I recently purchased the New Catholic Picture Bible for my 8 year old son. (Rev. Lawrence G. Lovasik, S.V.D. Catholic Book Publishing Co. N.Y.).

I guess this is important: NIHIL OBSTAT:Daniel V. Flynn, J.C.D.-Censor Librorum

IMPRIMATUR: Joseph T. O'Keefe-Vicar General, Archdiocese of New York

Basically, this is a Catholic paraphrased and condensed Bible, right?,p> What are you parents' or non-parents' honest opinions on this type of children's Bibles?

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), June 11, 2003

Answers

Hi.

My toughest task is getting my son to read it without the "congressional senate meetings", if you get my meaning. I wish to get my son to read the stories of the Bible on his own, without the fussing and dealing it takes to get him to read.

(I forgot the "<" in my HTML, oops.)

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), June 11, 2003.

The first thing I bought for them was a picture Bible.

Now that my son and daughter are a liitle older they read those hard words from Genesis, Exodus,... They still don't know them too well, but the picture Bible and the Jesus , Joseph, and Moses movies also did help.

-- Elpidio Gonzalez (egonzalez@srla.org), June 11, 2003.

Hi Elpidio.

The art work is very calming and even inspiring. The text is simple. The messages are clear. I like them for young and old readers. I can't find anything wrong with these small Bibles. My son did read a few stories, today. So, I guess we are on the right direction. My daughter at 4 yrs. old? I don't foresee any problems as she likes books, already.

I suppose that these children's Bibles are ok. I've even looked at quite a few non-Catholic children's Bibles, those don't mention the Holy Eucharist. For some reason, the Ascension stood out more in the Catholic version.

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), June 11, 2003.

rod

i can't offer any help as mine are too young still; but i look forward to the advice that is posted here for future reference as i am keen to pass on without indoctrination. i would just ove mine to become voluntary and pious Catholics. alomst a life's work.

may God bless your little boy. they are a most precious gift, that's for sure.

-- Ian (ib@vertifgo.com), June 11, 2003.

Ian,

Here's something to consider that I've learned through observation and experience ... every child is indoctrinated . . . the only question is who will do it.

Parents have to decide if they want to be the ones doing the indoctrination or allow the world to do it for them.

Think about it. Everyone learns what to believe and how to think by being taught. Teaching a child to think independently and make their own decisions is only valid to a point. A young child is taught the dangers of walking in the road, but a parent's job doesn't stop there. That child can't be allowed to independently decide whether or not she will wander into the road on her own. Parents must teach, restrict and monitor children over a period of years to ensure they can intelligently negotiate the road without being killed.

Same is true with our faith. Why should a parent allow children to make decisions that could determine whether or not that child spends eternity in Hell? How a parent teaches/passes on their faith in love is critical for the acceptance of that faith, but truth must be taught as an absolute. Parents can't tell children that Jesus is the Son of God only if the child chooses to believe that. It must be taught as a fact. And we need to model Christ's life to our children in everything we do. Remember that children are the ultimate observers of behavior. They'll know whether you practice what you preach.

Children should be taught their faith clearly in as many ways possible and attending church and following church practices are all required activities - no different than going to the school everyday. Children will come of an age soon enough where all decisions are theirs to make, until then, parents make most important decisions for them. That's just the way life is.

God tells us clearly that it is our responsibility and we will be held accountible for raising our children in the nuture and admonition of the Lord. That's an awesome responsibility we need to hold sacred.

Dave

-- non-Catholic Christian (dlbowerman@yahoo.com), June 11, 2003.

Jmj
Hi, Rod.

In my opinion, you've done a great thing in purchasing this Bible. Two thoughts:

(1) Anything by the late Fr. Lovasik is dependable and helpful.

(2) When I was your son's age (or earlier), the children's Bible was probably my favorite book in the house. I must have gone through it hundreds of times. In each two-page spread, there was an illustration in color on the left and the text of the related Bible story on the right. I can even remember my Dad reading the stories before I could read my self. The one that stands out -- because of the unusual names -- was the three young men in the fiery furnace: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. My Dad (I realize now) mispronounced the name of the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar (which was written in its alternate spelling, Nabuchodonosor). Dad would say, "na-BUCK-et-da-NO-zer."

But enough with the trip down memory lane. The important thing is that those pictures, those narratives, and the lessons they taught really were etched in my mind and soul for life, thanks to the Children's Bible.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), June 11, 2003.

