Freethought & Rationalism Archive

MOJO-JOJO · 05-24-2002, 11:01 AM

What's next? Jesus' face on beer cans?

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Offbeat News
Friday, May 24, 2002
New Bible Helps Surfers Ride a Wave to Heaven

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Many surfers pray to the god of waves but Christian surfers now have a "Surfers Bible," a combination of New Testament, glossy surf photographs and Christian surfer testimonials [Dude!! God saved me from this really gnarly shark!]

The Bible Society in Australia has printed 10,000 copies of the "Surfers Bible," to go on sale next week for A$8.95 (US$4.94).

The bible, a traditional scripture translation with a color photograph of a barreling wave on the cover, aims to make the bible more attractive to surfers, the society's Siebrand Petrusma said on Friday.

"Its certainly a very different bible from the old black book," Petrusma told Reuters.

With thousands of Christian surfers in Australia, the society believes the first print run will be snapped up faster than a surfer can wax his surfboard.

An earlier surfer-friendly Gospel of Mark sold more than 60,000 copies, 85 percent in Australia. Mainstream publishers in Australia normally print 2-5,000 copies of first run paperbacks.

Surfers have a reputation as a hard partying group, indulging in drugs, sex and alcohol, and living a non-conformist lifestyle chasing waves around the world with the help of their god of surf, Huey.

In its introduction, the "Surfers Bible" explains under the title "Surfing and religion" that surfers are inherently religious

, with many seeing their sport as a spiritual activity.

"Many surfers would say they believe in a creator. Some would call him Huey...'Pray for Surf' is yet another surf slogan surfers are all too willing to identify with, such is the religious fervor of surfers for their surfing," it says.

"God's love, God's word and God's blessings are far beyond the best eccy, heaviest head-spinning cone, sweetest scoobie, almighty pissed rage, biggest barrel you've ever had," writes surf photo-journalist Paul Sargeant in the "Surfers Bible."

"Make God first and he will blow your mind on a daily basis -- without a hangover!"

For non-surfers, an "eccy" is the drug Ecstacy, "cone" and "scoobie" are marijuana and "pissed rage" is a drinking binge. A "barrel" is a wave which breaks creating a hollow tube which surfers try to ride inside -- surfing heaven."

Further evidence that overexposure to the sun can lead to fried brain cells! <img src="graemlins/banghead.gif" border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" />

seebs · 05-24-2002, 11:07 AM

I'd buy Jesus Beer. I mean, not to drink it; just so that, twenty years later, I could *SHOW* it to people, so they knew I wasn't making it up.

The rich, foamy, head of the church... Nah.

lpetrich · 05-24-2002, 11:18 AM

Or better yet, some Jesus Wine -- consider what he was described as doing at the wedding feast at Cana.

Yes, turning water into wine, to the consternation of so many scriptural percussionists.

Kosh · 05-24-2002, 11:23 AM

They've been doing this for thousands of years.
It's called "progressive revelation". I'm somewhere
in the OT, there's some text you can take out of
context to show that God loves the surfers. Perhaps
in Psalms?

IvanK · 05-24-2002, 01:17 PM

Coming soon, "Buddy Christ" . . .

Sephiroth · 05-24-2002, 05:01 PM

This is why I consider Christianity to be a business. 'Cuz the marketers like to market their Jebus more and more.

Automaton · 05-24-2002, 06:37 PM

The snakeoil salesmen really know how to peddle it. Jesus is the best drug you'll ever take, too bad it causes large amounts of brain damage, especially in the areas that handle logical, coherent thought.

Thor Q. Mada · 05-24-2002, 07:47 PM

My small revenge is that in every hotel I go, I throw the bible and the koran, and Buddha's teachings straight into the garbage can.

The Cromwell Institute · 05-25-2002, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by seebs:
<strong>
The rich, foamy, head of the church... Nah.</strong>

FOIL · 05-25-2002, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lpetrich:
<strong>Or better yet, some Jesus Wine -- consider what he was described as doing at the wedding feast at Cana.</strong>

Sorry, we've had Christian whine for about 2,000 years now and it seems to be selling even worse now than when it was first marketed...

