The recent story of a KJV-only church burning non-KJV Bibles got me thinking about the three main views of how God inspired holy texts:

1. Islam. God spoke through his prophet Muhammad, in Arabic, and Muhammad transcribed God’s words—in Arabic. Translation of the Quran into other languages is discouraged, because the Quran is only considered truly inspired and reliable in Arabic.

2. KJV-Only. Numerous authors penned the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments in Greek and Hebrew. However, it was not until 1,500 years later that God miraculously enabled King James’ clerics to compile and translate manuscripts into an English Bible that is now the only truly inspired and inerrant version available.

3. Classical Evangelical. The Holy Spirit led authors to pen 66 books in Greek and Hebrew—the original manuscripts of which are inspired, inerrant and authoritative. We no longer have any of these original documents, but the thousands of copies of these manuscripts that we do have allow us to reliably translate God’s Word into any language on earth.

Now, which of these two views are most similar?

My daughter was recently exposed to a “sex talk” by a well-meaning Christian fool. In the process of withholding my rage and re-educating her I once again became aware of how spiritually bankrupt the church becomes when it divorces the gospel from topics as important as sex.

The gist of the “talk” was an urban-legend style, fear-based appeal to stay out of bed, or you might end up like the girl who spent a crazy weekend with a guy, who afterward gave her an appreciation gift. When she opened the package it contained a little wood coffin, in which was a piece of paper with the words, “Welcome to the world of AIDS.”

Since when is it effective to use fear of death to keep teens out of trouble? My kids want to skydive, jump their bikes over ramps and pick up snakes. They crave danger and risk. Dare I say, it’s how God wired them?

This may sound harsh, but fear is the only wrench in the toolbox of biblically illiterate and immature Christians who are too lazy or ignorant to piece together an articulate biblical case for purity. But what happens when we find a cure for AIDS—and I pray we will? What happens when our advanced culture removes all the potential earthly consequences for sin—and we may?

It must have been the presence of Benny Hinn’s “publicist” that caused the interviewer to pretend to ask Hinn probing questions like this one on ABC News last night:

“Are you taking advantage of people?”

Huh?! Let me rephrase that question for you—and would someone please distract the “publicist” with a platter of bear claws long enough for me to get it out?

“Mr. Hinn, after 30-plus years of ministry you have not offered proof of one verifiable miracle in your crusades. You receive a salary in excess of $500,000 per year from a secretive ministry run by family members and friends. You travel in a private jet and stay in hotel rooms worth upwards of $5,000 per night. You appear regularly on TBN and promise viewers that they will receive wealth, spiritual protection and salvation for their family members if they give you and TBN their money. Many of your donors are the poor and elderly, with limited financial resources. Trained hypnotists and illusionists who attend your crusades claim that they use the very same techniques to manipulate suggestible people in their audiences. …

… Is there any possibility you are not taking advantage of people?”