Bible Ad Rejected by :"Rolling Stone"

Apparently the Bible is no longer the innocuous, dust-gathering, family heirloom sitting unused on the shelf of millions of American homes. It seems that the largest-selling book since the invention of the printing press has, for the first time, become controversial and unacceptable; at least to the editor and publisher of Rolling Stone magazine.

USA Today printed a story today relating how an ad, promoting the "Today's New International Version" (TNIV) translation of the Bible published by Zondervan, was rejected by the aging counter-culture's flagship publication.
Here is the ad, copied from the on-line USA Today feature. It is poor quality and essentially unreadable. I will put up a clearer one as soon as I can find it.

According to USA Today, "the rejected ad shows a serious young man, apparently pondering the problems of modern life. The text touts the TNIV as a source for "real truth" in a world of "endless media noise and political spin." A blue Bible peeks up from the corner of the ad."

The ad also carries the ad campaign's slogan: "Timeless truth; Today's language."

Kent Brownridge, general manager of Wenner Media, parent company of Rolling Stone, was quoted as having said that "(the ad) doesn't quite feel right in the magazine." He then added, "The copy is a little more than an ad for the Bible. It's a religious message that I personally don't disagree with." But, he said, "we are not in the business of publishing advertising for religious messages."

I wonder if an ad for the Koran, the "Wisdom of the Buddha" or the Kama Sutra would have violated this unwritten and previously unknown "policy?" Are we seeing a genuine concern for those who subscribe to Rolling Stone? Is there a fear that the sight of an ad encouraging them to read the Bible as a source of "truth" might cause dizziness, nausea and intellectual disorientation among readers notoriously noted for their advocacy of diversity and inclusion of all points of view?

What is it about the Bible that has suddenly caused it to become a cause celebre? More to the point, what is it about today's liberal culture that has made the Bible persona non grata?

It seems that anything related to the Christian or Jewish faith (except for Madonna and the Cabala, of course) sends shivers of discomfort and antipathy among the more radical of the blue state liberals.

Jesus said that he did not come to bring peace, but a sword. More pointedly he said, "For I have come to turn 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law' a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'"

(Matthew 10:34-36)

Jesus knew that he would cause scandal. If he is the Lord he claimed to be then those who flaunt their independence from God are under his judgment. No one likes to be judged, of course. Especially by someone who doesn't seem to agree with you on nearly everything that you believe to be important.

The Bible stands as a judgment and a threat to the liberal left, especially those still stuck in the late 1960's "down with authority...don't trust anyone over 30" mentality (most of whom are now, of course, untrustworthy!).

It appears that for some people a crucifix in a jar of urine is OK but the Bible isn't. I fear for the day that such people find themselves in positions of power to legislate and impose their bigotry and hate-filled philosophies on what was once proclaimed to be the "land of the free and the home of the brave."

Perhaps I'm making too much out of a little misunderstanding between a magazine and an ad agency. On the other hand, could it be, perhaps, that this little episode represents just the tip of an ever-emerging iceberg?

Will we see more attempts to marginalize and discredit the Bible, Christians and the faith they confess? Will we one day deem public prayer to be offensive? Will we one day see the word "God" stricken from public discourse and public education? Will we live long enough to see public displays of the Ten Commandments or a Christmas nativity scene be declared unconstitutional? Will people be labeled as narrow-minded, homophobic, sexist, dangerous threats to America and the world simply because they go to church and worship God on a Sunday morning?

Honestly, I haven't read Rolling Stone for over 30 years. I didn't even know they carried ads at all, being so anti-capitalist and all that. Still, I'll give them credit for turning down paid advertising to uphold the integrity of their corporate principles. This they have the right to do.

But I bet that more than a few of their younger readers will some day soon pick up a copy of the TNIV and discover, to the surprise of both themselves and the editors of Rolling Stone, that there is, indeed, "timeless truth" in it.

This is because truth is like styrofoam in a bucket of water. You can stuff it down; you can drop heavy weights on it; you can try to break it up into pieces; but sooner or later it will rise to the top in spite of every effort to sink it to the bottom. Don't forget. There was a time when people thought that Jesus was dead and buried, too!