FOIL

05-24-2002, 11:01 AM	#1
MOJO-JOJO Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Nashville, USA Posts: 949	Oh great...christians re-market god to give him greater appeal.... What's next? Jesus' face on beer cans? ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Offbeat News Friday, May 24, 2002 New Bible Helps Surfers Ride a Wave to Heaven SYDNEY (Reuters) - Many surfers pray to the god of waves but Christian surfers now have a "Surfers Bible," a combination of New Testament, glossy surf photographs and Christian surfer testimonials [Dude!! God saved me from this really gnarly shark!] The Bible Society in Australia has printed 10,000 copies of the "Surfers Bible," to go on sale next week for A$8.95 (US$4.94). The bible, a traditional scripture translation with a color photograph of a barreling wave on the cover, aims to make the bible more attractive to surfers, the society's Siebrand Petrusma said on Friday. "Its certainly a very different bible from the old black book," Petrusma told Reuters. With thousands of Christian surfers in Australia, the society believes the first print run will be snapped up faster than a surfer can wax his surfboard. An earlier surfer-friendly Gospel of Mark sold more than 60,000 copies, 85 percent in Australia. Mainstream publishers in Australia normally print 2-5,000 copies of first run paperbacks. Surfers have a reputation as a hard partying group, indulging in drugs, sex and alcohol, and living a non-conformist lifestyle chasing waves around the world with the help of their god of surf, Huey. In its introduction, the "Surfers Bible" explains under the title "Surfing and religion" that surfers are inherently religious , with many seeing their sport as a spiritual activity. "Many surfers would say they believe in a creator. Some would call him Huey...'Pray for Surf' is yet another surf slogan surfers are all too willing to identify with, such is the religious fervor of surfers for their surfing," it says. "God's love, God's word and God's blessings are far beyond the best eccy, heaviest head-spinning cone, sweetest scoobie, almighty pissed rage, biggest barrel you've ever had," writes surf photo-journalist Paul Sargeant in the "Surfers Bible." "Make God first and he will blow your mind on a daily basis -- without a hangover!" For non-surfers, an "eccy" is the drug Ecstacy, "cone" and "scoobie" are marijuana and "pissed rage" is a drinking binge. A "barrel" is a wave which breaks creating a hollow tube which surfers try to ride inside -- surfing heaven." Further evidence that overexposure to the sun can lead to fried brain cells! <img src="graemlins/banghead.gif" border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" />

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05-24-2002, 11:07 AM	#2
seebs Contributor Join Date: May 2002 Location: Saint Paul, MN Posts: 24,524	I'd buy Jesus Beer. I mean, not to drink it; just so that, twenty years later, I could SHOW it to people, so they knew I wasn't making it up. The rich, foamy, head of the church... Nah.

05-24-2002, 11:18 AM	#3
lpetrich Contributor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Lebanon, OR, USA Posts: 16,829	Or better yet, some Jesus Wine -- consider what he was described as doing at the wedding feast at Cana. Yes, turning water into wine, to the consternation of so many scriptural percussionists.

05-24-2002, 11:23 AM	#4
Kosh Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Orions Belt Posts: 3,911	They've been doing this for thousands of years. It's called "progressive revelation". I'm somewhere in the OT, there's some text you can take out of context to show that God loves the surfers. Perhaps in Psalms?

05-24-2002, 01:17 PM	#5
IvanK Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Posts: 2,016	Coming soon, "Buddy Christ" . . .

05-24-2002, 05:01 PM	#6
Sephiroth Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 625	This is why I consider Christianity to be a business. 'Cuz the marketers like to market their Jebus more and more.

05-24-2002, 06:37 PM	#7
Automaton Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 717	The snakeoil salesmen really know how to peddle it. Jesus is the best drug you'll ever take, too bad it causes large amounts of brain damage, especially in the areas that handle logical, coherent thought.

05-24-2002, 07:47 PM	#8
Thor Q. Mada Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Asia Posts: 3,558	My small revenge is that in every hotel I go, I throw the bible and the koran, and Buddha's teachings straight into the garbage can.

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