Is this New Bible an attempt to meld U.S. Politics and Christianity?

[Tcg]

The "God Bless the USA Bible," which is inspired by country music star Lee Greenwood's hit, includes copies of the Bill of Rights, U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Pledge of Allegiance and the chorus "God Bless the USA." Is this an attempt to meld U.S. Politics and Christianity? Are there other reasons to oppose this combination?



Reference:

Lee Greenwood's 'God Bless the USA Bible' finds new printer after HarperCollins Christian passes

The "God Bless the USA Bible" is still happening even though HarperCollins Christian Publishing passed on serving as the manufacturer for the project inspired by country music singer Lee Greenwood's patriotic hit.

...

"This customized Bible is a reminder that the 'Christian industry' must do better to stand against the heretical and deadly 'Christian' nationalism that we saw on full display on Jan. 6. It is like a spiritual virus, infecting our churches, homes and social institutions," the authors wrote in an opinion piece published by Religion Unplugged.

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/r ... 450858002/

Tcg

[Paul of Tarsus]

Is this an attempt to meld U.S. Politics and Christianity? Are there other reasons to oppose this combination?

US politics and Christianity have always been melded, but evidently some Christians can't get it melded enough. So yes, that Bible version obviously wants to merge the God of Israel into the God that presumably has blessed the USA. I certainly don't oppose any Bible version more than I oppose any other, and I think Christians have their place in America alongside other Americans. I just hope that anybody who reads that version of the Bible reads the first amendment and sees the conflict between the Bible's theocracy and democracy.

[Athetotheist]

The "God Bless the USA Bible," which is inspired by country music star Lee Greenwood's hit, includes copies of the Bill of Rights, U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Pledge of Allegiance and the chorus "God Bless the USA." Is this an attempt to meld U.S. Politics and Christianity? Are there other reasons to oppose this combination?



Reference:

Lee Greenwood's 'God Bless the USA Bible' finds new printer after HarperCollins Christian passes

The "God Bless the USA Bible" is still happening even though HarperCollins Christian Publishing passed on serving as the manufacturer for the project inspired by country music singer Lee Greenwood's patriotic hit.

...

"This customized Bible is a reminder that the 'Christian industry' must do better to stand against the heretical and deadly 'Christian' nationalism that we saw on full display on Jan. 6. It is like a spiritual virus, infecting our churches, homes and social institutions," the authors wrote in an opinion piece published by Religion Unplugged.

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/r ... 450858002/

Tcg

Looks to me like an attempt to reinforce the "America-was-founded-on-Christian-principles" claim.

"....an unhallowed perversion of the means of salvation...."
--James Madison (Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments)

[1213]

The "God Bless the USA Bible," which is inspired by country music star Lee Greenwood's hit, includes copies of the Bill of Rights, U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Pledge of Allegiance and the chorus "God Bless the USA." Is this an attempt to meld U.S. Politics and Christianity? ...

I think they are already melded, if they both support the same things, freedom and rights of people. I don’t see any good reason to try to unmelt them.

[Paul of Tarsus]

I think they are already melded, if they both support the same things, freedom and rights of people. I don’t see any good reason to try to unmelt them.

In America, we have freedom of religious belief and the right to practice those beliefs as long as we do no harm. Please cite the Bible passage(s) that grant us this freedom and this right.

[Miles]

The "God Bless the USA Bible," which is inspired by country music star Lee Greenwood's hit, includes copies of the Bill of Rights, U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Pledge of Allegiance and the chorus "God Bless the USA." Is this an attempt to meld U.S. Politics and Christianity?

No. It's merely an attempt to sell more Bibles. "We gots to have me one of those new God Bless the USA Bibles, ma."


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[JoeyKnothead]

...
Is this an attempt to meld U.S. Politics and Christianity? Are there other reasons to oppose this combination?

I'd hafta ask these folks before I could comment too much about the melding of religion and politics.


The Repubs have played religious zealots like a fiddle.

[1213]

...
In America, we have freedom of religious belief and the right to practice those beliefs as long as we do no harm. Please cite the Bible passage(s) that grant us this freedom and this right.

In Bible freedom is offered in these for example:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, Because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim release to the captives, Recovering of sight to the blind, To deliver those who are crushed,
Luke 4:18

Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
John 8:31-32

Religious freedom comes also for example by this:

Whoever doesn't receive you, nor hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake off the dust from your feet.
Matt. 10:14

Unfortunately, USA doesn’t seem to be anymore as free as it once was, more like collectivist oligarchy, where Twitter and Gestabook chooses president and decides who is allowed to speak.

[Paul of Tarsus]

In Bible freedom is offered in these for example:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, Because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim release to the captives, Recovering of sight to the blind, To deliver those who are crushed,
Luke 4:18

Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
John 8:31-32

In other words, if you do what I tell you and believe everything I say while disbelieving all other points of view, then you will be "free"! That's not what I normally think of as free.

Religious freedom comes also for example by this:

Whoever doesn't receive you, nor hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake off the dust from your feet.
Matt. 10:14

So religious "freedom" to you is freedom from annoying evangelists who agree to go away if you don't believe them. Did Jesus ever tell people they are free to hold whatever religious beliefs they want without threats of punishment, though? To me that's religious freedom. Jesus does not impress me as a person who was open to disagreement on religious beliefs.

Unfortunately, USA doesn’t seem to be anymore as free as it once was, more like collectivist oligarchy, where Twitter and Gestabook chooses president and decides who is allowed to speak.

I definitely agree that those who control the media control speech. The government has even set up an agency, the FCC, to limit and control and even punish free speech. Our courts often punish those who have used speech freely. If you're wealthy and can afford a good lawyer, you can silence a critic. I don't see very many Christians opposing this stifling of free speech unless it is their speech.

People love power over other people, and the first freedom to go when exercising that power is very often speech.

[Difflugia]

The "God Bless the USA Bible," which is inspired by country music star Lee Greenwood's hit, includes copies of the Bill of Rights, U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Pledge of Allegiance and the chorus "God Bless the USA." Is this an attempt to meld U.S. Politics and Christianity? Are there other reasons to oppose this combination?

Looks to me like an attempt to reinforce the "America-was-founded-on-Christian-principles" claim.

This isn't a new niche. HarperCollins imprints already publish several:

The American Patriot's Bible is published by Thomas Nelson, as is its obedient and modestly dressed companion, the American Woman's Bible.

The NIV Liberty Bible is Zondervan's single offering for all true patriots, regardless of gender.

There are also several independent efforts.

One that I think is fun and interesting is the 1599 Geneva Bible: Patriot's Edition. Tolle Lege Press publishes a Geneva Bible with modernized and standardized spelling (much like current editions of the King James Bible as compared to early prints). They sell it in three editions: one with the apocrypha, one without it, and the "Patriot's Edition" (without apocrypha, because patriots apparently don't need that). I actually find the modernization to be a worthy effort that deserves more attention, but unfortunately, it mostly appeals to cranks. Their main retail outlets are websites selling jingoistic "patriot" merchandise and most of the online discussions of the Geneva Bible (this update or otherwise) are places like KJV-only forums. The Patriot's Edition tacks on a few historical documents (Magna Carta, Articles of Confederation, Declaration of Independence, etc.) and a "prayer of George Washington" that was apparently found in one of Washington's prayer journals. Some years ago, it was a free download from Kirk Cameron's website. Unfortunately, it disappeared around the time that the Donald started his presidential campaign.

There's also the independently published The Founders' Bible. I'd buy a reasonably-priced digital edition of it, but I'm not paying $49.95 for an Android app.