A close friend gifted me with a Bible

[Wishing on a star]

Ariel71, I totally understand your comments!
I will send you a short PM.....

 

[Wendy31]

I am a Christian, & we have several different Bibles around our house. I even have a Bible in my vehicle.

That said, while I have donated Bibles (or money for Bibles) for different causes, I have never given a Bible as a gift unless it was to one of our children or specifically asked for by someone.

So I understand why the OP would be confused as to why her friend gave her a Bible. It would be the equivalent of someone giving me the Koran out of the blue.

OP - Only you know your friend & any possible motives behind her giving you a Bible.

Perhaps, your friend has found comfort & meaning in the Bible & wanted to share it w/ you - for no other reason than "This has been special to me, so, since you're my friend of 40 years, I want you to have one as well. Not because I'm trying to convert you, but only because I'm sharing something w/ you that's of great value to me." Maybe she felt she was sharing a piece of her heart w/ you in giving you, a lifelong friend, something she herself has cherished. I don't know... There could be all kinds of reasons she gave you a Bible.

However, like others have said, if I were you, I would accept the Bible in the same manner you accept any unwanted or not needed/not right gift - with grace & gratitude for the spirit behind the gift. Going forward, you can either keep the Bible (add it to your library, put it w/ other research materials, put it away in a closet somewhere, etc.) or donate it. If what she wrote to you inside the cover is special, but you really don't want the Bible, you can tear that page out & keep it w/ other sentimental keepsakes.

At any rate, I would only get offended by the gift if I felt there was some kind of ulterior motive being given along w/ the Bible. And, even then, sometimes, it's best to just take the high road.

 

[morgan98]

OP, as with any gift, you probably accept it as graciously as possible and do with it what you see fit. I don't feel that you should have any more of an obligation to this particular gift as you would to any other gift you may be given.

However, perhaps I am jaded, but unless this person is very, very religious as them giving you a Bible is something they consider "normal" I would most definitely be trying to understand the meaning behind the gift. Religion, at least to me, is something fairly personal that you just don't go around assuming about people. If you had been friends for this long, they should know your stance on religion well enough to know how you would perceive their gift.

All things being equal, there is really no circumstance (aside as maybe a gift related to a religious ceremony) where I would give anyone a Bible as it just has too many perceived meanings. Of all the gifts you can give, I cannot wrap my head around picking a Bible and acting like it is a present like a scarf, bottle of perfume, Starbucks gift card, etc. There is definitely some message this friend is trying to convey.

 

[BLAZEY]

A Bible is and INAPPROPRIATE gift unless it is a gift for a religious ceremony. When DD was born DH's grandmother asked when she would be baptized and that she wanted to buy her her first bible. DH is an atheist, simply said DD won't be baptized unless she chooses to be as an adult. She still wanted to buy the bible, fortunately DMIL made it crystal clear that it wouldn't be acceptable unless the baby was baptized.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

I read paranormal romance...doesn't mean I want my husband to be a shapeshifting werewolf for example.

hmm - some of those shapeshifting werewolves are HOT though!

If I received a bible, I would take it to the dumpster. I have a condo and limited space - we try not to bring things into the house we won't use.
And I would think it a strange gift.

 

[DennyCrane]

Red flag to the gift giver.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

hmm - some of those shapeshifting werewolves are HOT though!

And in my mind I'm hearing my husband say "you're reading what again??? when he glances at my Kindle or the book in my hand. To which I would respond "Sleeping With the Wolf" or something like it that has that type of title...and he's like uhhhhhhhhhh

 

[rastahomie]

Wow, rastahomie....
I LOVED your 'like the ugly tablecloth your grandma gave you"!!!!!!
To funny!!!!

But, seriously...
A political AND a religious 'dig' in one sentence...
Really... Seriously?????

Gotta send you props, though. Genius... Very talented.

Well, I think I'll be OK with the moderators for that post since I didn't name names (or even groups).

