although down 4 points from the last study, I am surprised--and a bit skeptical--that 88% of households own a Bible.

[skeptic]

Owning one may only mean there is one in the house; maybe left there by previous generations. Like any book, it is almost useless unless actually read, other than for a door-stop or some such thing.

[Eagledad]

Owning one may only mean there is one in the house; maybe left there by previous generations. Like any book, it is almost useless unless actually read, other than for a door-stop or some such thing.

Of course you are right. One of the reasons our nation as a whole and certainly many Christians struggle today with morality is because there isn't a central set of core guidelines to hold a person accountible with their moral choices. Didn't use to be that way. Up until around WWII, the average American child learned to read from the Bible. Families didn't have the disposable income they have today, so it was common to use what was laying around the house, which usually included a bible. Even without sunday school, sermons, or parental guidence, past generations inadvertently developed a common set of moral values simply from learning to read. But as American incomes grew, families could afford reading resources outside their homes and slowly the pop culture developed and grew to where youth today basically do what feel's right in the moment. They don't have a common set of guiding principles to hold each other accountable. A poster here once said that it was the moderate Christians who are encouraging our culture. But when he was asked to define a moderate Christian, he didn't answer. Of course not, either a person is a fundimentalist in their faith, or they not following their faith. And the moderates weren't encouraging the change, they were letting it change as a result of their ignorance of common moral guidelines. If a person doesn't know the rules of driving, they will not drive within the boundaries of the rules, even when that is their goal. Like the ignorant driver, a so called moderate basically make's it up as they go along. And since we as a culture nolonger follow a core set of moral principles, we can't hold a others accountible to bad choices. Barry

[NeverAnEagle]

Interesting stuff in here for the group: http://www.americanbible.org/uploads/content/State%20of%20the%20Bible%20Report%202013.pdf

 

Although down 4 points from the last study, I am surprised--and a bit skeptical--that 88% of households own a Bible.

 

I don't see why you would be surprised. I'm not Christian, but have a least half a dozen bibles at home, maybe a whole dozen. "Concerned" family members send them as gifts, people trying to convert me send them as gifts, and its just plain easier to politely accept them from the Giddeons (sp?) on the corner at their twice yearly hand out than to have to stop and engage in a theological discussion, especially when neither of us are going to change our positions.

[King Ding Dong]

Interesting stuff in here for the group: http://www.americanbible.org/uploads/content/State%20of%20the%20Bible%20Report%202013.pdf

 

Although down 4 points from the last study, I am surprised--and a bit skeptical--that 88% of households own a Bible.

 

I don't see why you would be surprised. I'm not Christian, but have a least half a dozen bibles at home, maybe a whole dozen. "Concerned" family members send them as gifts, people trying to convert me send them as gifts, and its just plain easier to politely accept them from the Giddeons (sp?) on the corner at their twice yearly hand out than to have to stop and engage in a theological discussion, especially when neither of us are going to change our positions.

Do you think you might be able to get $9 for each one ?

[NeverAnEagle]

Interesting stuff in here for the group: http://www.americanbible.org/uploads/content/State%20of%20the%20Bible%20Report%202013.pdf

 

Although down 4 points from the last study, I am surprised--and a bit skeptical--that 88% of households own a Bible.

 

I don't see why you would be surprised. I'm not Christian, but have a least half a dozen bibles at home, maybe a whole dozen. "Concerned" family members send them as gifts, people trying to convert me send them as gifts, and its just plain easier to politely accept them from the Giddeons (sp?) on the corner at their twice yearly hand out than to have to stop and engage in a theological discussion, especially when neither of us are going to change our positions.

Not a chance, you can't give away a Gideon Bible, unless of course, you are a Gideon. LOL

[King Ding Dong]

Interesting stuff in here for the group: http://www.americanbible.org/uploads/content/State%20of%20the%20Bible%20Report%202013.pdf

 

Although down 4 points from the last study, I am surprised--and a bit skeptical--that 88% of households own a Bible.

