[Tabula Rasa]

Ok christian folks, for the most part let's set aside the We're right, you guys are wrong business .

I work in a bookstore, and even though I'm not a christian anymore, I'm appalled at how expensive a lot of Bibles are.
Now, I can understand a bible costing more, because of a commentary,glossary or being large print, but some of them just seem obscenely expensive, some as high as 70 bucks.I mean, if the Bible is as christians believe, The Word of God shouldn't every effort be made so that they're inexpensive or free, so everyone would hear The Good News? Also, I don't get the whole "theme" Bible thing. Like the patriot's bible, the outdoor bible,the purpose filled life bible, etc, etc. Like I've said earlier, I can understand why one might need one with a glossary, commentary, and/or large print, but even when I was still a christian, I thought that any other extras were unnecessary .

Christians, I'm honestly not trying to give you a hard time, I'm just saying that you guys are getting ripped off by the Bible publishing companies, and you ought to run the moneychangers out of the temple. and demand they reduce their prices or you'll quit buying from them.


I don't believe in the God you worship, but I don't think you guys should get ripped off either.

Looking forward to your replies,
Tabula Rasa

[Vixentrox]

They should be free. Did Jesus charge for the good word? Haha.

[ghost_warlock]

Printing Bibles is a waste of trees. You can get the whole thing for free on the internet, plus it's searchable that way.

[Shyone]

I'm probably in the minority, but I think that prices are dictated by supply and demand. What will the market bear?

Is there such a think as a price too high? Only if people stop buying bibles. That's when you know the price is too high.

I suppose that if claims were made that were fraudulent, then the price might be too high. "Buy this bible and get a guaranteed seat in the Lap of God between Jesus and Mohammed!"

Well, come to think of it, religion is fraud. Hmmm.

[Deva]

These leather-bound fancy Bibles -it is just like buying a gold-plated idol. Not an iota of difference. Try to tell a Christian that, though, and see what happens.

The "theme Bible thing" is a hopeless attempt to make an ancient text written by a pre-industrial civilization be relevant to modern everyday life.

[Non-Redneck]

I honestly don't think most Christians have the patience to actually study the Bible. Most of those Bibles are for show, to make it appear to other Christians that they are serious about Jesus. Also some are probably for status. Oooo.. My Bible cost more than your Bible (kinda like clothing and cars).

Part of the cost of Bibles is because the publishing companies pay royalities to the organizations that made a particular translation. The Bible is just like any another copyrighted text.

When I became a fundie, I bought a cheap $10 KJV Bible and a Strong's concordance. Gradually I started reading commentaries, studying Jewish culture, learning Hebrew, studying the history of the world and Christianity, reading some fundie "scholarly" works and then real scholarly works. But the core of my Bible was just the text from that cheap $10 Bible.

[lunaticheathen]

Caveat emptor. I'm kind of with Shy on this, and NR. There are economical bibles available, as well as free ones (internet, Gideons, who not only supply hotel rooms with bibles, they roam college campuses with little copies of the New Testament, completely free). There is no shortage, even now, of wallet-friendly ways to get the "good news." Mormons will HAND DELIVER their book for free to your doorstep. They just can't wait to get their foot in the door. The pricey, "custom" bibles are really for the fools who have already drank the kool aid. It's up to them whether they want to pour money into their special little idols or not.

[mwc]

Nope. Bibles range from free to whatever astronomical sum you want to pay. It's up to you. Same basic shit...you're just paying for a fancy wrapper.

mwc

[Vigile]

I wish $70 still sounded expensive to me. Prices in the US are just so much cheaper than what I've gotten used to over here. $70 might buy a decent lunch for two if you limit to two beers.

[OpheliaGinger]

Money, pure and simple.

[dagnarus]

As an atheist, they can charge whatever they like, it's not like they're hoarding food to sell at a jacked price or anything, as a former Christian, if I still believed what they are supposed to believe, I don't think I would be consider it a particularly good idea to be using God or his word to make worldly profit.

This post has been edited by dagnarus: 11 March 2010 - 06:52 AM

[Mriana]

Yes, I think they are outrageously priced. My mother has seen my 30 y.o. Biles and will say I need a new one and add that if she had the money, she'd get me a new one. What I get are newer looking Biles from late relatives. They die and I get handed their Biles- thus why I have so many to refer to, but it is the raggied ones, which I used for all my Xian and religious courses over the years, that I end up using. Why? Because I have made notes and highlighted parts in them- including where it is revealed in Revelations that God is "Amen Ra", as well as the parallel texts to older religious texts. So, even if I had a brand new one, that has never been used, I probably still will not use it.

[Brother Jeff]

If you paid more for your Bible than you did for your toilet paper, then you paid too much. In fact, if you have a Bible handy, why even buy toilet paper? God has provided for your need! Glory!

[OnceConvinced]

Brother Jeff, what could you possibly have against that wonderful book, apart from your ass?

Really it is just like toilet paper though. You can buy the fancy, multi colored, extra soft stuff or you can just buy the plain budget stuff. The budget stuff is the same, it's just not as nice to rub against your butt. Oh and the fancy stuff will impress your Christian buddies so much more and they will think you are much more holy and super-spiritual than them.

This post has been edited by OnceConvinced: 12 March 2010 - 05:00 AM

[Realist]

Brother Jeff, on 11 March 2010 - 08:57 PM, said:

If you paid more for your Bible than you did for your toilet paper, then you paid too much. In fact, if you have a Bible handy, why even buy toilet paper? God has provided for your need! Glory!

... Not sure about for wiping ones ass, but i do believe the old style KJ version pages are quite okay for "roll your owns" when cut short!

[Mriana]

I don't know if I'd use the pages of the Bile to wipe myself after "visiting the call of nature". The ink itself might cause an infection, thus needing medical science's intervention.

[godsfavoritecolor]

Bible pages are too hard and scratchy. I wouldn’t wipe my ass on pages of the Bible unless it was written on regular toilet paper. Hey, that’s a great idea! The Holy Bible written on toilet paper! Feel the Holy Spirit through your ass every time you wipe!

Probably wouldn’t sell well in the Baptist Book Store, but then, you never know.

[OnceConvinced]

ACtually can't you get toilet paper rolls with bible verses on them? There's a good marketing idea if it hasn't already been done.

[Shyone]

OnceConvinced, on 12 March 2010 - 04:34 PM, said:

ACtually can't you get toilet paper rolls with bible verses on them? There's a good marketing idea if it hasn't already been done.

The slogan, "Give your ass to God" comes to mind.

[Neon Genesis]

Tabula Rasa, on 09 March 2010 - 06:28 AM, said:

I mean, if the Bible is as christians believe, The Word of God shouldn't every effort be made so that they're inexpensive or free, so everyone would hear The Good News? Also, I don't get the whole "theme" Bible thing. Like the patriot's bible, the outdoor bible,the purpose filled life bible, etc, etc.

There's even an LGBT themed bible: http://www.amazon.co...68453185&sr=1-1 I'm almost tempted to buy it if only for the blasphemous novelty.

Quote

They should be free. Did Jesus charge for the good word? Haha.

Isn't the bible in public domain now anyway?