Open Letter to the Lockman Foundation

[Pastor Larry]

Please cite text from any message where I stated that the Lockman Foundation is "against the spread of the Gospel". You've said repeatedly that I've said that, but I clearly haven't. Reread my posts. You are putting words in my mouth (not necessarily on purpose, but at the very least you've misunderstood me).

All of the following statements contain either direct statements or indirect implications regarding Lockman’s commitment spread the Bible/the gospel.

From the original letter:

If were truly a non-profit ministry that sought to distribute the Word of God, as your mission statement states, you would not insist on being paid for it.

The advantage to this (from a Christian perspective) is obvious: since it is free and freely distributed, more people will read it and be exposed to the Gospel. Assuming that my assessment of your company's policies are accurate, I lift up their good example to you and ask you to consider it prayerfully.

From subsequent posts:

you'd think they would want to waive them if their priority was to spread the Gospel.

[omit disclaimer] … I'm just saying that money seems to be a higher piority to them than distributing God's Word, and so their actions don't seem to match up with their mission statement.

If their first priority was to distribute the Bible they would not do this. I freely admit that distributing Scripture could be their _second_ priority, in which case their mission statement should be revised to accurately reflect their priorities and policies.

I think there are Christians who are willing to give up a chance to make money in order to spread the Gospel.

The way you have framed these arguments could (and did) lead a reasonable person to believe that you are questioning Lockman’s commitment tp spread the Gospel, insinuating that they were against it unless they could get money from it.

This conversation is starting to sound like a flame war, we should probably just agree to disagree and discontinue this for the sake of Christian unity. If I get a letter back from Lockman I'll post it here, but otherwise I've said what I have to say...

I was actually trying to bow out several posts ago but wanted to clarify the “straw man” issue from my perspective.

Again, my caution from the beginning was regarding attributing motives to people based on policies that you disagree with (whether rightly or wrongly). Words carry implications. If you do not mean them, then it would seem best to clear them up.

 

[just-want-peace]

Words carry implications.

1) For negative OR positive;
2) For initial argument OR rebuttal;
3) Whether clarifing a position OR just trying to "save face"!

My take on the original premise is that if you can get your stated goal met, ESPECIALLY with absolutely no cost to you, why aren't you following your intended statement (stated goal)? Nothing more, nothing less!
No questioning of "rights", "obligations",
"legalities", or anything other than that of an "APPARENT" (please note--APPARENT) conflict with a stated mission statement.

Basically the question is. If they (Lockman) allow e-sword to post the NASB free of charge, are they (Lockman) losing money?

A) If so, how?
B) If not, what is the objection, since doing so would match the stated goal; at no cost even?

Again, my caution from the beginning was regarding attributing motives to people based on policies that you disagree with (whether rightly or wrongly).

Maybe I'm dense, (my wife would agree) but is not this exactly what he (eric_b) is attempting to determine, straight from the source?

 

[lightkeeper]

The Lockman Foundation does electronically distribute the NASB for free on their website. You should have done more research before your letter.

 

[eric_b]

Originally posted by lightkeeper:
The Lockman Foundation does electronically distribute the NASB for free on their website. You should have done more research before your letter.

They let you search by chap:verse or by keyword, but I don't see where they let you read it through. DO you have a URL you could post, if there's a place to do this? Regardless of this, distribution of NASB text without permission and payment will get you sued, and I don't think quoting that verse about lawsuits among believers would dissuade them...

Eric

 

[eric_b]

I just got a response to my letter. Here it is, posted below.

Eric

--

Dear, Mr. Burns

We are sorry you feel the way you do about our distribution of the NASB in
electronic form. I hope the information below will help you understand our
policies.

There are many commercial software publishers who sell the NASB in
electronic format. Allowing the NASB to be distributed for free in a
powerful program such as e-Sword would disrupt the commercial market. The
NASB is available for free through the Internet for online reading and
searching.

In 1958 Mr. Dewey Lockman hired 58 scholars to translate the Word of God
from the Hebrew and Greek into what was to become the New American Standard
Bible. Mr. Lockman had to sell all 385 acres of his citrus ranch in order to
pay the translators.

The royalties from licensing the NASB to publishers, electronic and print,
allow us to continue our translation work, develop study Bibles, Bible
software, and maintain our English and Spanish editorial boards. Without
this income the Lockman Foundation would have closed its doors after the
NASB was translated and would never have translated Japanese, Korean,
Hindi, Chinese and Spanish Bibles. We continue to use the royalty income to
develop Biblical resources that serve the Lord. Today our focus is in the
Spanish language where Biblical resources are very much needed.

Again, thank you for your interest in this issue.

Sincerely in Him,
The Lockman Foundation

[ August 22, 2002, 11:24 PM: Message edited by: eric_b ]

 

[kman]

Hi Eric:

One other thing to keep in mind..regarding the
e-sword add on module. It also has the NAS Exhaustive Concordance and the Greek/Hebrew thingamabob too. I assume those might require some royalties for distribution, electronic or print.

peace,
kman

 

[lightkeeper]

Go to the Lockman Foundation website (www.lockmanfoundation.org) and click on the "Free Software" link. They have something called the Quick Bible, which has the full text.

 

[eric_b]

Originally posted by lightkeeper:
Go to the Lockman Foundation website (www.lockmanfoundation.org) and click on the "Free Software" link. They have something called the Quick Bible, which has the full text.

Thanks for the info, lightkeeper. I'm glad to see that they make something like this available.

Eric