Nova Land
3rd January 2004, 04:43 AM
There is an interesting article by Eleanor Bader in the no-longer-current (November 26, 2003) issue of In These Times. (I intended to post this quite a while back but <s>couldn't get permission from Kitty</s> didn't have time.)
Quoted passages from the article are in blue, except where Bader is quoting from Revolve, which I've put in red. My abridging comments are in black.)Bible Gets Girly Makeover
In 1999, Thomas Nelson Inc., a Christian publisher, teamed up with Audio Adrenaline, a Nashville band, to form Extreme for Jesus, a subsidiary geared to young consumers. Their first release was Extreme Teen Bible, designed “to show teens that the Bible can be cool..."
... market research revealed something startling: Buyers of the Extreme Teen Bible were largely young males....
So they decided to create a Bible translation especially designed to appeal to girls.
" ... we started by asking 1,000 girls from around the country-in focus groups and online through the Extreme for Jesus Web site-how they felt about the Bible. They told us they didn’t read it. It was too big. We asked them what they read instead and the answer was magazines.
So, this summer the company released Revolve: The Complete New Testament, a glossy, multicolored fashion magazine look-alike. The first 40,000-available exclusively in Christian bookstores and at concerts and music festivals-sold out within a month. A second printing of 120,000 will hit chain stores before Christmas.
... Revolve includes the entire New Testament-Matthew to Revelations-as well as a panoply of less lofty messages, from beauty tips to dating advice to quizzes about self-esteem and body image.
Now here's what I found especially interesting:
As you’d expect from a publication crafted by religious conservatives, readers are encouraged to be helpmates to men. Surprisingly, though, the editors seem to take several pages from feminist playbooks and repeatedly steer readers away from becoming doormats for Jesus...
Some of the regressive messages:
“God made guys to be the leaders. This means that they lead in relationships.”
“Revolve girls don’t call guys. Guys need to step up and be the man.”
”Dating a nonbeliever is like playing with fire. God wants Christians to marry other Christians.”
”Sex is a beautiful gift that God has given to married people. To wonder is OK, to learn about it from a purely educational standpoint is OK, too. But to fantasize about it, to think about doing it, is sinful.”
“The Bible clearly says that homosexuality is wrong [Romans 1:24-27]. It’s against God.”
Some of the progressive messages::
“Does your guy expect you to jump up and get him a fresh Coke when you’re watching the game? Does he think it’s your job to make the popcorn? What about cleaning up around the house?”
“The Bible says husbands should love their wives as they love their own bodies. If he doesn’t respect you, end the relationship. … Make sure he is treating you the way Christ treated the church. With respect. With dignity. Selflessly.”
Other sections of the “magazine” discuss AIDS, domestic violence, eating disorders, pregnancy, racism, rape, sexual abuse, and alcoholism and drug use. Although neither abortion nor birth control is mentioned, the rest of the information is downright rational, even helpful....
Social action also rears its head: “There are over 2,300 verses in the Scripture that command us to take care of the poor, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked. What are you doing to live that out?” Revolve asks. Information on several dozen groups from the Youth Conservation Corps to Head Start provides would-be activists with a stepping-stone to involvement.I am way behind on reading threads in R & P, so if someone else has already posted material on Revolve my apologies for the duplication.
Quoted passages from the article are in blue, except where Bader is quoting from Revolve, which I've put in red. My abridging comments are in black.)Bible Gets Girly Makeover
In 1999, Thomas Nelson Inc., a Christian publisher, teamed up with Audio Adrenaline, a Nashville band, to form Extreme for Jesus, a subsidiary geared to young consumers. Their first release was Extreme Teen Bible, designed “to show teens that the Bible can be cool..."
... market research revealed something startling: Buyers of the Extreme Teen Bible were largely young males....
So they decided to create a Bible translation especially designed to appeal to girls.
" ... we started by asking 1,000 girls from around the country-in focus groups and online through the Extreme for Jesus Web site-how they felt about the Bible. They told us they didn’t read it. It was too big. We asked them what they read instead and the answer was magazines.
So, this summer the company released Revolve: The Complete New Testament, a glossy, multicolored fashion magazine look-alike. The first 40,000-available exclusively in Christian bookstores and at concerts and music festivals-sold out within a month. A second printing of 120,000 will hit chain stores before Christmas.
... Revolve includes the entire New Testament-Matthew to Revelations-as well as a panoply of less lofty messages, from beauty tips to dating advice to quizzes about self-esteem and body image.
Now here's what I found especially interesting:
As you’d expect from a publication crafted by religious conservatives, readers are encouraged to be helpmates to men. Surprisingly, though, the editors seem to take several pages from feminist playbooks and repeatedly steer readers away from becoming doormats for Jesus...
Some of the regressive messages:
“God made guys to be the leaders. This means that they lead in relationships.”
“Revolve girls don’t call guys. Guys need to step up and be the man.”
”Dating a nonbeliever is like playing with fire. God wants Christians to marry other Christians.”
”Sex is a beautiful gift that God has given to married people. To wonder is OK, to learn about it from a purely educational standpoint is OK, too. But to fantasize about it, to think about doing it, is sinful.”
“The Bible clearly says that homosexuality is wrong [Romans 1:24-27]. It’s against God.”
Some of the progressive messages::
“Does your guy expect you to jump up and get him a fresh Coke when you’re watching the game? Does he think it’s your job to make the popcorn? What about cleaning up around the house?”
“The Bible says husbands should love their wives as they love their own bodies. If he doesn’t respect you, end the relationship. … Make sure he is treating you the way Christ treated the church. With respect. With dignity. Selflessly.”
Other sections of the “magazine” discuss AIDS, domestic violence, eating disorders, pregnancy, racism, rape, sexual abuse, and alcoholism and drug use. Although neither abortion nor birth control is mentioned, the rest of the information is downright rational, even helpful....
Social action also rears its head: “There are over 2,300 verses in the Scripture that command us to take care of the poor, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked. What are you doing to live that out?” Revolve asks. Information on several dozen groups from the Youth Conservation Corps to Head Start provides would-be activists with a stepping-stone to involvement.I am way behind on reading threads in R & P, so if someone else has already posted material on Revolve my apologies for the duplication.