 

[aprilgail]

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.

I would be offended! If it was a close friend and they gave me a bible then yes, I would be VERY offended. If they were close then they would know my views on religion and to give me a bible would be like a slap in the face.

 

[Uncranky Donald]

Maybe, just maybe, if I were handed the single most widely propagated book on earth by a dear friend, at this moment in my life, I would take it as a sign. Perhaps the point is NOT to find faith for MYSELF but to read the book (or portions of) and in that maybe understand why the friend believes what THEY do. In other words, utilizing this very powerful piece of information to understand the billions of people that have and do believe so strongly in it. To understand why people do, say and act the way they do based on the words in this book. YOU get to chose what it means to you, but simply throwing it away may be throwing away an opportunity to take your shoes of and slip on someone else's. No new faith has to be acquired, no one is trying to save you, you just now have just been given an opportunity (unbeknownst to your friend) to take a look at a book that has shaped the world for the past 4000+ years...and lets be honest right now, I think everyone should be taking a peak....this is just how I would look at it....no offense to anyone of course, namaste

 

[Hikergirl]

Giving a bible to a friend who is not Christian is like giving The Joy Off Sex to a friend that is a nun.

 

[Nancyg56]

If a good friend of many years suddenly have me a Bible I'd just ask them why. It wouldn't make sense.
It's really ridiculous that people here are pretending to not understand the difference between giving someone a random book and giving someone a religious book.

I am Catholic, so gifting a Bible is not unheard of to me, however I would never gift one. I think that there are some gift that are intensely personal, and this is one of them. I recognize that there are a multitude of reasons that people might choose to gift a close friend a book that has so much religious significance to many, however I think that if you know the person well, you would know if this would be a gift that would be appreciated, or would offend, or that your friend would be ambivalent about.

I respect the Bible as the holy book for millions of people. What bothers me is that a "close" friend would give this to an obviously not interested person. I would assume that after many years they would know where a "close" friend stands on the topic of religion. So I have to believe there's some "hidden agenda", or else the gift giver is just clueless. Still, I would dispose of the book respectfully.

I would have a hard time disposing of a Bible, but I would wonder why my friend would gift one to me. I think it is strange at best.

 

[morgan98]

Maybe, just maybe, if I were handed the single most widely propagated book on earth by a dear friend, at this moment in my life, I would take it as a sign. Perhaps the point is NOT to find faith for MYSELF but to read the book (or portions of) and in that maybe understand why the friend believes what THEY do. In other words, utilizing this very powerful piece of information to understand the billions of people that have and do believe so strongly in it. To understand why people do, say and act the way they do based on the words in this book. YOU get to chose what it means to you, but simply throwing it away may be throwing away an opportunity to take your shoes of and slip on someone else's. No new faith has to be acquired, no one is trying to save you, you just now have just been given an opportunity (unbeknownst to your friend) to take a look at a book that has shaped the world for the past 4000+ years...and lets be honest right now, I think everyone should be taking a peak....this is just how I would look at it....no offense to anyone of course, namaste

Well, I have already read the Bible, most books multiple times, and I do not want to receive one as a gift from a friend. Perhaps the OP already has as well and has gotten everything they need or want from it.

Would you give a friend a book about dieting or losing weight out of the blue? Maybe people should read it anyway to learn about a different way of eating.

 

[Magpie]

Maybe, just maybe, if I were handed the single most widely propagated book on earth by a dear friend, at this moment in my life, I would take it as a sign. Perhaps the point is NOT to find faith for MYSELF but to read the book (or portions of) and in that maybe understand why the friend believes what THEY do. In other words, utilizing this very powerful piece of information to understand the billions of people that have and do believe so strongly in it. To understand why people do, say and act the way they do based on the words in this book. YOU get to chose what it means to you, but simply throwing it away may be throwing away an opportunity to take your shoes of and slip on someone else's. No new faith has to be acquired, no one is trying to save you, you just now have just been given an opportunity (unbeknownst to your friend) to take a look at a book that has shaped the world for the past 4000+ years...and lets be honest right now, I think everyone should be taking a peak....this is just how I would look at it....no offense to anyone of course, namaste

Everyone always says the Bible is the most printed book in the world, but apparently the Koran may have edged it out of first place:

The Koran has been translated into 50 different languages, has nearly 400 editions and more than three billion copies have been printed.

