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The American Bible Society responded Friday to an anti-porn ministry's lash out against its refusal to print New Testaments with covers reading "Jesus Loves Porn Stars."
While committed to making the Bible available to all persons, the Bible organization wrote in an official statement that it saw the cover words proposed by Fireproof Ministries as inappropriate to clothe Scripture.
"The American Bible Society commends Fireproof Ministries for its outreach to those addicted to pornography and informed Pastor Craig Gross that the American Bible Society supports his ministry's initiative to share the Gospel with those who are so addicted," read the statement released Friday . "However, out of a sense of propriety, ABS felt that the wording 'Jesus Loves Porn Stars' was misleading and inappropriate for a New Testament cover."
Fireproof Ministries – which runs XXXchurch.com, the “#1 Christian Porn site” – is a five-year-old organization started by two California pastors who felt it a divine calling to minister to those addicted to pornography. It had requested 10,000 copies of the customized New Testament from the nearly 190-year-old American Bible Society to be distributed at venues such as adult film conventions.
"We think this goes with the central message of the gospel and Jesus loves you regardless of your profession," Fireproof explained in a statement on its website.
ABS, however, stated that the cover's words may be interpreted as a condoning of such activity.
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Although alternatives were offered for the Bible's cover, such as including the anti-porn ministry's name and mission statement as well as the customary "Bible," Fireproof Ministries pastors Gross and Mike Foster did not agree.
The two ministries "affirmed that Jesus' love is extended to all people and that he 'came to invite sinners' to be his followers and 'to save people who are lost,'" but differences on the Bible cover remained unresolved.
Despite this, the American Bible Society reassured the public of its commitment to making the Bible available to every person in a language and format each can understand and afford.
