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History's Most Bulletproof Book
Many dictators have attempted to wipe the Bible from existence. Yet it has withstood all these attacks, remaining the most popular book in the world. More copies of the Bible are sold every year than any other book, despite its image as being "out of date."
The Old Testament was the target of hostile empires and corrupt leadership as far back as the seventh century BC. Youthful king Josiah had the Holy Scriptures brought to him, uncovered while workers were sorting through the decaying ruins of the temple in 640BC. Though he was young, he had never seen it before, suggesting that it had become invisible in the nation of Judah during the evil reign of Manasseh. We don't know whether there was a deliberate attempt to remove the Torah from society or if it was simply due to public apathy. Around 170BC, Antiochus IV Epiphanes made it illegal to have a copy of the Scriptures in one's possession. The penalty was death.
Various Roman emperors attempted to burn every copy of the New Testament during the first 300 years after Christ. Thousands of Christians were brutally tortured and murdered for their faith. Since Christians refused to worship Caesar, this growing movement frightened Rome, as it inferred that Caesar's name no longer held its former iron grip on society. Secular history records that Emperor Nero, rumored to have ordered the fire of Rome, tried to pin the blame on Christians. They were rounded up and subjected to incredible agony.
Finally, there was reprieve. Christianity became the official state religion following Emperor Constantine's conversion in 325AD.
The church as a political power
Unfortunately, this ultimately led to persecution again as the church quickly became a powerful political force, used to control public opinion and political ambitions.
The Bible continued to be attacked, now from within the church. Bibles in common languages such as Greek were outlawed. The Latin Vulgate Bible was produced and carefully controlled, readable only by specially trained representatives of the church. Laws were issued making it illegal for any Christian to possess a Bible. Penalties included burning at the stake. During the Dark Ages even priests were unable to read the Scriptures for themselves. As a result, they were unable to compare the false doctrines sweeping through the Roman church against the doctrines of the Word of God. In Italy, it was still illegal to own a Bible until 1870!
Political ambitions led to such crimes as the Crusader Wars, purported to be in the name of Christ but having no relationship with any Christian doctrine. Christianity was primarily an excuse used to give them credibility. Since the people had no Bibles to check such things for themselves, they were at the mercy of the corrupt kings behind these efforts.
The Reformation
Beginning in 1517 under the leadership of Martin Luther, the protestant Reformation brought the Scriptures into the light once again. But the process was traumatic. A great many men and women were burned at the stake, committed to a vision that people should be able to read a Bible in their own language. The persecution began shortly after John Wycliffe translated the Latin Vulgate into English in 1382. In 1408, Archbishop Arundel forbid the translation or reading of an English Bible. Undaunted, William Tyndale and John Rogers went ahead and distributed the English Bible in 1526, while Luther distributed his German version throughout Europe.
While he was being burned at the stake in 1536, William Tyndale prayed aloud that the king's eyes would be opened and that he would distribute the Bible in English. Only months later, the unthinkable happened, and Henry VIII ordered that the Great Chain Bible--essentially Tyndale's Bible completed by John Rogers--be placed in every parish in England.
However, under the reign of Queen "Bloody" Mary, the political tables were turned once again. In a sweeping indictment of all English language Bibles, she burned John Rogers at the stake with many others in 1555. Fortunately her reign was short, and Elizabeth I again allowed the Bible to be distributed. The Geneva Bible was brought to the shores of America by the Pilgrims in 1560. In 1611 the King James Authorized Version was completed and it has stood strong ever since. Though modernization of the language have changed the meaning of certain words and passages, it remains a useful translation. Other English translations, some more accurate and others less accurate (though usually because they were designed to be more readable), have followed.
Today it appears the Bible is once again under attack. A growing movement called higher criticism -- largely from within the church -- has begun to cast doubt on the authenticity of the Word of God. Western culture in Europe and North America has publicly abandoned the Bible as the moral anchor of our society. Some countries are beginning the process of changing or banning biblical passages to be politically correct. Legislation introduced in Canada in 2003 allows Scripture passages condemning homosexuality declared as "hate literature" and made illegal. To even quote such passages in private conversations -- never mind from the pulpit -- can be legally considered a hate crime. In light of the terrible price that was paid for the freedom to read the Bible, this is indeed disturbing.
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