Bible you can read in the dark

Following South Africa's lead last year, a company in Wales is announcing the launch of a service that allows people to download the entire Bible direct to their mobile phones. The Telegraph reports "Marketed as "faith on the move", it also allows the subscribers to express their devotion via an array of Christian ringtones. The service, Ecumen , offers daily prayers sent straight to your handset and, should you so desire, the entire "Bible you can read in the dark" can be downloaded for just £6. " Related: -- Entire Bible now available on S.African mobile phones (September 2006) -- Links to other mobile Bible services -- Links to other Devotional ringtones permalink (October 2nd, 2007)

Entire Bible now available on S.African mobile phones

South African Christians seeking a quick spiritual boost will be able to download the entire bible on to their mobile telephones phones as part of a drive to modernize the scriptures, reports Reuters. "By sending an SMS, customers of the The Bible Society will get the complete Old and New Testaments as well as a built-in search engine. Customers can choose between the traditional King James version of the bible or more up-to-date translations. Zulu and Xhosa version will be available soon and other languages will follow." permalink (September 20th, 2006)

Bible cre8td for a nu wrl: testaments by SMS

The world's most famous book, which has been translated into more languages than any other publication, is now available in the world's most modern form of communication, SMS or text. The Sydney Morning Herald reports. ... "The idea has come from the Bible Society in Australia which translated all 31,173 verses of the Bible into text. They can then be accessed over the internet for free and people can send individual verses to family or friends as SMS or text messages via mobile phone." For instance: In da Bginnin God cre8d da heavens & da earth. Da earth waz barren, wit no 4m of life; it waz unda a roaring ocean cuvred wit dRkness. (Genesis, chapter 1, verses 1-2). Respect ur father & ur mother, & u will live a long time in da l& I am givin u. (Exodus, chapter 20, verse 12). This is actually not a first, as selected verses of the Bible have been offered by text messaging before permalink (October 6th, 2005)

Selected verse from the Bible by SMS

US mobile users can subscribe to a daily Bible scripture sent by text messaging thanks to mfaith. Mfaith sends a carefully selected verse from the Bible to registered subscribers each day at about 11:00 AM. For example, “With men this is impossible, but with god all things are possible (Matt 19:26),” is an uplifting scripture that Mfaith subscribers might receive. The service is deliverable to wireless carriers in the US and Canada including, AT&T, Cingular, T-Mobile and others, according to a company press release. Related services: -- Texting faith New religious text messaging services have been launched in the Philippines: The Mobile Rosary, the Mobile Way and Daily Reflections. - Cell Phone Users Are Finding God - A daily service called The Seven Spiritual Laws, which features the holistic teachings of Deepak Chopra. Currently available from two U.S. mobile operators, the service provides daily aphorisms as well as diet tips and an inspiring image. -- Pope's on U.S. Phones - Verizon Wireless launched a new cell phone service in the United States that will allow subscribers to receive messages from the Pope... -- Why Don't You Ever Text Me Back, Jesus? - A service promising to answer people's prayers with a text message apparently sent by Jesus has been shut down after complaints by Finland's mobile services watchdog. -- Russia Launches the First Bible SMS-School - A new public Bible SMS-school has opened in the department of youth in Voronezhsko-Borisoglebskaya Diocese, in Russia. Students can text the Diocese asking to be connected to the free delivery of teaching materials. Then, they will weekly receive a message with a text of the Old Testament, for instance, along with assigned homework. -- For additional stories and a roundup of religions around the world who are using text messaging to spread the good word, cf SMS, SMS good for the Soul and SMS and Religion category in Textually.org. permalink (September 17th, 2004)

Russia Launches the First Bible SMS-School

A new public Bible SMS-school has opened in the department of youth in Voronezhsko-Borisoglebskaya Diocese, in Russia, according to this story.
Students can text the Diocese asking to be connected to the free delivery of teaching materials. Then, they will weekly receive a message with a text of the Old Testament, for instance, along with assigned homework. permalink (January 12th, 2004)

Bible goes mobile with pay-per-verse

A new text message service launched yesterday in Sydney allows mobile phone users to receive Bible passages direct to their handsets, according to News.com. The project – Daily Verse SMS – was developed by religious group Church Resources along with the Bible Society in Australia. It aims to bring "prayerful reflection" into people's daily lives, Church Resources chief executive Father Michael Kelly said. Related articles: -- Christian Charities raise money through txt@verse -- «Papal Thought of the Day» And all time favorites: -- Monks get mobile phone habits. The new robes are fitted with special pockets capable of carrying mobiles unobtrusively -- The Roman Catholic church in Holland offers religious ringtones For more on how different religions around the world are using text messaging, click on this category in Textually.org permalink (December 4th, 2003)

Another death row inmate caught with cell phone

In the second seizure this week since a systemwide lockdown and search for contraband ended, Texas Department of Criminal Justice officers have found a phone inside the body of condemned inmate Hank Skinner, reports The Houston Chronicle.

Two cell phone SIM cards were found hidden in Skinner's Bible during a routine search Friday afternoon of his cell at the Polunsky Unit near Livingston and the cell phone was found hidden in his rectum after conducting an X-ray in the infirmary, said department spokeswoman Michelle Lyons.

