A close friend gifted me with a Bible

[RobDoc]

LAST CHANCE to get this thread back to discussing the topic - http://disboards.com/threads/a-close-friend-gifted-me-with-a-bible.3575980/

Those who prefer to argue need to find another resource.

 

[TLSnell1981]

As a Christian I would be SO OFFENDED if I received a Koran as a gift since I don't believe in that!!!! Now that sounds totally ridiculous, don't you think? I am a devout Christian and in reality if I received a Koran by anyone I would actually read it so I could educate myself on others views. Heck, I may go buy one after thinking about it. There is nothing wrong with educating yourself about how others see things.

See I even spelled it wrong...it's Quran, just looked it up on my handy iPad. Now I'm a little more educated!..

I wouldn't be offended either.

 

[DisneyOma]

So, I don't understand being offended? I had a friend give me something meaningful from their religion for my birthday once, even knowing I am Christian and not their faith. I took it as it was intended. Didn't "offend" me at all. Besides, you don't even have to be Christian to read the Bible. It is a piece of history at the very least and I know a lot of people with a good general education have read and know a lot about the Bible, regardless of their religion or lack thereof.

It's sort of a piece of history - changed over the years, edited, manipulated, etc. There are some funny stories in there though.

50 Shades of Gray is a poorly written work of fiction. Are you putting the two books in the same category?

I would - having skimmed through both of them, I feel they both need better editors.

OP - was the book wrapped when you got it? Did you open it in front of your friend? If she's already seen you hold it, knowing it is a bible, then you own it. By that, I mean you've missed your chance to politely refuse it. You could still ask her why she gave it to you. "I'm curious as to the significance of your gift of the bible" question could be asked at an appropriate time, IMO.

 

[TLSnell1981]

It's sort of a piece of history - changed over the years, edited, manipulated, etc. There are some funny stories in there though. .

I don't remember the funny stories. Must've missed that part.

 

[DisneyOma]

I don't remember the funny stories. Must've missed that part.

Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt, the whole Philistine foreskins stuff, Naked drunk Noah, and more.

 

[Poohforyou]

LOL! If you get invited to my birthday party...I like wine! I cannot figure how to wear a scarf to save my life, so if you saw me wearing one you gifted, you would think you would do better giving me a Bible next tiem! LOL!

Check out you tube. There are lots of videos on how to wear scarves. Some unusual but easy to do ways. I wear a lot of black and grey in the winter so a scarf is an easy way to liven up an outfit.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt, the whole Philistine foreskins stuff, Naked drunk Noah, and more.

Not every person of faith takes every word literally. I still can't image having the same reaction..."that it's funny". I may not have the same views, but would never laugh or ridicule another's beliefs.

 

[dollarmite]

I wonder how this thread would have gone if it was called "A close friend gifted me with a Quran."

My reply would be the same as it is for the bible or any other religious symbol. Completely inappropriate. It is NEVER okay to try and shove your religious beliefs on other people, no matter what religion it is.

If a so-called friend of 40 years gave me a bible, or any other religious item, I'd seriously think they'd lost their mind. Clearly we're not as close as I thought if, after 40 years, they hadn't picked up on the fact that this would be a truly offensive and inappropriate present to give me.

To a friend of 40 years I'd say "ummmm..... you gave me a bible. Why?" To a newish friend of only a few months or years, I probably wouldn't say anything. But the friendship would probably die off at that point as I'm just not interested in wasting my time with someone who'd do something like that.

 

[SMD]

OP - was the book wrapped when you got it? Did you open it in front of your friend? If she's already seen you hold it, knowing it is a bible, then you own it. By that, I mean you've missed your chance to politely refuse it. You could still ask her why she gave it to you. "I'm curious as to the significance of your gift of the bible" question could be asked at an appropriate time, IMO.

What if someone doesn't realize it's a bible because the cover wasn't clearly marked and they didn't open to any of the pages. Or what if there were other people there and the recipient didn't want to refuse the gift in front of them. There is not hard rule on you open it, you accept it. Or worse, you open it, you accept it, you can't give it back to stop further religious gifts going forward.

 

[Magpie]

Not every person of faith takes every word literally. I still can't image having the same reaction..."that it's funny". I may not have the same views, but would never laugh or ridicule a another's beliefs.

Not to their face, anyway. Or in a cruel or mocking way.

However, my son dropped by for a visit tonight and in the course of a wide-ranging conversation, did a hilarious impression of the whole Abraham and Issac story. It's a "funny" story, especially the way he told it.

Of course, my favourite edition of the Bible is the Brick Testament (interpreted in Lego: http://www.thebricktestament.com/), which I used to read to the kids when they were small. I've always found humour in the Bible, as I find humour in most every aspect of life.

"Life is too important to be taken seriously." Oscar Wilde.

 

[scrhsa]

In my thinking, there are 4 reasons why a friend of 40 yrs would give you a Bible/religious text.

1. They know you are religious/interested in the said text/item.
2. They have recently experienced a conversion/reversion and want to share what they love( yes, this is a bit of a selfish gift but comes from the heart)
3. They just have NO clue what you like/who you are and are completely clueless when it comes to gift giving.
4. They really do think your soul is in jeopardy and are trying to save you. Selfish, pushy etc but still possibly coming from the heart.

As a pretty devout Catholic, ALL of my friends know how I feel. Most of them are Catholic too. The rest are nominal Christians. If I received a Bible from someone, its because they know me and know I would appreciate it. If someone gave me the Book Of Mormon or the Quran etc, I would definitely remind them of my beliefs(most probably with some "You know I'm one of 'those' kinds of Catholics, right?" humor ) but thank them and read it and then sit down and chat with them about it. But I like knowing about all kinds of religions.

I have even given some Catholic prayer cards to non-Catholic friends in some trying times. I did tell them, though, that I understand that they may not appreciate it but I felt it may help and to just toss it in a drawer or pass it on if they felt the need.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Not every person of faith takes every word literally. I still can't image having the same reaction..."that it's funny". I may not have the same views, but would never laugh or ridicule a another's beliefs.

So true. I think that's something which is very often forgotten when discussing various religions.

 

[dfchelbay]

I am not interested in reading it so is there a nice way to let her know that?

If she gave you a gardening book, or a biography on some English poet or author would you feel the need to tell her you're not interested in those books? I'm not Christian, but was once given a Bible from a friend who was. I was not offended. It was something that meant a lot to him and wasn't an issue for me. Just put it on a bookshelf and move on

 

[TLSnell1981]

I don't take EVERYTHIZn

In my thinking, there are 4 reasons why a friend of 40 yrs would give you a Bible/religious text.

1. They know you are religious/interested in the said text/item.
2. They have recently experienced a conversion/reversion and want to share what they love( yes, this is a bit of a selfish gift but comes from the heart)
3. They just have NO clue what you like/who you are and are completely clueless when it comes to gift giving.
4. They really do think your soul is in jeopardy and are trying to save you. Selfish, pushy etc but still possibly coming from the heart.

.

#4 Possibly, the motive behind the gift is pure...they genuinely love and care about the recipient. Maybe, they have found comfort in scripture and want to share their experience. I would lean towards this explanation, considering the length of the OP's friendship.

 

[tinatark]

Here's a thought ... was it a "Study Bible"? Those are very cool, with narratives geared toward a specific genre i.e.. Women's Study Bible, Dad's Study Bible, etc. Maybe she thought you'd be interested.