OVER THE PAST YEAR, the International Bible Society has delivered around 700,000 bibles that were packaged with newspapers. The newspapers were delivered as part of people's home subscriptions and they arrived with a 200-page bible.
Is there any problem with newspapers delivering bibles? Does it make it seem like the newspaper is endorsing one religion over the others? Should there be a separation between news and religion? Or should the newspapers consider the bible products like any other advertising revenue?
What would you do?
11 comments:
Speaking as a Christian: No I dont think its wrong for the newspaper to deliver bibles with the newspaper. Everyone needs a copy of the TRUE word so that they know there's really no excuse for not knowing it.
As a US Citizen: I think this could create many problems with other religions simply because bibles may be delivered to homes of people who doesnt believe in it.
Personally, I wouldnt find any of it offensive. I would tell the newspaper to be cautious though. Religion is a very sensative topic that many people take to heart
Did the bible just include the new testament, or the old too?
Anyways, I think that either way it is wrong because ultimately it is trying to bring God into something or someone that did not ask for it.
I wouldn't take any publication seriously if it were packaged with a bible, no matter how many years of experience someone has as a columnist or an editor.
And Kevin, do you really want the "true" word packaged alongside biased information? Doesn't that cheapen the "good" book?
If they would rather not see the Bible be thrown in the garbage or terribly mistreated by the thousands of people who could care-less or even be angry that it was in with there morning newspaper, I don't think this is such a great idea. I mean how many people are going to read the bible and start being devout Christians because they woke up and found it on their front lawn. A sign from God?
there is a really awesome quote out there about religion;
"As the world becomes smaller and people increasingly come in contact with members of other religions, it is important to be informed in order to understand their outlook on life."
And to deliver a bible in a newspaper that hundreds of people read a day would help spread information, but than i think you would have to get the torah, and the koran, and all the other religious texts into that newspaper as well, which would make for one heavy newspaper.
Besides the fact that i believe everybody should be informed about different religions i DO NOT think that the bible should be handed out with a newspaper. Brian made a good point by saying that people are just going to throw it away, and that's sacrilegious, the entire idea is bad. and there is no need to push religion on somebody who doesn't want religion pushed on them.
and also, who is to say that it is the "TRUE" word?
Erica Buyer---- J1111 Class
I totally disagree with packaging Bibles with newspapers. People who are going to read the Bible probably already own one and not trying to copy Erica, but as Brian said, how many people are really going to become devout CChristians because there was a bible left on their lawn?
Even if people were suddenly converting by the hundreds because of these "gifts," is that really what a newspaper should be aiming for? Converting people to Christianity? I thought the job of the news was to deliver today's news, not the "Good News."
I understand that we as Americans have a right to practice religion freely, but it is unfair to push one religion over the rest. Actually, I think it's unfair to push religion at all, especially when these people are trying to obtain hard, concrete facts about today's world, not possible folklore from thousands of years ago.
I think there is a huge problem with newspapers delivering bibles to people's homes. Not everyone in the world is Christian and therefore that is brute favoritism. I think that's absolutely disgusting on the part of the newspaper to even allow this. I would not ever by the newspaper that supported this.
Speaking as a Roman Catholic, I'm not necessarily sure that packaging a Christian Bible with a newspaper is the correct thing to do, and does make the newspaper seem like it sides with a particular viewpoint (which could be a turnoff for some customers). That being said I really wouldn't take offense if my newspaper came packaged with any religious text, and I'm not just saying this because of the fact the Bible agrees with my own beliefs. I wouldn't be offended if it came with a Torah or a Koran. It would only interest me, not necessarily in that particular religion, but with the question of why it was being included and only spark me to look into that particular paper more. But I know I many people are turned off by any sight of religion being "forced" upon them, and why this could potentially hurt the newspaper rather than help. I'm also not posting this as anonymous because I don't back up what I say, I just don't have an account and if I make one I will lose everything I wrote. My name is Mary and I'm in the J1111 class right now.
I think it was just plain wrong to package the Bible with the newspaper because if the newspaper is supposed to be objective than obviously having a Bible in there would indicate some sort of slant.
Plus there are people out there who would take offense to having the Bible with their newspaper because it is trying to imply that they need one.
I for one do not need the Bible.
Newspaper should not be delivering bibles. And yes it seems like the newspaper is endorsing it. If the Internation bible society wants to distribute bibles they should go door to door. People who subscribe for a newspaper should not be delivered bibles.
Personally, religion has been shoved in my face (especially Catholicism) for years. I consider myself "agnostic" and could see myself putting ANY religious literature in the recycling can OR giving it away as a gift to someone who may want it. I would think the newspaper was a little crazy, but wouldn't take their endorsing to heart.
Amanda DiStefano
(current Journalism and Society student)
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