Last month, I asked my mother to send some old photographs. Box number two arrived Friday, filled with seventies-style albums, high school mementos I never would have spared, old letters, and one New American Standard Bible. This is the Bible my godmother gave me when I was five, the Bible that piqued my interest in science and archaeology, not God or his only begotten son. The Bible that -once and for all - did religion in for my young mind:
You see, this particular version included illustrations of cooking pots, weapons, currency, and eating utensils from the historical period. Maces and grain mills, iron mattocks and daggers - this was the stuff of real history. I ignored my assignments for Sunday school and instead spent hours thinking about the artifacts. Who used them? How were they made? Where could I dig for them? How could something so delicate survive so long beneath the soil? And later, Would Jesus need to throw a pot? Or would it just appear at his command? When my Sunday school teacher couldn't answer, I asked for her credentials. This was not going to be a good year for the first grade bible class.
It was impossible to take the rest of the illustrations seriously.
Note the hot pink flowers blossoming from Eve's behind, and the cluster of blue balls at Adam's groin. This actually isn't too far off from traditional art iconography, but hello, it's a children's Bible.
Reminds me of cartoons like The Simpsons, with winking double-entendres for the parents.
I love the technicolor and melodrama. It looks exactly like the Ten Commandments movie. Today, this book might come packaged in a Happy Meal, complete with Adam and Eve figurines and little plastic tablets for Moses to carry down from Mt. Sinai.
My godmother wrote an inscription on the inside cover. It reads, Karrie, use this book as your guideline all your life and God will reward you with a fruitful life! I might not be Christian, but I have let the good book guide me. That passion for science, that endless curiosity about cultural artifacts, has continued to this day. The gift wasn't wasted.
*all images from New American Standard Bible. (1960). New York: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Comments (2)
We must be in synch again, Karrie Joann...yesterday my mom insisted I clean out my childhood bedroom closet...and in doing so, I found 1) the bible my grandmother gave me growing up and 2) the bible an uncle gave me growing up. My grandmother trapped me a few years ago by asking me if I was reading my bible everyday...I lied and said yes (strangely, she is the only person I ever lie to...) and she said, "How can you if your bible is in the closet?" and I stammered and told her I had the bible from my uncle. Oops.
I ended up putting both back in the closet.
I love how you frame the guidance the bible gave you...for me, it was the book of Revelations I always feared and enjoyed most, especially when the illustrations of it came in the monthly christian magazines my grandmother received as part of my bible study correspondence course...but that's another story entirely!
Thanks for adding the images...I especially love the Adam & Eve one...ha!
Wendy Carol
Posted by Wendy | January 11, 2004 6:58 PM
Posted on January 11, 2004 18:58
This is great. Priceless. I have so many memories from Sunday School and no artifacts (another reference to your posts) to ground me.
I keep a folder of religious tracts from all religions, but a lot are Christian. Mostly they're a good laugh, but they're a way of connecting with the past somehow too. They aren't my artifacts, but they're links to them. Mentally I mean.
I got a letter from Touchstone magazine the other day advising me to subscribe because there are main stream Christians trying to institue "homosexual marriage." Wonder how they found me.
Anyway, that's for this post and the ruminations. Funny how things turn up. I'm glad it was such a positive influence!
Posted by kel | January 16, 2004 5:44 PM
Posted on January 16, 2004 17:44