 

I don't see why you would be surprised. I'm not Christian, but have a least half a dozen bibles at home, maybe a whole dozen. "Concerned" family members send them as gifts, people trying to convert me send them as gifts, and its just plain easier to politely accept them from the Giddeons (sp?) on the corner at their twice yearly hand out than to have to stop and engage in a theological discussion, especially when neither of us are going to change our positions.

But it's cheaper than a bag of popcorn and all profit. What a great headline "Scouts Selling Their Bibles to Pay for Scouting"

[NeverAnEagle]

Interesting stuff in here for the group: http://www.americanbible.org/uploads/content/State%20of%20the%20Bible%20Report%202013.pdf

 

Although down 4 points from the last study, I am surprised--and a bit skeptical--that 88% of households own a Bible.

 

I don't see why you would be surprised. I'm not Christian, but have a least half a dozen bibles at home, maybe a whole dozen. "Concerned" family members send them as gifts, people trying to convert me send them as gifts, and its just plain easier to politely accept them from the Giddeons (sp?) on the corner at their twice yearly hand out than to have to stop and engage in a theological discussion, especially when neither of us are going to change our positions.

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I've never been able to reconcile "a scout is thrifty" with the annual popcorn sale!

[Horizon]

Interesting statistics. I decided to check my library:

1 Book of Mormon

1 sayings of Buddha

1 Qur'an

 

Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV)

The Narrated Bible (NIV)

King James version (gift to me in elementary school)

3 other Bibles on a high shelf (one is the white one my wife walked down the aisle with, not sure about the other two).

 

So my response to the survey would mess with the data set a bit.

[acco40]

I wonder what the statistics are for owning a HDTV?

[le Voyageur]

No Bibles,.......Just Thoreau, Abbey, the Tao and a canoe........

[Beavah]

Owning one may only mean there is one in the house; maybe left there by previous generations. Like any book, it is almost useless unless actually read, other than for a door-stop or some such thing.

"either a person is a fundimentalist in their faith, or they not following their faith."

 

Yah, hmmm... I reckon perhaps this might be da case for a more strict, hierarchical faith like da Mormons or da Catholics. Leastways I hear some of 'em make that sort of argument sometimes, though I think both of 'em would object to da term "fundamentalist" since that tends to refer to fringe schismatics in those religions. For da rest of us Christians who aren't biblical literalists (which is what da term "fundamentalist" generally refers to) I'm not sure I'd agree, eh? Da point of a Christian is to follow Christ. Da human expression of faith like all things human can oft go awry.

 

Heck, even da biblical literalist fundamentalists eat pork BBQ.

[Eagledad]

Owning one may only mean there is one in the house; maybe left there by previous generations. Like any book, it is almost useless unless actually read, other than for a door-stop or some such thing.

I agree with you literally Beav. What I'm saying is a religious person who doesn't believe the religious book is the official guide of their faith is not a follower of the faith. Under that context, a believer doesn't have to be a biblical literalist to be a fundamentalist. It doesn't change the taste of the BBQ for the Christian. Barry

[BadenP]

Owning one may only mean there is one in the house; maybe left there by previous generations. Like any book, it is almost useless unless actually read, other than for a door-stop or some such thing.

Sorry Barry but Beavah is correct in his assessment. Catholics use a variety of prayer books and catechisms and rarely use the Bible in their worship and in religious classes. Many of these books have conflicts with what the Bible says and many Christians view the Bible from a contextual instead of a literal basis. So who is right and who is wrong? Do you have to believe in EVERYTHING written in the Bible literally to be a true Christian?

[Eagledad]

Owning one may only mean there is one in the house; maybe left there by previous generations. Like any book, it is almost useless unless actually read, other than for a door-stop or some such thing.

LOL, are your familiar with Martin Luther? I believe for a person to grow holy with God, they have to believe ALL of the Bible applies to them. Once we start picking only those things we like, not only do we stray away from God, we encourage others to stray away from God.