Related: - Death Row inmate makes threatening call to Senator permalink (November 15th, 2008)

Cell Phones, windows to our souls

The Washington Post reports on how media-savvy ministries adapting their message for a new generation of phones, which have memories capable of holding entire books and playing videos and music. "The result: missionaries in Asia beaming testimonials onto a two-inch screen; a three-day, 100,000-person crusade boiled down to a two-minute video sermon; a Christian punk ring tone." ... Using a phone for spiritual purposes raises unique questions: Is it rude to watch your phone in church-- if that's where you've downloaded your Bible? Can text-message blessings be spiritually enriching? Is therea sense of religious community on a cellular phone? ellphones actually might be well suited for spiritual communication. Carried everywhere by their owners, they are the most intimate piece of technology many people own. They are emblazoned with personalized "wallpaper," have ring tones meant to advertise their owners' very essence and are loaded with personal information. These palm-size gadgets "can take on a mystical significance," said James Katz, who studies the cultural and social impact of cellphones at Rutgers University, where he is the director of the Center for Mobile Communication Studies." ... Since launching in September, The MobileWorld has gained thousands of subscribers who can watch on their phones two- to three-minute video sermons by Greg Laurie, pastor at the country's eighth-largest church, Harvest Christian Fellowship, or snippets of Christian comics and hip-hop artists. Stained glass window from Restoreglass/a> permalink (November 6th, 2006)

UCB Radio Launches Mobile Phone Christian Ministry

On Sunday 1st May, The United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) - a leading Christian radio in the UK and Europe, launched UCB Mobile, a new mobile Christian ministry. Christian Today reports. "It's basically a text messaging service designed to guide people in their everyday journey with God. There are four main services, including Prayer Request, Bible Helps, Verse a Day and Bible in a Year. UCB Mobile will be formally launched at the massive annual Christian concert - Ultimate Event - at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, England on 14th May." permalink (May 2nd, 2005)

Text Messaging Service Offers Select Scriptures for Holiday Season

mfaith, a text messaging Bible service is enhancing its service for the holiday season by offering carefully selected verses surrounding the birth of Jesus. "During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, these special scriptures will help remind you about what's really important. The mfaith service is free to subscribe, other than any fees a wireless carrier may charge." [Press Release ] To sign up go to http://www.mfaith.com permalink (December 10th, 2004)

2003: SMS, good for the soul

This is the fourth post for Textually 2003 - The Year in Review, a series of entries rounding up the most interesting mobile news (best and worst) reported this year. 2003: SMS, Good for the Soul This year, religions from around the world awakened to text messaging as a way of reaching out to young people and as a means of communication to spread the good word. They offered both guidance - and guidelines; the Catholic church said NO to confessions by SMS and Malaysian authorities overturned the Islamic Syariah Court's ruling, allowing Muslims to divorce by SMS. Elsewhere: -- In Italy, Ireland and the UK, a Papal Thought of the Day text messaging service was launched, emanating from His Holiness John Paul II. -- In Indonesia, Islamic preachers with poster boy looks and pop star styles won legions of fans. "They shared the stage with rock bands and used TV, radio and sent text messages to spread their message". -- To inspire users into contemplation, the Roman Catholic church in Holland offered religious ringtones. -- txt@verse, a campaign backed by Christian charities raised money to mobilize against poverty, by offering verses of the Bible by text message at a premium rate. -- In Sydney, a text message service allowed mobile phone users to receive Bible passages directly to their handsets. -- Jews were able to send text messages with a prayer or request to a rabbi, who then placed the note in Jerusalem's Western Wall, thus observing a centuries-old tradition. permalink (December 13th, 2003)

Christian Charities raise money through txt@verse

A new campaign for raising money to mobilize against poverty, offers verses of the Bible by text message at a premium rate, according to UK ChruchTimes.

"txt@verse, backed by Christian charities, aims to recruit tens of thousands of users, and to give all profits towards work with the poorest communities in the world.

Bible verses are delivered in text format for 15p a day; subscribers can sign up for themselves or for a friend, or enrol the whole family. txt@verse says its initial aim is to raise £1 million in profits through 50,000 users."

More on SMS and Religion and Fund Raising by SMS in Textually.org.

permalink (September 19th, 2003)

Wisdom to Live By ... SMS

Subscribers to bible text service dubbed «Wisdom to Live By» or «WL2B» will receive biblical inspiration by SMS, from verses taken from the bible's Book of Proverbs. A baptist Church of Cardiff, Wales, partnered with wireless technology company ThinkSMS.co.uk, to offer a permium sms service. 4 out of the 25p cost of each SMS will be donated to various Christian charities.

For more on Religion and SMS, check out this category in textually.org.

permalink (May 29th, 2003)

First Internet reality game show «The Ark» offers text alerts

The world's first internet reality game show called The Ark, launches on Easter Sunday and a txt alert service supplies news and stories to UK subscribers, according to 160characters.org

"Dubbed Big-Brother-meets-the-Bible, The Ark, created by leading Christian web magazine Ship of Fools, will feature the "Divine Dozen" – 12 biblical heroes and villains, from Moses to Mary Magdalene, played by ordinary people in their own homes.

For 40 days and 40 nights they will spend up to two hours each day battling it out on a 3D boat in front of a worldwide web audience".

permalink (April 12th, 2003)