Soldiers' Bible exhibit a walk through American history

The simplicity of the exhibit – copies of the Bible resting in glass cases – can be deceptive.

But the Museum of Biblical Art's exhibition, "Finding Comfort in Difficult Times: A Selection of Soldiers' Bibles," is American religious history come alive.

The exhibit showcases three dozen copies of Scriptures published for members of the U.S. Armed Forces from the Civil War onward, from leather-bound, 19th-century copies to contemporary Bibles clothed in camouflage.

But more than the Bibles themselves — on long-term loan from the American Bible Society — the exhibit tells the stories of the men and women who read them, their struggles with hardship, and the place of religion in their lives.

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http://twitter.com/lambsev11 @lambsev11

This has to come some day (soon?):
Isaiah 2
1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
msjallen

I Peter 1:24-25 For, “ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.” And this is the word which was preached to you.
1 Corinthians 2:16 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ. (The Word of God, the Bible)
Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.
keyboardshark

Many in the present generation, who have been brainwashed by the 'separation of church and state' mantra, would find it hard to believe that the U.S. government used to generally distribute Bibles and New Testaments to the troops. Yet that is exactly what they did, and some even had a message in the front from the Commander in Chief, namely, the President. Liberals would blow a gasket if this occurred today. Nowadays, the P.C. military, not wishing to offend Muslims, burns them instead. http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/05/20/u…

I went to a garage sale a few years back, and found a pocket New Testament & Psalms obviously given to U.S. servicemen during WW II. It had a personal message in the front, stating the name of the serviceman, his rank (PhM 2c, which I believe is Pharmacist's Mate 2nd class) , and hometown, and was dated September 12, 1943. His name, etc was listed on the "From" line. The "To" line had the name of a woman. I have always wondered whether this serviceman had been killed in action, and the Navy sent the NT on to a surviving wife/girlfriend, or whether he himself simply sent it to her. And why would someone dispose of it at a garage sale? I'll probably never know the answer to either.

On the next page, the pocket NT had, lo and behold, a message to the Armed Forces from The White House, Washington, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
"January 25, 1941.

To the Armed Forces:

As Commander-in-Chief I take pleasure in commending the reading of the Bible to all who serve in the armed forces of the United States.Throughout the centuries men of many faiths and diverse origins have found in the Sacred Book words of wisdom, counsel, and inspiration. It is a fountain of strength and now, as always, an aid in attaining the highest aspirations of the human soul.

Very sincerely yours,

Franklin D. Roosevelt"

Can you imagine the current Commander-in-Chief writing something like that in the front of a Bible and sending it to our troops today? Neither can I.
- Eric
  
  You actually see these New Testaments (more than a couple of times, in fact) and the cover pages show up in the brutal and gut-wrenching HBO series "The Pacific."
  - keyboardshark
    
    Eric: I do not have cable TV so I cannot receive HBO, but I certainly wish I could see the series you mentioned. My father (now deceased) fought in the Pacific (in combat with the 43rd Division, 37th Division of Ohio National Guard before) mainly in the Philippines, so it would have special meaning for me. I did see the series "The War" a few years back, which was excellent.
    - Eric
      
      You can get it on DVD. It is the Pacific war companion to the Band of Brothers series from a few years back.
      - keyboardshark
        
        DVD, of course. Thanks, Eric. I enjoy studying WW II history, and sadly, it seems to be disappearing from our schools. As the old saying goes, Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
- Vladimir
  
  My hardbound New Testament fit perfectly in my ammo pouch. I don't think it was issued, however. Someone must have given it to me. So long ago.