Scriptures deviously slipped into non-Christian books

[Island Skeptic]

Aloha everyone. I posted this in a couple other forums, but being that this seems to be the most active site for conversation, thought I would re-post it here as well:

I went to the bookstore the other day to hunt down Michael Shermer's book, "How we Believe." As I pulled the book off the shelf, my eye was immediately drawn to a piece of paper slipped into the pages of the book. It was a slip of paper with a type-written bible scripture (obviously slipped into the book by some surely "well-meaning" Christian).

As I looked at all the other books on the shelves, I saw that *all* the books that steered away from Christianity (Science, Atheist and Skeptic books) had the same scripture slipped into their pages.

When I went to bring this to the attention of an employee at the store, she was completely unapologetic and left me feeling as if I were wrong to feel disturbed by this offense. From her reaction, I'm tempted to believe this was an "inside job." Needless to say, there was no offer made that the store would try to monitor (or put a stop to) this form of irreverence.

I wondered if Atheists go into Christian books and slip Darwinian, Dawkins' or Shermer's quotations into their books? No, they do not (I checked). What would have been the store's reaction if Christian books and Bibles were violated in the same manner? Would they receive the same indifference that I did when I objected to the bible scriptures slipped into the books of my interest?

As Dawkins says, the religious seem to carry an immunity in our world.

I realize this may seem a petty issue, but I felt the need to voice my irritation. For me, it is equally as offensive to be imposed by bible scriptures when innocently browsing books, as it would be for a Christian to be imposed by demonic symbols slipped into their sacred texts -which leads me to wonder if this is not a "petty" issue after all. Do we not have equal rights to observe our beliefs without being "harassed" by the "opposition"?

Thank you for providing me a platform for venting my frustrations.

AloooooooooHa!

[ponderingturtle]

Hmm, I wonder about putting some of the less quoted bible quotes in religious books in this form.

such as

Ezekiel 23:19-20 NET

Yet she increased her prostitution, remembering the days of her youth when she engaged in prostitution in the land of Egypt. She lusted after their genitals as large as those of donkeys, and their seminal emission was as strong as that of stallions.

Ezekiel 16:17 NIV

You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them.

Genesis 38:8-10 NASB

Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother. But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD; so He took his life also.

[tsg]

I know a guy who put a note that said "Jesus was hung" in a bible in a church one time. But he was Jewish (and just trying to be an a-hole), so I'm not sure it counts.

What really annoys me about the scripture bit is the way some Christians think the only reason we don't believe the same things they do is because we haven't heard it. It's like they can't possibly conceive of a person understanding what Christianity is about and still thinking it isn't true.

[Island Skeptic]

Pondering Turtle: What a fantastic idea! (If i were one to stoop so low to do such a thing, that is) :wink8:

tsg: I have read the Bible cover-to-cover, probably more in depth than the average Christian. Above everything else, it was the Bible itself that permanently threw me off from Christianity. So, in my opinion, trying to coerce one to actually read the Bible is possibly the worst method for trying to convert people. :-P

On the subject of "Jesus was hung", have you ever considered how utterly morbid it is that Christians wear crosses around their necks? I am sure you have...

To worship and/or wear a symbol that represents a system of execution is something I could never comprehend.

[mumchup]

Jaana, I would have had a problem with that too.
As I sit here and think about it, I can picture removing all the notes and taking them to the front counter, "I'd like to buy this book, and someone put these in all your books back there. I took them out for you, I think I got them all."

And welcome to the forums

[boojum]

I actually don't have any problem with someone putting slips of paper in books. The slips do no physical damage to the books and can be easily discarded by the buyer or reader. In fact, I've been thinking of doing something similar myself. I've considered slipping "bookmarks" with "www.stopsylviabrowne.com" printed on them into bookstore and library copies of her books. I fact I think I'll email Robert Lancaster and point him to this thread to see what he thinks of the idea.

[Gregory]

I'm having trouble getting riled over this.

So...yes. It seems like a petty issue to me. And claiming that you're having scriptures "imposed" on you because of the half of a second it takes you to glance at it and discard it seems rather hyperbolic.

[tsg]

On the subject of "Jesus was hung", have you ever considered how utterly morbid it is that Christians wear crosses around their necks? I am sure you have...

To worship and/or wear a symbol that represents a system of execution is something I could never comprehend.

