Ripping up the Gospels?

Furrowed Brow · Post by **Furrowed Brow** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 7:11 pm

Ok this happened a long time ago. (About 31 years ago).

The Gideons visited school. They did this most years. The format was they gave an assembly and handed out pocket sized new testaments to the third rear (ages 12/13).

Walking home after school that afternoon the usual group of friends got to arguing as to whether the Gideons should be allowed to visit schools and hand out bibles...or something like that. The exact details of the argument now escape me but to make an overblown point one boy rips up his New testament and tosses it away.

So what to make of this lad?

1] The boy will burn in hell
2] The boy was wrong but if he repents he can avoid hell
4] The boy was wrong but there is nothing to forgive (It was just a book).
5] The boy was right about the Gideons but wrong to tear up the gospels
6] The boy was right about the Gideons and the book ripping is not wrong.
7] Other

What is the fitting punishment or reward for someone who tears up the gospels?

Coyotero · Post by **Coyotero** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 7:35 pm

A book is a book. That said, his behavior seems somewhat disrespectful and rude... But freedom of speech and all that. He should be reprimanded for littering.

I don't think the Gideons have any right going into schools... Not in this country anyhow. There's plenty of places for them to push their beliefs without having to do it in schools.

Furrowed Brow · Post by **Furrowed Brow** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 3:45 am

coyotero wrote:A book is a book. That said, his behavior seems somewhat disrespectful and rude...

The kid was a know it all disrespectful brat. Dont think hes changed much.

coyotero wrote:I don't think the Gideons have any right going into schools... Not in this country anyhow.

Not sure if this practice still goes on. But in the UK schools have a legal duty to provide religion within the curriculum. It used to be half an hour a day. However this was mostly ignored or circumvented.

Goat · Post by **Goat** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:40 am

Furrowed Brow wrote:
coyotero wrote:A book is a book. That said, his behavior seems somewhat disrespectful and rude...
The kid was a know it all disrespectful brat. Dont think hes changed much.

coyotero wrote:I don't think the Gideons have any right going into schools... Not in this country anyhow.

Not sure if this practice still goes on. But in the UK schools have a legal duty to provide religion within the curriculum. It used to be half an hour a day. However this was mostly ignored or circumvented.

It does seem like a captive audience for conversion. That breeds resentment and I think is counter productive

puddleglum · Post by **puddleglum** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 12:03 pm

What the boy did was wrong but it is really no different from what all of the rest of us do whenever we disobey God. Like that boy we are all sinners and deserve to be condemened. The only difference among us is in which sins we have committed. Jesus died to pay for our sins and anyone, including the boy who tore up the Bible, can be frogiven by turning from our sins and putting our faith in Jesus.

Coyotero · Post by **Coyotero** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 12:27 pm

Samwise wrote:Like that boy we are all sinners and deserve to be condemened.

Can you prove that everyone is a sinner? Can you even define this vague notion you call "sin"?

Does my two-year old daughter "deserve to be condemned?

Samwise wrote:The only difference among us is in which sins we have committed.

I think there are many more differences than that. Why focus on the negative? It's always "sin this" and "damnation that" with you people. Your religion makes you blind to the glory mankind can yet accomplish.

Samwise wrote: Jesus died to pay for our sins and anyone, including the boy who tore up the Bible, can be frogiven by turning from our sins and putting our faith in Jesus.

Prove to me that:
A) Ripping up the book was a sin.

and

B) He needs to be forgiven for it.

Treefur · Post by **Treefur** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 6:08 pm

Yeah I don't see anything wrong with him ripping it up. Despite the slight environmental problems if he threw it on the ground..but that's beside the point.

It's just a book.

scottlittlefield17 · Post by **scottlittlefield17** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:30 am

I would put it on the same plain as burning an American flag. It is not considered treason but it is not looked upon favorably. As for the Gideons. If the Gideons can't go on campus than neither can any other groups that does not have proven scientific evidence. Including evolution, it is just a theory.

JoeyKnothead · Post by **JoeyKnothead** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 11:28 am

In regards the OP, I don't consider someone tearing up a Bible, that they now own to be anything beyond a political / religious protest.

I would do the same thing.

From Page 1 Post 8

scottlittlefield17 wrote: I would put it on the same plain as burning an American flag. It is not considered treason but it is not looked upon favorably.

As a veteran of the Army, I consider it a most powerful act to harmlessly desicrate any article held up to be a symbol. Free speech is far too important to limit it over speech we dislike.

Just think, if you ever see a paper bill with the words "In God We Trust" marked out with a Sharpie, it could very well be a bill I "desicrated".

scottlittlefield17 wrote: As for the Gideons. If the Gideons can't go on campus than neither can any other groups that does not have proven scientific evidence.

To heck with the Gideons, they have no more right to push their religion on a captive audience as any other.

scottlittlefield17 wrote: Including evolution, it is just a theory.

Then by all means join this discussion in the Science & Religion subforum.

Cathar1950 · Post by **Cathar1950** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 1:23 pm

scottlittlefield17 wrote:I would put it on the same plain as burning an American flag. It is not considered treason but it is not looked upon favorably. As for the Gideons. If the Gideons can't go on campus than neither can any other groups that does not have proven scientific evidence. Including evolution, it is just a theory.

Obviously you don't understand what scientists mean by theory and have substituted some popular unscientific notion of theory.
If it wasn't his property then it was wrong.