…or your Bible might cost a whole lot more!
How so?
Apparently, the companies that produce the really thin paper Bibles are printed on would never make it if that were their only product. They are kept afloat by making paper for cigarettes.* So you owe a debt of gratitude to the legion of smokers who have allowed Bibles to be produced and sold at reasonable prices.
How’s that for a surprise?
*It turns out it’s essentially the same paper.
h/t Fr. Benedict
[I hope everyone realizes this is tongue-in-cheek; I detest smoking and would happily pay more for a Bible. I’m just sharing my amazement at the connection between cigarettes and Bibles.]
Praying With My Feet 
I'd say it's worth the price to pay more for Bibles, even though would mean that those of us who are able would subsidize the cost of Bibles for those who would otherwise be unable to afford them.
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How would that work? Surely the price of bibles wouldn't be on a sliding scale according to income…
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They would not stop making Bibles if smoking didn't exist, or even if all of those paper companies went out of business. Humans made Bibles before paper wrapped cigarettes were popular. Bibles have been reproduced since they could be, and will be for as long as people endure. This is a false dilemma, logically inappropriate and really, actually, offensive. Not that I hold you responsible, I just had to voice my opinion.
This also begs the question, so what? Do we all need a handful of cheaply made Gideon bibles? How many are in the landfill? Is having 3 or 4 copies of the BIble per household really improving humanity or bringing us closer to God? Just a thought, and I don't know the answer.
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I was merely bring to everyone's attention the surprising information that the same companies that make paper for use in making Bibles also produce the paper for making cigarettes.
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Magda, Father pointed out to me that you probably meant that if the price of bibles increased, then people would *choose* to subsidize bibles for those who were unable to afford them, not that it would happen automatically as a result of the laws of economics.
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Alright I'm actually going to have to offend someone, in so far as, I do support smoking, it's the Libertarian in me. I support a person's right to smoke, though I don't and don't ever want my kids to and don't allow anyone to smoke around us. Also, if by some wonderful miracle the tobacco industry went under, I'd happily pay more for a bible. Just my two cents… now I'll go run and hide and hope I don't really offend anyone. 🙂
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Mat. Anna, I got that you were tongue-in-cheek. 🙂
It is an interesting connection, and to be honest, I guess I don't get how it could be offensive…
Anyway, I like your warning on the side bar.Is it new? I don't remember seeing it before.
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Thanks! Yes, it's new. I figured that it was only fair to warn people about what they were about to get into. People who look at Britcoms and then say, “why is that funny?” or write letters to the editor complaing about the insensitivity of The Far Side will probably not enjoy a lot of the things I think are funny and post about. I enjoy the absurd.
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And your absurity is why I visit your site everyday – to smile ;o)
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I just read this to my husband. His reaction?
“Holy Smokes!”
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HAHAHAHAHA! I can't wait to read this to Father! 😀
Deb, I *know* you appreciate the absurd!
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Just for the record, I totally 'get' the tongue-in-cheek humor of it. Didn't mean to 'open a can', you know what I mean?
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Oh, no problem. I figured you got it. (:
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Yeah but then I saw the warning later and thought, 'holy smokes' what did I do now? (prior to the reply with the holy smokes comment). Oh well. 🙂
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Wow, all original thinkers tonight! I swear (and I can't believe this) “holy smokes” NEVER occurred to me. I'm so ashamed…
(c;
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…shoot, and that would have made a good title too…
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