Manga Bible

oscuridad · Nov 13, 2007

This may not be the right place for this, but I am really interested in the views of people here of the 'Manga Bible' recently appearing in the UK. I don't know if it is published in the US, but it is essentially exactly what it says - a cartoon version of the Bible, although the 'manga' title is somewhat misleading as it has little in common with what I would call manga, it is very comicbook-like, though.

As someone brought up CofE who now does not share the Christian belief set I was quite taken aback (it is still my cultural heritage even if nothing else). I do respect Holy Books even if I don't agree with them, and I thought it an appalling reductive diminishing of the Bible in a rather shallow attempt to grab younger readers.

Any views, I am genuinely very curious as to the repsonses of Christians out there.

Pat~ · Nov 13, 2007

To tell you the truth, I've had only the briefest exposure to it, when someone else introduced a thread about it awhile back. I don't know enough about it to offer a knowledgable opinion, though I will say, I'm pretty partial to the Bibles I already have, and am probably not inclined to read a comic version. (I'm the nerdy type that really gets into word studies, etc., and I doubt Manga goes that route.

)

Shadow_Ferret · Nov 13, 2007

My son's first bible told the stories in picturebook style. I don't see anything wrong with it if it gets the kids to read.

Granted, I don't label myself as Christian, so my opinion might not matter.

citymouse · Nov 13, 2007

oscuridad said:
I don't know if it is published in the US, but it is essentially exactly what it says - a cartoon version of the Bible, although the 'manga' title is somewhat misleading as it has little in common with what I would call manga, it is very comicbook-like, though.

As someone brought up CofE who now does not share the Christian belief set I was quite taken aback (it is still my cultural heritage even if nothing else). I do respect Holy Books even if I don't agree with them, and I thought it an appalling reductive diminishing of the Bible in a rather shallow attempt to grab younger readers.

Any views, I am genuinely very curious as to the repsonses of Christians out there.

Whatever it takes to bring anyone to God is fine. But make no mistake, publishing is a business. The publisher of this "Magna Bible" did it for profit not for the sake of souls. I think a magna Koran or Torah would be fine and dandy if one person is brought into the Light of the Creator. The means is far less important than the result.
C

BruceJ · Nov 13, 2007

Always good to "withhold evaluation until comprehension is complete" and so, as this is really the first I've heard of it, I shouldn't really venture a judgment. It sounds like the far end of the spectrum from literal translations of extant manuscripts (with paraphrases being somewhere in the middle), which--from my personal position--lends it little more credance than a curiosity. If it plants a seed in someone who may casually pick it up and urges them to delve deeper, there could be some value to it. Other than that...

III · Nov 13, 2007

I haven't heard anything about it except for your description Oscuridad, but since you're asking for a reaction, not neccessarily an evaluation . . . as long as it's accurate I'm all for it. There are plenty of Bible comic books and Childrens' Bibles, so as long as it accurately tells the stories, then I think it's fine.

I do understand what you're saying about a perceived sanctity of the Holy Book. I still feel a little weird when I copy and paste sections of the Bible and then delete them and chop them up in Word. Hopefully we can maintain the sanctity without the superstition. Maybe one day we can even stop using the Bible to swear people in in court, especially since the Bible says not to swear by itself. The message is what's important, not the paper.

WildBill · Nov 13, 2007

Being one of those intellectual types who goes so far as to do his own translations from the Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic, I typically ignore or dismiss such bibles. I don't know anything about this particular version; for example whether it's directed towards children or not. But I appreciate what BruceJ said in as much as it could direct someone to take a serious look at God's word.

Theognome

donroc · Nov 13, 2007

Decades ago a successful series of comic books was published, PICTURE STORIES FROM THE BIBLE. If I remember correctly, the same company did another series of Great Book comics, Treasure Island is one and I believe IVANHOE was another.

www.donaldmichaelplatt.com

Manga Bible

oscuridad

Pat~

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Shadow_Ferret

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citymouse

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BruceJ

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III

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WildBill

donroc

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