How to throw your bibles away?

[TheGloryLand]

I know there’s a proper way to dispose a flag, but is there a proper way to dispose a Bible?

[HappyChristian]

I don't think so. 

[TheGloryLand]

3 hours ago, HappyChristian said:

I don't think so. 

There should be a proper way to do so. Bibles that are in very poor condition, missing pages.  I don't think they should be tossed in with the trash. How about burning the Bibles more than one, before a short message and dedication? Singing a hymnal, just saying. I never heard or seen this done. Hopefully, there is someone out there who can arrange such doing. Thanks

[SureWord]

I donated mine to the library and Goodwill. Somebody picked them up.

[Rebecca]

I put mine in with the paper recycling, it wasn't in any shape for donation. 

[BrotherTony]

We were always taught to incinerate them if they were beyond repair. My Old Scofield Bible has fallen apart and I am going to need to incinerate it.

[DaveW]

Put that old friend on the bookshelf and visit it every so often.

[Jerry]

You can’t keep all your old, worn out Bibles on your shelves.

It is just paper. When the Jews in OT times copied the scrolls, they burned or destroyed the old copies - whether worn out, damaged, or ones with errors.

I understand the reverence for God’s Word - but not the material it is copied on (and yes, I do try to be careful in handling or reading Bibles, but eventually they do wear out). If I print up some chapters of the Bible for a Bible study, but then some of the pages get damaged, I don’t keep them. If it was my only copy of God’s Word and I had no access to any others, then I might want to keep it until I could recopy it or get a new copy - but otherwise, it is just paper or parchment or whatever material.

God even commanded several of His servants to destroy His Word in various ways and at others times had it happen apart from His will - and He caused it to be written or copied again. Like Moses throwing down and breaking the two stone tablets, Jeremiah being commanded to throw the scroll in the river and at different time having the king cut up and burn another scroll of his prophecies, Ezekiel and John being commanded to eat the scrolls.

I am not flippant or cavalier towards my physical Bible - but it is the Word of God itself that is important - regardless of what it is copied onto (in a book, in a letter or card, in a Gospel tract or pamphlet, in a NT or a John & Romans, etc. - or even online or in an app). Those are just as much God’s Word (inasmuch as they contain God’s Word) as the physical book on your shelves - yet if those get worn out or damaged beyond repair, we don’t keep those.

Edited September 19, 2023 by Jerry

[TheGloryLand]

My next-door neighbor was a post commander and I gave him my old flags and he took them where they had a proper ceremony and then burned all flags that were in poor condition. I know the Bible is God‘s word written on paper, but like the flag, many or one had to die so that others may be free. Are we here in the US representing the flag more important than the Bible?

[Jerry]

Many do.

[Joe Chandler]

On 9/19/2023 at 7:28 AM, DaveW said:

Put that old friend on the bookshelf and visit it every so often.

My old bible has so many cross references in it that I can preach a full message without the benefit of an outline if called on, but the pages do fall out from time to time. I tried to transfer some of these margin notes to my new bible and I could not for the life of me figure out what I was thinking when I made the margin notes in the first place! I'm sure they were brilliant though. Yup, too brilliant.

On 9/19/2023 at 7:12 AM, Rebecca said:

I put mine in with the paper recycling, it wasn't in any shape for donation. 

A worn out bible is a sign of a good life.

Edited September 27, 2023 by Joe Chandler
clarity

[BrotherTony]

I have more pages falling out of the Old Scofield Bible that I have had since 1971 than I have still hanging on to the binding. I have many notes and cross references as well, but it's no longer in sny condition to be used for daily devotions, nor for church services. 

[Disciple.Luke]

I have several Bibles that are either falling apart or are a waste of space because I never use them because I have newer copies or editions. I've never thrown any away though and that probably attributed to my conscious believing God's word shouldn't be in the trash 

I agree that in reality it's just paper and ink and has no real value without a human reading it's pages. I wouldn't take position either way of how one should or shouldn't dispose of old bibles. I mean I've thrown away MANY books or tracts with Bible verses on it and thats really not any different.

I think it's important to NOT believe printed copies of the Bible are the fourth part of the Trinity or something. You run risk of borderline worshiping the pages instead of the words like Muslims. If a Muslim even drops a copy of the Quran on the floor ...it has to be buried in the ground..and we have all seen their reactions to people buring Quran.

Edited October 5, 2023 by Disciple.Luke

[R Sauter]

On 9/18/2023 at 2:16 PM, TheGloryLand said:

I know there’s a proper way to dispose a flag, but is there a proper way to dispose a Bible?

I have an old Cambridge Wide Margin that got wet and has mildew on the cover. I really do not know what to do with it. It really isn't in great shape but still has all the pages and new ones are hard to find and when you can, they are quite expensive! Perhaps there is a way I could get it cleaned up to a point where I could get it rebound?

[BrotherTony]

There are many places that will rebind that wonderful Bible! If you just want to clean the mildew off of it, vinegar water with a mild detergent should be able to clean it off. Then to preserve the cover well, if it's leather, I would suggest a small bit of Blackrock Leather N Rich. It's a great product used in many leather good stores.  If you have any other leather goods, this product is great for bringing them back to life and luster.