Revolve Biblezine: A teen Bible designed to look like a fashion magazine

We cover much of the same ground in our book, The Sinner's Guide to the Evangelical Right, but the New Yorker has a good story on the Bible industry:

In a sixth-floor conference room of an office building near Nashville International Airport, Rodney Hatfield’s BlackBerry buzzed with an incoming e-mail: “The Lord placed a vision on our hearts of a skaters’ Bible. We really love the N.K.J.V. and would love to use this version. Who can I talk to regarding this? We hope to pack the study Bible with testimonies from pros, devotions, skating tips, etc.”

Hatfield is the vice-president of marketing for the Bible division of Thomas Nelson Publishers, and the N.K.J.V. (the New King James Version) is its best-selling translation. Thomas Nelson has a history stretching back to 1798, and, in the American market, it is by some measures the largest Christian publisher, the second-largest publisher of Bibles, and the ninth-largest publishing house of any kind. The e-mail was from a Florida skateboard ministry, and Hatfield read it impassively but not dismissively. After all, one of the company’s lead titles for the fall, “The Family Foundations Study Bible,” had its origins in a similarly unsolicited suggestion from an outsider. True, that source was more estimable (a major Christian retailer) and the idea less fanciful. But the general principle--that Scripture can be repackaged to meet the demands of an increasingly segmented market--is at the heart of the modern Bible-publishing industry.

The familiar observation that the Bible is the best-selling book of all time obscures a more startling fact: the Bible is the best-selling book of the year, every year. Calculating how many Bibles are sold in the United States is a virtually impossible task, but a conservative estimate is that in 2005 Americans purchased some twenty-five million Bibles--twice as many as the most recent Harry Potter book. The amount spent annually on Bibles has been put at more than half a billion dollars.

[...]

The popularization of the Bible entered a new phase in 2003, when Thomas Nelson created the BibleZine. Wayne Hastings described a meeting in which a young editor, who had conducted numerous focus groups and online surveys, presented the idea. “She brought in a variety of teen-girl magazines and threw them out on the table,” he recalled. “And then she threw a black bonded-leather Bible on the table and said, ‘Which would you rather read if you were sixteen years old?’ ” The result was “Revolve,” a New Testament that looked indistinguishable from a glossy girls’ magazine. The 2007 edition features cover lines like “Guys Speak Their Minds” and “Do U Rush to Crush?” Inside, the Gospels are surrounded by quizzes, photos of beaming teen-agers, and sidebars offering Bible-themed beauty secrets:

Have you ever had a white stain appear underneath the arms of your favorite dark blouse? Don’t freak out. You can quickly give deodorant spots the boot. Just grab a spare toothbrush, dampen with a little water and liquid soap, and gently scrub until the stain fades away. As you wash away the stain, praise God for cleansing us from all the wrong things we have done. (1 John 1:9) READ IT ALL

The article also mentions our favorite biblezine, Real. Here's our section on this bizarre "urban" Biblezine. From The Sinner's Guide:

Real is a Thomas Nelson biblezine for the hip-hop generation. It’s King James Meets Queen Latifah. Inside the authors warn against the evils of The Wu Tang Clans and Bone Thugs ‘N Harmony who they call “hellish,” while reassuring readers that Jesus knew how to “keep it real:”

“Did he [Jesus] only come for the rich folks in the suburbs or does he identify with folks on the street? Well, just look at his ancestors. He had a prostitute, a two-timing thug, and a player in his family tree. His mom and dad were exiles in Africa.... He kept his head up when the haters and pretenders took their best shots.”

See them all here. Thanks Rev.

They're just like Chick Tracks, only for the Internet generation. Visit Truth For Youth here. [Hat Tip Religious Freaks]

From LA Times [Hat The Rev]

Pastor Marty Baker preaches that the Bible is the eternal and inviolate word of God. On other church matters, he's willing to change with the times.