The King James Bible is a close runner up, with 2.5 billion copies to its name.

Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2015/07/15/the-m...time-isnt-harry-potter-5297319/#ixzz4XYZwBVHa

It's also probably a good idea, if you're wanting to understand the billions of other people in the world, to read the Torah, the Vedas, the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gitas, Buddhist Sutras, The Tao Te Ching, and some others I may have forgotten. (Now I'm imagining that lady on YouTube hollering, "Ain't no one got time for that!" )

I also strongly suspect a lot of folks own Bibles, but never actually read them. I did know a lady who liked to use hers as a kind of fortune telling device - every morning she closes her eyes, opens it to a random page and places her finger on it. Then she sees what passage she's picked, and uses that to determine what kind of day she's likely to have. Apparently, it's an old tradition down South (or so my grandma told me).

 

[Uncranky Donald]

Well, I have already read the Bible, most books multiple times, and I do not want to receive one as a gift from a friend. Perhaps the OP already has as well and has gotten everything they need or want from it.

Would you give a friend a book about dieting or losing weight out of the blue? Maybe people should read it anyway to learn about a different way of eating.

I don't really get this analogy, as wars haven't been fought over calories. People don't burn down mosques over a carb-free diet. I do think the core belief of "Why are we here?" and "You're fat" are very far on the spectrum of life. (said calmly and not sarcastically, tone is important to me) I am simply and calmly recommending we as a whole look at the "offenses" we see in others' actions and turn them into an opportunity to understand one another instead of judge. People do things ALL the time that piss us off, but our friends are precious, and when given the chance to turn a situation into a positive one of growing and learning, I'd rather do that, thats all, again, namaste

 

[Magpie]

Giving a bible to a friend who is not Christian is like giving The Joy Off Sex to a friend that is a nun.

Okay, so now I'm imagining this exact scenario.

The nun says, "WHY would my friend give me this?"

And people are responding by asking, "Did she stick a bookmark in the chapter on 'solitary amusements'?"

"Maybe she knows you're going through a tough time and thought this would bring you some consolation."

"This is the single most widely participated in activity on Earth. You should embrace the opportunity to learn more about it, so you can better understand the billions of people who do embrace their sexuality!"

 

[morgan98]

I don't really get this analogy, as wars haven't been fought over calories. People don't burn down mosques over a carb-free diet. I do think the core belief of "Why are we here?" and "You're fat" are very far on the spectrum of life. (said calmly and not sarcastically, tone is important to me) I am simply and calmly recommending we as a whole look at the "offenses" we see in others' actions and turn them into an opportunity to understand one another instead of judge. People do things ALL the time that piss us off, but our friends are precious, and when given the chance to turn a situation into a positive one of growing and learning, I'd rather do that, thats all, again, namaste

The point is both things can be offensive to the receiver and if you were someone's friend, one would think it would be known how the receiver would interpret the gift.

 

[Wendy31]

Giving a bible to a friend who is not Christian is like giving The Joy Off Sex to a friend that is a nun.

Unless you're trying to explain why you're NOT a nun or trying to convince her to change her mind - "Look! This is what you're gonna miss out on!"

 

[Uncranky Donald]

Everyone always says the Bible is the most printed book in the world, but apparently the Koran may have edged it out of first place:.

Never said printed my friend...propagated...as in to promote, spread, circulate, preach...dare I say rooted in propaganda...danger!!
And yes, I can read backwards

 

[DLgal]

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