Throwing Away a Bible
Published October 5th, 2006 in Questions of FaithI have this dilemma…
The Bible that I bought when I started Uni 17 years ago is falling to bits. The spine has come off and the cover is in tatters. The pages are still fine, though fairly well worn, with a few ‘dog ears’ scattered through out. I like it because of its size and, well, it’s come with me on a long journey. I used to carry it around with me at uni, then took it to work and more recently it has become the Bible I use for giving talks and devos and the like.
But it is cactus. If it were any other book I would just throw it out. Already my shelves are full of Bibles that elderly relatives left me in their wills (Matt’s a Pastor, he’d like my Bible!), so it’s not as if I need to keep it. But I somehow feel a bit strange thowing away God’s word and treating it like the rest of the garbage. And given that many, many people around the world would desperately like any copy of the Bible, it makes me feel like I am abusing the privilege that God has given to me.
So, for now at least the Bible stays in my bag. But it’s got to go soon.
I know it’s weird, but it still seems like I’m doing the wrong thing if I do.
Don’t throw it away, GIVE it away.
Or all the ones that your relatives have left you.
Or you could establish a crypt in your basement (your boys would love to help dig, I’m sure!) and store all would-have-otherwise-been-thrown-away pages of Bibles. You wouldn’t be original though, there is one for pages of the Koran, somewhere in Afghanistan, I think.
And for busted spines, you should know that Gaffer tape will fix anything…
im with alison gaffa tape can fix nething! lol dont throw it away… keep it even if it is only for home use.. =)
the book itself is not sacred, in fact, if it’s a NIV it’s printed by Zondervan it’s printed by harper collins, a news corp companty…
we sometimes use old bibles in stations inviting people to cross out sections that they really have issues with, or wish werent there, or rip out entire pages as they talk with god re their issues.
do somethieng with it, use it in gardening, recycle it, make something from it…
Good suggestions Darren…and I hear you about NewsCorp!
If I made a candle out of it and burnt it, I could always say I was still using it as a ‘light for my path’.
Well, there is something to be said for getting a new Bible, where you can start anew.
But what do do with the old? My old Bible sits on a shelf where I refer to it occasionally. I changed versions from NASB to TNIV, so I do use the older one from time to time to check the differences.
Do you have a shelf at your church for books? I’d put the Bibles from family there so that others can see or use them during a service. Better to be used than to sit there not being used.
It is still getting used a bit, thought has lost a few bits here and there now!
How do you find the TNIV Sue? It caused a bit of a stink when it was firslt released, but I haven’t had the chance to look at it myself yet.
I’ve only been using the TNIV for a few months now. Before that I used the NASB, but the church I attend uses NIV. So when my husband and I went to go get new bibles, we each chose TNIV. The biggest difference I’ve seen so far is the gender issues.
Before I was a King James Only kind of girl. But that changed.