Jeans are welcome at Stevens Creek Community Church, the 1,100-member evangelical congregation Baker founded 19 years ago. Sermons are available as podcasts, and the electric house band has been known to cover Aerosmith's "Dream On." A recent men's fellowship breakfast was devoted to discussing the spiritual wages of lunching at Hooters.

It is a bid for relevance in a nation charmed by pop culture and consumerism, and it is not an uncommon one. But Baker has waded further into the 21st century than most fishers of American souls, as evidenced one Wednesday night when churchgoer Josh Marshall stepped up to a curious machine in the church lobby.

It was one of Stevens Creek's three "Giving Kiosks": a sleek black pedestal topped with a computer screen, numeric keypad and magnetic-strip reader. Prompted by the on-screen instructions, Marshall performed a ritual more common in quickie marts than a house of God: He pulled out a bank card, swiped it and punched in some numbers.

Continue reading "Jesus ATMs" »

Evidently, if the Rapture deosn't come first, Christian T-Shirts will be all the rave this Spring. From the Christian Newswire:

Rick Wade, founder and CEO of Second Coming Clothing Co. to leaders of the high-fashion apparel market: "Don't be too quick to bring your concepts for the spring fashions to the world!"...

Wade warns that God is about to change the world's perspective of what is fashionable and moral. "Events will occur soon in this country and around the world that will severely curb our culture's appetite for fashion driven clothes that the world experts determine are 'in' and 'cool,'" he says. "Clothing that more adequately reflects a Godly nature will become sought after as God changes the hearts of His people through the cataclysmic nature of events that are about to unfold."

Adds Wade, "We are seeing astounding events unfold before our eyes throughout the world, fulfilling scripture about the 'end times' described in the Bible as taking place just prior to the return of Our Lord Jesus Christ in His Second Coming. God established His moral code. He is going to send strong messages through natural disasters and other catastrophic events to this country. They will draw our attention back to Him and remind us of His code of conduct, described in the Bible. Nothing that Madonna, Rosie O'Donnell, Tommy Hilfiger, Howard Stern, or the hundreds of other self-appointed spokesmen for society can say or do anything that can change God's purpose."...

"Things like fashion, sports, celebrity gossip and video games are not going to matter when people can't find food to put on their table. With the diversions and luxuries taken away, there will be little to choose from. We will then choose to either love God or hate Him."

Your kids won't get raptured if Jesus returns and they're wearing Harry Potter or SpongeBob PJs. Make the righteous choice and put them to bed in Army of God PJs. They're just what every kid wants. And just in time for Christmas. From the website:

The whole Armor of God Pajama set will help your children to depend on God to protect them from their fears, doubts, and uncertainties at night so their sleep can be restful and peaceful.

Related:
Prayer Warrior Toys!
The Wacky Packages of Christian T-Shirts

From the Boston Globe [Hat tip Right Rev Rabbi Judah]

Christian Science Provision Sought in Healthcare Law

Officials of the Christian Science Church are worried that the state's healthcare law will exclude faith healing as a recognized health benefit for its employees who do not receive traditional medical care because of their religious beliefs. The church, based in Boston, holds that illnesses should be treated with prayer, but a draft version of the healthcare reform regulations specifies that employers must contribute to workers' medical insurance coverage to comply with the landmark law that takes effect next year. Those that do not will be assessed $295 per employee annually. [...]

Church officials this month told the Division of Health Care Financing and Policy that the non medical insurance coverage it offers employees should qualify as healthcare. It wants the rules to require "health care" without referring to "medical services." [...]

Along with written comments, the church provided fact sheets describing the two health plans it offers employees.

For those who are not Christian Scientists, it pays about 70 percent of the premium for a standard managed-care medical plan provided by Tufts Health Plan.

The second plan -- for employees who are church members -- is offered directly through the church and covers faith healing. It pays 90 percent of the cost of treatment by faith healers, who pray for patients in an effort to heal them of physical and spiritual ailments. [...]

