Where Have All The Bibles Gone?
Fox News reports:
According to a new study by hospitality analytics group STR, the percentage of hotels that offer religious materials in rooms has dropped by almost half in the last decade-- from 95 percent in 2006 to just 48 percent this year.
... “The decline of religious materials in hotels, as cited in the survey, is reflective of increasing secularism and independence in the world,” said Jeff Pack, the Director of Communications for Gideon International, the nonprofit group that distributes Bibles in hotels across the country to the Time.
... Travelodge hotels in Britain removed Bibles from their rooms in 2014 “in order not to discriminate against any religion,” the company said. And Wyndham Hotel Group, Travelodge’s parent group, said that there’s no requirement to stock Bibles in any of its 15 global hotel brands.
Jesus once asked, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"(Luke 18:8). If what’s happening in the hotel nightstands the world over is any indication, it’s doubtful.
CHARLIE HEBDO Says Don't Pray for Paris
In the aftermath of the 11/13/15 terror attacks in Paris, which left at least 129 dead and hundreds more injured, social media was set afire with the hashtag #PrayForParis. While some find the sentiment edifying, comforting, and even uniting, not everyone appreciates the gesture.
Take for example the response of Joann Sfar, a cartoonist for CHARLIE HEBDO, the French publication which was itself the victim of a radical Islamic terror attack back in January 2015 in retaliation for its satirical cartoon depiction of the prophet Mohammed.
Friends from the whole world, thank you for #PrayForParis, but we don’t need more religion! Our faith goes to music! Kisses! Life! Champagne and joy! #ParisIsAboutLife.
In this post-Modern, post-Christian era, even our offers of prayer are rebuffed as unhelpful and unwelcome. Rather than seeking peace through prayer, Sfar believes that religion itself is the cause of conflict and strife—that if only we could free the world of religion, we would at last find peace (not to mention Kisses! Life! Champagne and joy!).
The maleficent agenda of these hateful power mongers who seek world domination in the name of religion have succeeded in re-labeling and redefine faith itself as the enemy.
In the face of such bold-faced rebuff, we will pray for you all the more, CHARLIE HEBDO!
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
Critics Choice
I was reading one review after another in order to pick an audio book for my vacation, when I noticed something mystifying. After reading several very positive reviews, I would always come across others that made the same book sound like the worst thing that had ever been written. To give you an idea of what I'm talking about, here’s an example of the reviews I found on the same book:
"Wow! I could't stop reading … 5 stars for sure!"
"Amazing writing. I highly recommend to anyone who loves suspense and mystery."
"The story is fresh, suspenseful, interesting, and very realistic."
"I was disappointed when I got to the end, I wanted the story to go on. To me, that is the true test of a good story."
"Excellent! The best book of the year by far!"
"This book was a spellbinder from the minute the first musical cord was heard. A delicious thriller ...."
"The best mystery book I have read!"
And then there were others who offered a very different take:
"I had to read the entire thing twice, the plot was so thick, so filled with seemingly unrelated things."
"So many bad things happen in this book ... pointlessly."
"It's so bad that it becomes almost comical ... "
"You'll need a scorecard to keep track of the story lines in this book."
"So boring it’s painful. Do't waste your time!"
"I think the author wrote this book as a form of self-therapy to help him deal with his issues, rather than as entertainment for us."
Same story, two very different responses. I could't believe these two groups of people had read the same book. This wasn’t unique to this one title. I found similar disagreement on every book on the best seller list! To whom was I to listen?
Why does the same piece of literature illicit such varied responses? The same question could be asked of the best selling book of all time, the Bible. It’s a book that sets forth what is arguably the greatest story ever told.
It tells the compelling story of how the worst thing that has ever happened, the brutal crucifixion of God’s only Son, was turned it into best thing that has ever happened, the resurrection of God’s Son for the redemption of mankind. It’s the story of supreme love, of ultimate courage and of universal hope. It’s a story with the power to bring eternal life to every hearer who will but receive it.
But the greatest story ever told is panned by countless critics the world over--not because the story line isn’t interesting or compelling enough, but because it’s not the story they want to hear. Same story, two very different responses.
"He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:11-12).