Rod

Children's Bibles are a wonderful resource. Children tend to love the 'stories' from these versions of the Bible, and as they're told at their level, they generally understand better. They tend to be interesting and colourful, and children react well to this type of catechesis.

I'm sure your children will have many great hours reading their Bible.

God bless

p.s. Remember, Rod, the Catechism instructs all who pass on the Faith that they are to catechise people according to thier level of understanding...this is what you're doing here.

-- Sara (sara_catholic_forum@yahoo.co.uk), June 12, 2003.

for once, dave, i think we agree on something

i whole heartedly believe that many of the moral dilemmas in this world are caused by the combination of media AND bad parenting, although the whole situation could be fixed by rectifying the situation with parents.

all too often kids are raised by their TV while parents are out at work. dinner is rushed and everyone flips through the channels, there is no discussion of moral principles, no time when the parents can get to know if their child is doing okay. thus enters the world of moral relativity, as taught by TV. everyone is somewhat right, right? wrong. but thats all we learn from a young age.

so dave, a perfect answer.

-- paul (dontsendmemail@notanaddress.com), June 12, 2003.

Dave,

You're quite right, really--acknowledging, of course, that we are not alone in the search for truth, and that it is the grace of God and the presence of Christ (particularly a sacramental presence) that ultimately must be given credit for bringing the "lost sheep of Israel" back to the flock.

I would like to point out two things about society:

(1) In the 60's, radical feminism positted a false dichotomy between domestic-public, whereby it eliminated a once beautiful ambivalence by suppressing the dignity of the 'domestic' element. (Although called 'feminism', this was actually the crowning triumph of masculism). Society was really turned on its head - the task of raising children into mature balanced adults went from being the single most important and vital part of society, and the apex of fruit of professional motherly love to being a contingent consequence of childbirth, and a 'chore'--moreover, it is frequently sloughed off on non-professional housemaids and day care centers.

News flash: most people my age, the children of Generation X, are almost completely religiously deaf. They have no moral authorities, no reliable structures for living, and no motivation to seek them. It's an evil film in most respects--much mortal sin was conducted in its production--but I suggest at least that people read reviews of "Ken Park."

Only reason I (barely) escaped their lot was because my parents are very early generation-Xers, born in the 40's, and they refused to get pulled into the 60's faddish social engineering projects. Others, like me (or who were raised by their grandparents, as a sociologist once remarked to me) are vigorously traditional. However, my personal motivation is to break out of a viscious polar pendulum-swing, which puts me sometimes at odds with my peers who simply want the 50's back.

(2) My "(1)" is the best kept secret of today's media movements. As Dave said, "every child is indoctrinated . . . the only question is who will do it." But that's not what TV says! TV tells you that, "You are Intelligent, You are Original, You are an Individual, Nobody can Influence You or Brainwash You; You are Too Smart for that. P.S. You want to Buy this Product." Just watch any Star Trek episode, especially one featuring the Borg.

So, YES, BUY THE CHILDREN'S BIBLES! Buy any Bible! And throw your TV in the trash.

-- Skoobouy (skoobouy@hotmail.com), June 12, 2003.

P.S. - I watched a LOT of TV growing up. Fortunately, rather than dissolve my faith into pudding, all it did was give me an inflated sense of personal importance. I'll be quiet now. :)

-- Skoobouy (skoobouy@hotmail.com), June 12, 2003.

Hi Skoobouy.

It is amazing how, so far, everyone has posted negative replies about T.V.. It seems like the only thing we can do about it is to shut it off. My family can't sit and watch T.V. unless we are prepared to blindfold and earmuff our kids during the shows followed by gagging what might come out of our kids' mouths. I thought CSI was a pretty cool program because of its "pop" scientific flavor, until they started with the nudity and less than favorable descriptions of biological fecundations (we know how it works and looks). I do like the "who done it" structure of the show, I just didn't think I'd have to censor it so frequently.

As a child, I never had a children's Bible of my own, but the only access to such a Bible would be in Protestant homes. I never asked for one and yet I always considered these Bibles so special because of their purpose for little kids.

John mentioned "memory lane". I think we can sort of re-live or review our childhood lives by guiding our own children in the paths that we missed or have forgotten. These Bibles add to that journey.

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), June 12, 2003.

...of course, the paths I speak of are those that lead to Christ.

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), June 12, 2003.