U.S. group sends solar-powered Bibles to Haiti

[theHandpuppet]

Do these folks really think Jesus would have sent Bibles?

U.S. group sends solar-powered Bibles to Haiti

MIAMI (Reuters) - As international aid agencies rush food, water and medicine to Haiti's earthquake victims, a U.S. faith-based group is sending Bibles to Haitians in their hour of need.

Not any Bible. These are solar-powered audible Bibles that can broadcast the holy scriptures in Haitian Creole to 300 people at a time.

Called the "Proclaimer," the audio Bible delivers "digital quality" and is designed for "poor and illiterate people," the Faith Comes By Hearing group said. It added 600 of the devices were already on their way to Haiti.

The Albuquerque-based organization said it was responding to the Haitian crisis by "providing faith, hope and love through God's Word in audio."
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also see: http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2010/01/christian-group-to-save-haitians-with-solar-powered-bibles/

[vadawg]

1. in times of extreme hardship many people turn to their faith,,

just because some may find no relief in it dosent mean that the recipients wont be grateful,

[theHandpuppet]

2. Water, food, medicine and a place to live

Would go a long way to restoring faith. There are real people of faith already in Haiti, but they are busy saving lives.

[vadawg]

4. yup and there are real people of faith in other parts of the world sending stuff and praying

they are not mutually exclusive, as i said to you this gift may mean nothing, but to people starting over it may mean a lot. would you begrudge someone who wants a bible from having one or the solar one...

[theHandpuppet]

7. Is there a reported shortage of Bibles in Haiti?

I've seen a lot of people desperate for food and water and doctors... Bibles, not so much.

[vadawg]

9. yeah so that must mean that no one wants bibles because you havent seen it

you do realise that there are a hell of a lot of people with faith in haiti and when you find people of faith you tend to find that bibles are a good thing, nothing wrong with sending them bibles,same as there is nothing wrong with sending them kids toys etc if that will help them with dealing with what has happened...

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. It's a complete waste of money, and a way of getting free advertising

It can 'broadcast to 300 people at a time!' Wow, you mean like someone reading out loud from a bible? There may be some illiterate people in Haiti, but there are plenty of literate ones too, and you're not going to be able to operate a 'solar-powered Bible' if you're not literate, unless it's to press buttons at random and get random, almost-certainly-irrelevant passages from anywhere.

No, this is a gimmick, designed to get some publicity for the group sending them. That it has turned up in the news shows they know they can milk it - it's not that they're dumb people blinded by technology, they are selfish ego-driven profit-seekers, who want their idiotic product descerbied to gullible Americans, and foolishly associated with charity.

[vadawg]

12. lol you do realise that illiterate people can do more than just hit things with a hammer

you dont think that people who are illiterate can use video cameras etc or program a vhs, so what if the comapny is doing it for publicity, let them do it and see if the people want them when they arrive...

[Canuckistanian]

3. I remember the old steam-powered Bibles

You had to shovel the coal in them every hour.

It's amazing what they can do these days.

[Codeine]

5. You were lucky!

In my day the Bibles were powered by horses, and it wasn't coal we had to shovel!

[vadawg]

6. rofl :)

[Silent3]

16. Luxury!

If we had horses to power our Bibles, we'd have been living like kings! We had to walk around in circles for three days straight, barefoot on broken glass, no food, no water, turning a huge wooden crank, and that was just barely enough to get our Bible to recite a half dozen psalms in a low moaning voice you could barely hear over the creaking and grinding of the giant crank!

[glowing]

8. Actually, they could take the bibles apart and use the solar battery parts for things

like radios and other devices.. The fact they are sending solar powered operating devices means free parts.

[theHandpuppet]

10. Great idea!

I did hear there was a need for actual radios so people could receive information on where to go for supplies, medicine, etc.

[depakid]

13. Yet another action that's just bound to improve America's image abroad...

as if biblical gunsights weren't enough....

[Ian David]

14. Better ideas

Solar-Power Innovations Helping Haiti

Solar-Powered Sun Ovens
Solar-Powered Water Purification Systems
Solar-Powered Cell Phones
Solar-Powered Lighting
XO Laptops

More:
http://www.triplepundit.com/2010/01/solar-haiti-earthquake/

[piratefish08]

15. seems like solar panels for electricity would be more practical

but some never miss a good opportunity to proselytize, I guess............

[Renew Deal]

17. The military will probably rewire those to do something else.