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Gideons

Well I have gotten quite a few old KJV bibles from them so I can't complain much. But from what I have seen they are not very strong on local church. Plus they work with anyone so it borders eucemenicism. God bless. :)
 
Personally I don't know much about them. What I dod know is this.
They place bibles in many places that otherwise would not have any.
So praise God they are willing to do that.
 
I carry a Gideons Bible everyday in my back pocket. It's a good tool in need of a scripture. I carry it like a wallet, and I never leave home with out it..
 
knowing that they aren't a small organization, I wonder if we have any users who have ever been involved in their ministry.
 
I think they are a wonderful ministry. I have heard many testimonies of people that came to know God after getting a Gideon placed Bible, or people on the brink of suicide but stopped when they saw a Gideon Bible and read it. They are a long standing but quiet ministry. They are also international. So they don't just give out English Bibles. I received a Bible from them when I was in the 5th or 6th grade and I still have it to this very day. I have heard of soldiers carrying their Bibles that they received from the Gideons. I don't think they affliated with any particular denomination because their focus is just on giving the Word of God to as many people as they can, and they do not give out a watered down, liberal version of the Bible either. They give the "real McCoy"!
 
paisley said:
and they do not give out a watered down, liberal version of the Bible either. They give the "real McCoy"!

May I ask what is a "watered down, liberal verison"?
 
By "watered down" I mean Bibles that are paraphrased which leaves the translation open to the interpretation of the writer. Of course, paraphrased Bibles are not all bad. For example, a child that can not read well, may benefit from reading a simplified paraphrased Bible until their reading level goes up. I would see this as the equivalent of parents reading to their children Bible stories which are also paraphrased from the Bible, but even these one must be be careful because I have found big mistakes in children's Bible stories. So, when it comes to seriously studying the Bible it is good to use a more accurately translated Bible than one just in story book form. Also, people who are given a Gideon's Bible often have no idea that there are paraphrased versions out there so I think it is nice to give a good translation to start off with.

As for "liberal" I mean translations like the "Contemporary English Version" which uses gender neutral words, and makes actual changes in the Bible to fit in with society's thinking rather than what God actually said.

Another thing I should have noted is the Gideon Bible does not give Bibles that a denominationally geared. For example, New American Bible has notes to favor Catholics. I know there are some Charismatic Bibles out there as well, and I am sure lots of other denominations have Bibles to support their denominational teachings. But the Gideons seem to stay away from that. They just support the Bible and let the Bible speak for itself, and then let the person choose their denomination based on what they read directly from the Bible. I respect the Gideons for choosing a translation like this rather than a translation that is supporting a denomination.
 
About the Gideons

I know the Gideons ministry very well. I first ran in to the Gideons when I started prison ministry. The Gideon provide prisoners with Bible's in their native language(my prison ministry involves working with people from all over the world in holding situations before being deported out of this country) absolutely free of charge. I find this a very commendable realistic helpful Christian service to the prisoners.
I have just completed an eight-day trip to Mexico in which I was accompanied by one of the head Gideons in my home state. Our purpose in making this trip was to make contact with the prisoner who we had seen in prison two months ago. Upon seeing this man and talking to him both realized that he had the spirit of evangelism in him and that time we told him when you get out send us your address and we will come and see you. He send his address and we went to Chihuahua Mexico. After working with him two days on the streets of Chihuahua, and helping him establish a little vegetable selling business we returned home to the United States. To make a long story short, I find the Gideons to be excellent ambassadors for the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
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