digitalbeachbum

I looked for this subject but couldn't find it on any other threads....

I've been discussing this subject with a few Christian friends who have told me that the Christian Bible is the number one selling book of all time.

I debated with them that:

1) what defines a book?
2) what defines a purchased book?
3) how many of the bibles given away still exist?
4) are all versions of the bible/translations to be included?
5) what defines a best selling book?

I did my research and found that technically, The Bible is a book of books. It has the old and new testament which are both made up of several dozen smaller books each.

There is a speculation that there are 6-7 billion bibles have been printed world wide since 1400 BC, but I argued that what version of the bible are we talking about. I found over 72 current different printings of the bible online (I quit counting there were so many), not to forget mentioning printings like the Gutenberg version from 1452.

I also found that the most of the bibles printed were sold to churches and missionaries in mass quantities. The bible does not have central author and is considered public domain in several versions. So any printer can print his own version and try to make money off it, but that appears to be a fallacy because printing bibles does not make much profit.

Trying to compare averages, the bible really sucks for sales. If current estimates are true the bible averages 1,467,567 (5 billion / 3407 years) copies sold each year (this is all versions of the bible sold).

Compared to Harry Potter/Philosophers Stone, which averages out to 11,000,000 a year for ten years (110 copies / 10 years).

I won't even cover the cost of the bible, because it is printed in so many different version and sizes that it would be pointless to try and calculate.

The main reason for the bible to be printed has been missionary work in 3rd world countries. Recently I saw how the Christian missionaries are now using cassette tapes along with a bible to teach poor Buddhist children and they even offer food and medical supplies if they join the church (aren't they sweet).

I assume that most of the bibles aren't really kept because the poor people only want food and medical help, so they take the bible and maybe use it to start a fire or they try to sell it for money.


So in conclusion, I find that:

1) Is the bible a book?
Yes

2) Is the bible the most purchased book?
Yes

3) how many of the bibles given away still exist?
Unknown, but a very low percentage

4) are all versions of the bible/translations to be included?
I personally don't care, the more versions of the bible included lowers the %

5) what defines a best selling book?
The Bible is definitely not the best selling book of all time. It isn't even close. True, more bibles have been printed than any other book, but I believe it is misleading to say that the bible has been a "desired" book world wide.

Any other opinions on this or facts would be greatly appreciated.

Thx!

Clouseau

Where did you see this?

digitalbeachbum

It is too long of a URL, you will need to cut and paste.

"http://www.tdn.com/articles/2007/11/10/this_day/doc473544e65ee0e414198892.txt#blogcomments"

Clouseau

Thanks.

'In June, government officials issued a public reminder of a ban on door-to-door proselytizing and the offering of food or other aid only to those who join churches.'

How do you know that food or other aid has been offered only to those who join churches?

EmpiricalGod

I would probably make an educated guess that it is the book that sold the most copies. Or atleast has the most copies printed.
So what?
It doesn't prove anything.
what would the argument support:

digitalbeachbum

To me nothing, but to Christians they have been telling me that since The Bible is the #1 best seller (which I don't believe) that their religion is #1. It's like a pissing contest.

Honestly, based on what I've seen, The Bible is not the #1 best seller, but only the most printed.

digitalbeachbum

This is not the first time I've seen an article on this subject.

mountainman

The oldest ancient historical citation for the publication
of the bible is the Constantine Bible of 331 CE. The
publisher, Constantine, was described as a brigand
(ie: a pirate on land - by Victor), and by Zosimus
as a man devoid of humane and religious instincts.

Make of that what you will.
My opinion is that the NT was
a fourth century invention.

Best wishes,


Pete Brown
Pontifex Maximus Bullneckus

Lugubert

We have to define "selling/buying". How many copies are bought to be given away, how many are bought because they are prescribed literature for classes, how many are voluntarily bought?

For comparison, what about secular books? In 2000, the sales volume of the Chinese Xinhua dictionary was at over 380.000.000 copies.

Toto

LINK not too long

I've read that the Bible is also the most shoplifted book. What does that mean?