A comedian I once saw did a bit on a fictitious sect of Christians who believe that Jesus wasn't really crucified but he fell in the bathtub the night before and that the Apostles said he was anyway because falling in the bathtub wasn't quite as glamorous. Instead of crosses, they wore soap-on-a-rope. And instead of genuflecting, they waved their arms around going "Woah, woah, woah!"

I couldn't stop laughing. It still makes me giggle thinking about it.

[tsg]

I'm having trouble getting riled over this.

So...yes. It seems like a petty issue to me. And claiming that you're having scriptures "imposed" on you because of the half of a second it takes you to glance at it and discard it seems rather hyperbolic.

It is a petty issue and the actual harm is next to nil. But it also happens to be yet another instance of people attempting to push their beliefs on others which we are supposed to tolerate.

The irony of a group of people criticizing a book they haven't read with passages from another book they likely haven't read is delicious, though.

[articulett]

Tit for tat:
http://www.swarthmore.edu/NatSci/cpurrin1/evolk12/quotes/darwinbookmarks.pdf

http://www.normalbobsmith.com/publicity&promotion/pamphlets.html

Education is important.

[EventHorizon]

On the subject of "Jesus was hung", have you ever considered how utterly morbid it is that Christians wear crosses around their necks? I am sure you have...

To worship and/or wear a symbol that represents a system of execution is something I could never comprehend.

That's always bothered me as well; I've always thought it to be rather disgusting. But I guess it could be worse. I'd hate to see what Christians would be wearing around their necks if Jesus had been drawn and quartered instead.

[TX50]

That's always bothered me as well; I've always thought it to be rather disgusting. But I guess it could be worse. I'd hate to see what Christians would be wearing around their necks if Jesus had been drawn and quartered instead.

...or thrown to the wild beasts in the arena.

As to why they wear a crux immissa; Isn't there lots of stuff in the Bible
about anyone wanting to follow Jesus having to "take up their own cross", or
something? The cross being a symbol of the "suffering" that xtian types seem
to always be so excited about.

As to the subject of the OP. I've seen that too. I just regard it the same way I
regard the reams of advertising one often finds tucked into magazines on newsstands.
Just more ads for rubbish I don't want. Part of modern life.

[Dan O.]

I find it blasphemous how some people treat what should be sacred texts. If they were only smart enough to read and understand the words that are written before them.

I stumbled upon this piece earlier today which really brings the point home: http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20071006/mathtrek.asp

[Island Skeptic]

Tit for tat:
http://www.swarthmore.edu/NatSci/cpurrin1/evolk12/quotes/darwinbookmarks.pdf

http://www.normalbobsmith.com/publicity&promotion/pamphlets.html

Education is important.

The "swarthmore" bookmarks are not a bad idea, but the messages are not clear enough for the general Christian to understand (i don't think). But, it is on the right track.

If the "normalbobsmith" site had pamphlets that were drawn out in a pleasant and intelligent way, i would be tempted to print them out and distribute them. (Poking fun of religion only strengthens their convictions). :-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dan O.: "I find it blasphemous how some people treat what should be sacred texts. If they were only smart enough to read and understand the words that are written before them." -- I tend to agree with you. The term "sacred" does not necessarily have to apply only to religious texts. One definition I pulled up for the word "Sacred": "Worthy of respect or dedication."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

tsg: "The irony of a group of people criticizing a book they haven't read with passages from another book they likely haven't read is delicious, though." -- BINGO!

[bruto]

I think it's pretty harmless and petty to slip scriptural stuff into books, but I'd be interested to see what would happen if someone went into a bookstore and did the same thing with political or religious opinions that mainstream Christians would find inflammatory or inappropriate. I have a feeling the consequences would be different if that person were caught in the act.

[mumchup]

Atheist notes slipped into religious books would probably be viewed as a hate crime...

[EatatJoes]

9135
Oh so funny!

[articulett]

9135
Oh so funny!

They are printable pamphlets you know: http://www.normalbobsmith.com/public...pamphlets.html
(just click on them and see)

http://www.normalbobsmith.com/publicity&promotion/promo_satansajerk_flier.pdf

They are pdf files. They do amuse. The church of the MSM have some good little brochures too.

