Bibles, sounds and complaints

Update 16-10-2008

I would usually make a fuss about this now, since I had not had a change in the circumstances but in what some friends have noted as a change in my character of sorts, I exercised patience and put the issue out of my mind. Unbeknownst to me, they were still working on sorting this out. I got another email today, saying it had all being sorted out. Behold, it was, the discrete chapters completely separate from the commentaries, introductions and other encumbrances.

So, I began the downloads on two systems, one reading from the top of the old testaments and the other reading from below at the end of the new testament upwards, lest I forget, I do not have to get an iDevice to do AAC files, this is also in MP3 format, I might rearrange the tagging of the files with the MP3Tag utility but one thing is sure, The Message would be heard loudly and clearly and I am already tickling myslef with excitement about it all.

Give it up to the guys at eStudySource, I am one very satisfied customer.

Update 13-10-2008

I was offered the iTunes AAC file format alternative at no extra cost which according to their email had 1,200 files, indicating the product was broken down into chapters rather than books of the bible. Unfortunately, it is still very much like the MP3 product in 66 files. I have written to them again to have it resolved.

Complain or move on?

Sometimes, I cannot be bothered to seek redress for a bad product because I do not have the time, I do not like my time being wasted or the run around with customer support organisations and their telephone menu tree systems that put you an array of decisions simply dumps you into an any other business pool where the keys you have pressed now have to expressed in words.

This morning, I ran into a bargain for The Message Bible which brings the obscurity the sometimes inscrutable English translations into contemporary culture.

For instance, compare this The Message [1] depiction of Hebrews 6:1-3

Heb 6:1 So come on, let's leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on "salvation by self-help" and turning in trust toward God;

Heb 6:2 baptismal instructions; laying on of hands; resurrection of the dead; eternal judgment.

Heb 6:3 God helping us, we'll stay true to all that. But there's so much more. Let's get on with it!

With the 17^th Century version of the more commonly accepted King James Version (also known as KJV) [2] in charismatic circles.

Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

Heb 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Heb 6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.

You so easily catch the premise of a preschool fingerpainting exercise and there is more written in that kind of language.

The Message

Rom 8:12 So don't you see that we don't owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent.

Rom 8:13 There's nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life.

Rom 8:14 God's Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go!

To

The King James Version

Rom 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

And you begin to see that the Bible might well be a very interesting, understanding and rewarding read. No thous that chaseth thee that ye dost faint in ignorance.

I like the idea of there being things to do and places to go for God.

Translations and interpretations

Zondervan, a Bible publishing company publishes a translation comparison continuum [3] which rates translations from Word-for-Word to Thought-for-Thought of the original texts. KJV being towards the left of the continuum and Message to the very right.

Taken from Zondervan

So, I now ordered the audio version of The Message Bible and what I got was far from what I expected, I was compelled to register a complaint as it appears below.

I would hope there is a version that is organised according to the books of the Bible with a distinct MP3 file per book at the minimum, else there should be clear warnings that the organisation is a mess before buyers like I get caught on what for me is a misleading situation.

The Complaint

I ordered Product Title: AB0004 - AUDIO: The Message - Complete Bible [4] amongst other titles this morning.

I could almost honestly say, I feel conned and misled.

When I went to download the material, it came as 66 files implying they were arranged in the 66 books of the Bible, but the size of Part 66 had me wonder why III John; the 65th book, would be so much larger than Revelation, the last book.

Then I found Part 66 started from Revelation 12 and Part 1 contained over 30 minutes of interesting but irrelevant commentary that should have been in a separate introductory MP3.

I have many Audio bibles and they are either offered and organised as 66 distinct books of the Bible or to a granular extent chapters of the particular books.

To have this disorganised jumble as if the paper Message Bible just consists of page numbers without books or chapters is unfortunate to say the least.

Nowhere in the information about the product are we informed that the organisation is so unconventional such that commentary and text are merged and there are no book delineations.

For instance, I can listen to a gospel like say 41_Mark, an epistle like 45_Romans or 66_Revelation in other Audio bibles - this product is a fantastic activity turned into a farcical mess of disorganisation - It is NOT the product I believe I paid for.

I hope it can be remedied by obtaining a better organisation of the product as a replacement or things be put in place for a possible refund, I am as it were, desperately unhappy about this product, much as I am satisfied with other products that came with my order.

Thank you for your time and understanding.

Sources

[1] The Message (Bible) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia

[2] Authorized King James Version - Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia

[3] Zondervan - About Bible Translations

[4] eStudySource.com - Download Bestselling Digital Bibles & Study Tools!