Mark Unger, who describes himself as a metaphysician, qualifies under the church's faith-healing insurance plan to treat patients through prayer. He said his job is "to lift up the patient above the physical level to the spiritual, to get them to look beyond the symptoms to the spiritual truth about what's going on."

Unger charges $32 for a treatment, during which he prays for a patient to promote healing. [...]

While he doesn't make medical diagnoses, Unger says he has cured a patient's skin cancer with prayer. "It dried up and dropped off," he said. READ IT ALL

“Heaven’s Love Thrift Shop,” click for larger

From NY Times

The strip, called “Heaven’s Love Thrift Shop,” made its debut in 15 American newspapers this month, with quotations from Scripture and characters talking about their faith....

Kevin Frank, the strip’s author, said his goal was “very simplistic, to remind people that there is a God and God loves them.” To this end, he said, he planned to avoid “hot-button political issues, because even among people of faith those are divisive...”

Popular cartoons like “Peanuts” or “The Family Circus” have long run occasional religious references, especially around Christmas and Easter. In the 1990’s, Johnny Hart, creator of the popular “B.C.” strip, began introducing overt Christian themes in occasional strips, with controversial results. Some newspapers opted not to run the religious strips, and Jewish and Muslim groups called for apologies from Mr. Hart for strips they considered insensitive, including one in which a menorah is transformed into a cross, which some took to signal that Christianity had extinguished Judaism.

See more Christian cartoons from “Heaven’s Love Thrift Shop” here. [Hat tip Right Rev Rabbi Judah]

Armor of God Bear

Description: He's cute and cuddly, but he's also well-equipped to face the powers and evils of this world! This plush teddy bear helps children understand Ephesians 6:13-17 in a very real way. The bear is outfitted with:

Shield of Faith: Teaches kids about their relationship with a faithful, all-powerful God who protects them
Breastplate of Righteousness: Teaches kids to reflect the righteous character of God by their actions
Sword of the Spirit: Teaches kids that the Word of God is an instrument by which His power is shown
Belt of Truth: Teaches kids to be strengthened by God and to live truthfully
Helmet of Salvation: Teaches kids that God is their ultimate protection.

Interactive Prayer Bear

Description: He's cute! He's cuddly! He's a committed prayer warrior! And he's eager to teach your little ones about talking with God. Press any of his four touch points and he recites a different prayer, and before you know it, your tots are joining in.

The Full Armor of God Playset

Description: Play and learn about God's protection for Spiritual Battle. Complete set based on Ephesians 6:13-18, for ages 3 and up. Each item is made of molded, flexible plastic designed to fit most children. Adjustable straps and velcro allow children to wear certain pieces. Each item is labeled in order to recall God's Word. The set includes: The Sword of the Spirit, the Helmet of Salvation, the breastplate of Righteousness, the Belt of Truth, the Shield of Faith, the Gospel of Peace Shin Guards, and a Parent-Teacher Guide with suggested activities and scripture verses.

Buy them all here. A big hat tip to the Right Rev Rabbi Judah

Falwell needs to pray off a few pounds

Because Dr. Atkins was a heathen, and the South Beach Diet is for godless fornicators: [From the LA Times]

Religious diet and weight-loss programs are booming...."We are going to be far less effective as ambassadors of God if we are just as fat and dying of the exact same diseases as society at large"

Our favorite titles include "Slim for Him," "Help Lord — The Devil Wants Me Fat!" "More of Jesus, Less of Me" "Body by God" and "What Would Jesus Eat?"

Read all about Christian weight loss programs and books here. [thanks Jeff]

Does it defeat the purpose if you listen to Black Sabbath or download an Air America podcast? [Thanks for the tip Adam]

From the designer's website

"Inspired by the world's obsession and devotion to the iPod, iBelieve is a replacement lanyard for your Shuffle. Constructed using the same materials and precision ball bearing closure as the standard Shuffle cap, you can relax knowing your precious soundtrack is safe."

No these aren't ironic parodies. They're the real Jesusy deal. See the whole collection here at the just-opened Second Coming Clothing.