The Future of the Bible is Bleek


It was almost jaw dropping to read the results of a poll in Germany. Use of the Bible in Germany borders on none. Only 1.6% claim to read the Bible daily. Only 3.2% read it or hear it each week. The latter may represent the percentage that attends a church. The poll asked Protestants, Catholics and all others including those with no religious affiliation. 

Social trends seem to flow from Europe to the U.S. and not the opposite just as they flow within the U.S. from the East and West Coasts into the Middlewest. If Germany's Bible reading has all but ended, and polling in the U.S. shows continual decline, Germany is the future U.S. This is like a huge earthquake. Countless Christian denominations justify their own particular niche in the faith by their "expert" interpretation or understanding of the Bible. The more distant and obscure the Bible the less importance its already obscure passages become.

All of this is happening after decades of promoting the Bible. Giddeons have been putting free Bibles in hotel/motel rooms for decades. They have been handing out free New Testaments to children and college students since way back as well. All of this has been for naught. 

The peculiar thing is that I've seen copies of the Koran in motel rooms alongside the Bible. Both sides are dumping money down the drain. The world would be a better place if every Bible or Koran was a gift certificate at MacDonalds given to a homeless on the street. 

I've always wondered how much social pressure the average person in the U.S. feels when asked this question by a pollster in the U.S., "How often do you read from the Bible, everyday, once a week, once a month or almost never?" So many of us grow up being told we should read the Bible and if we don't we should feel guilty. My theory is "everyday" means the person reads from the Bible once a week. "Once a week" means once a month or almost never. 

Even the most ardent believer has to admit the Bible is religious and/or political propaganda. While one might believe it is the "truth" or "history" its purpose is still to persuade and convert. It worked well during a long period of history. It is no longer working because the public is inundated with propaganda and has become skeptical of it. A "revival" will not happen because the public is too skeptical of propaganda. 

Not all branches of the faith rely heavily on the Bible to justify their existence. I think these are the branches that will outlive the Bible heavy ones.

 

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