This is one of my favorites: http://www.normalbobsmith.com/publicity&promotion/promo_isgodreal_flier.pdf

[m_huber]

A bit extensive, but broken into small enough chunks that even the smallest mind should be able to handle:

http://www.atheisteye.com/AtheistTract.pdf

[articulett]

A bit extensive, but broken into small enough chunks that even the smallest mind should be able to handle:

http://www.atheisteye.com/AtheistTract.pdf

Oh that is a good one!... I heartily recommend it. I think these would be nice to slip in amongst all the church flyers at a church even. It could plant a seed in the mind of the young that could bloom into thriving thought one day instead of stunted faith. Who is responsible for this lovely and informative brochure. I hope it graces as many books and hotel desk drawers as other scriptures.

[UnrepentantSinner]

Aloha everyone. I posted this in a couple other forums, but being that this seems to be the most active site for conversation, thought I would re-post it here as well:

I went to the bookstore the other day to hunt down Michael Shermer's book, "How we Believe." As I pulled the book off the shelf, my eye was immediately drawn to a piece of paper slipped into the pages of the book. It was a slip of paper with a type-written bible scripture (obviously slipped into the book by some surely "well-meaning" Christian).

Do you remember what verse it was? I'm curious as to which the evangelist thought was a killer ap. And at least they only slipped paper into them instead of writing the verse in there as I'm sure they would in a library.

I wondered if Atheists go into Christian books and slip Darwinian, Dawkins' or Shermer's quotations into their books?

Why would we use Darwin's quotes, or do you mean for Creationist books?

[Island Skeptic]

M Huber: Thank you for that link! That pamphlete is FANTASTIC! I'd be interested to know who made this as well. I am not sure I would be able to help myself from printing a few out and tacking a couple up on bulletin boards. :-)

UnrepentantSinner: I'm sorry I do not recall exactly which bible verse it was, but do remember the words that went something like this: "confesseth Jesus with thy mouth" (I assume they make the "mouth" part clear so that we are not confused which bodily orifice we are to do this with). :-)

As for Darwin quotes: Yes, for Intelligent Design books, i suppose.

Please don't misunderstand... My intent here was not to create a mountain out of a molehill. I certainly realize this is quite harmless behavior; far more preferable than having these people knocking on my door. I only posted this primarily to vent my irritation over this lack of respect and to raise the basic principal of the matter.
:-)

[Gregory]

Sounds like Romans 10.

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

[Diamond]

Aloha everyone. I posted this in a couple other forums, but being that this seems to be the most active site for conversation, thought I would re-post it here as well:

I went to the bookstore the other day to hunt down Michael Shermer's book, "How we Believe." As I pulled the book off the shelf, my eye was immediately drawn to a piece of paper slipped into the pages of the book. It was a slip of paper with a type-written bible scripture (obviously slipped into the book by some surely "well-meaning" Christian).

As I looked at all the other books on the shelves, I saw that *all* the books that steered away from Christianity (Science, Atheist and Skeptic books) had the same scripture slipped into their pages.

When I went to bring this to the attention of an employee at the store, she was completely unapologetic and left me feeling as if I were wrong to feel disturbed by this offense. From her reaction, I'm tempted to believe this was an "inside job." Needless to say, there was no offer made that the store would try to monitor (or put a stop to) this form of irreverence.

I wondered if Atheists go into Christian books and slip Darwinian, Dawkins' or Shermer's quotations into their books? No, they do not (I checked). What would have been the store's reaction if Christian books and Bibles were violated in the same manner? Would they receive the same indifference that I did when I objected to the bible scriptures slipped into the books of my interest?

As Dawkins says, the religious seem to carry an immunity in our world.

I realize this may seem a petty issue, but I felt the need to voice my irritation. For me, it is equally as offensive to be imposed by bible scriptures when innocently browsing books, as it would be for a Christian to be imposed by demonic symbols slipped into their sacred texts -which leads me to wonder if this is not a "petty" issue after all. Do we not have equal rights to observe our beliefs without being "harassed" by the "opposition"?

Thank you for providing me a platform for venting my frustrations.

AloooooooooHa!

Aloha!

Nothing to do with what you've said, but Kaua'i is a beautiful island and I wish I was there all of the time.

One day I will.

[UnrepentantSinner]

UnrepentantSinner: I'm sorry I do not recall exactly which bible verse it was, but do remember the words that went something like this: "confesseth Jesus with thy mouth" (I assume they make the "mouth" part clear so that we are not confused which bodily orifice we are to do this with). :-)

Thanks Gregory for digging it up and making me wish we had a head scratching emotie since that jumble of gibberish had no relation to the science books. Poor evangelists, they seem deluded into thinking thier dogma means anything to anyone other than themselves.

And Jaana, vent away baby. We're here to listen. :)