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"Philly-Based Bible Printer Will Close and Lay Off 174 Due to Decreased Demand"

Skwim

Veteran Member
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A sign of the times.


"A Philadelphia-based printing company says it will lay off 174 workers and shut down the facility all because, after printing more than a billion bibles over the past century, their product just isn’t in demand anymore.


“They say the Bible business has really gone soft, and their warehouses are full,” said Wayne Cox, business representative for Graphic Communications Conference-Teamsters local union 4-C, based in Clifton Heights, which represents 150 of the workers, along with printers at other companies in central Pennsylvania. [LSC Communications] didn’t reply to an inquiry seeking comment.'
source

Pretty much goes hand in hand with the decline of Christianity in the USA.

upload_2019-11-3_9-17-33.png



Curious, what's your prognosis for Christianity in America?

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Windwalker

Veteran Member
Premium Member
The first thought off the top of my head is that I'd bet if you drew a graph showing an increase in the use of online Bibles, such as Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, that would probably account for a decrease in hard copies. The same is probably true for printed book sales in general as well, being replaced by digital formats.
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
The first thought off the top of my head is that I'd bet if you drew a graph showing an increase in the use of online Bibles, such as Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, that would probably account for a decrease in hard copies. The same is probably true for printed book sales in general as well, being replaced by digital formats.
Maybe in Protestant countries..where people do read the Bible.
In the Catholic ones the book is used almost as talisman...and pretty unread
 

bobhikes

Nondetermined
Premium Member
.

A sign of the times.


"A Philadelphia-based printing company says it will lay off 174 workers and shut down the facility all because, after printing more than a billion bibles over the past century, their product just isn’t in demand anymore.


“They say the Bible business has really gone soft, and their warehouses are full,” said Wayne Cox, business representative for Graphic Communications Conference-Teamsters local union 4-C, based in Clifton Heights, which represents 150 of the workers, along with printers at other companies in central Pennsylvania. [LSC Communications] didn’t reply to an inquiry seeking comment.'
source

Pretty much goes hand in hand with the decline of Christianity in the USA.



Curious, what your prognosis for Christianity in America?

.

.

What you giving us an actual reason to support religion. We do need to keep jobs in america. The Bible manufacturers, the candle makers, Religious music houses, religious movie studio's plus all those tv crews for the evangelists. You have the decorations for all the holiday's retailer's would have to lay off thousands. The American economy would collapse without religion, that should be the making talking point about saving Religion in America. What non-religious country has an economy better than ours, it would be disastrous. Thanks for the information we need to get this out there for everyone. Save Religion save the US economy. Now I get Trump.
 

bobhikes

Nondetermined
Premium Member
In case anyone wants the numbers here's one study.

Religion in the United States is worth $1.2tn a year, making it equivalent to the 15th largest national economy in the world, according to a study.

The faith economy has a higher value than the combined revenues of the top 10 technology companies in the US, including Apple, Amazon and Google, says the analysis from Georgetown University in Washington DC.
 

Cooky

Veteran Member
.

A sign of the times.


"A Philadelphia-based printing company says it will lay off 174 workers and shut down the facility all because, after printing more than a billion bibles over the past century, their product just isn’t in demand anymore.


“They say the Bible business has really gone soft, and their warehouses are full,” said Wayne Cox, business representative for Graphic Communications Conference-Teamsters local union 4-C, based in Clifton Heights, which represents 150 of the workers, along with printers at other companies in central Pennsylvania. [LSC Communications] didn’t reply to an inquiry seeking comment.'
source

Pretty much goes hand in hand with the decline of Christianity in the USA.



Curious, what's your prognosis for Christianity in America?

.

.

Why would, or should, anyone have a prognosis for Christianity in America?

It is what it is.
 

Windwalker

Veteran Member
Premium Member
The American economy would collapse without religion, that should be the making talking point about saving Religion in America.
I highly doubt that. Christmas is this biggest holiday of the holy religion of Consumerism. They don't need to believe in the Christian religion to be true, or even really believe in Jesus at all, for consumers to keep consuming. Just rebrand it as Saturnalia, as it originally was, pump up some images of Saturn as an excuse for the holiday, market some cute little elves as Saturn's helpers, and the retail world would carry on just fine.

Outside of Christmas, if all the churches shuttered, I doubt it would impact the economy. There would certainly be more taxes collected without all these tax exempt businesses (churches) writing expenditures and income off.

What non-religious country has an economy better than ours, it would be disastrous.
Religion is not what drives the U.S. economy. That's ludicrous. Where's its name on NASDAQ? Do investors sink their money into startup Pentecostal businesses?

Thanks for the information we need to get this out there for everyone. Save Religion save the US economy. Now I get Trump.
No, you don't get Trump. He only cares about your belief in him as God's messenger, because you're religious that way. He doesn't care about your actual beliefs. You're a tool for him. And he'd spit you out the second you had no value to him any longer.
 

Skwim

Veteran Member
Why would, or should, anyone have a prognosis for Christianity in America?

It is what it is.
Because like many facets of lfe, businesses often rely on prognoses. It's a means by which they can judge future needs. The Philadelphia-based printing company's situation being good example.

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Cooky

Veteran Member
Because like many facets of lfe, businesses often rely on prognoses. It's a means by which they can judge future needs. The Philadelphia-based printing company's situation being good example.

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Businesses rise and fall all the time. So do religions. So does life.

I'm looking for something interesting. I'm not finding it here much anymore.
 

bobhikes

Nondetermined
Premium Member
I highly doubt that. Christmas is this biggest holiday of the holy religion of Consumerism. They don't need to believe in the Christian religion to be true, or even really believe in Jesus at all, for consumers to keep consuming. Just rebrand it as Saturnalia, as it originally was, pump up some images of Saturn as an excuse for the holiday, market some cute little elves as Saturn's helpers, and the retail world would carry on just fine.

Outside of Christmas, if all the churches shuttered, I doubt it would impact the economy. There would certainly be more taxes collected without all these tax exempt businesses (churches) writing expenditures and income off.


Religion is not what drives the U.S. economy. That's ludicrous. Where's its name on NASDAQ? Do investors sink their money into startup Pentecostal businesses?


No, you don't get Trump. He only cares about your belief in him as God's messenger, because you're religious that way. He doesn't care about your actual beliefs. You're a tool for him. And he'd spit you out the second you had no value to him any longer.

Here's another research taken from the Boston Globe. Link and summary included.

The curious economic effects of religion - The Boston Globe

Barro and McCleary, for their part, think religion and policy are difficult to mix. McCleary says the lesson of their results isn’t that governments should boost religion, but simply that they should recognize it has some value, and avoid regulating it too heavily. The bigger application of research into religion, she thinks, isn’t to foster religious imperialism but to build a better-informed economics, and in the long run, better policy. There won’t be manna from heaven. But there might, over time, be less poverty here on earth.
 

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
The first thought off the top of my head is that I'd bet if you drew a graph showing an increase in the use of online Bibles, such as Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, that would probably account for a decrease in hard copies. The same is probably true for printed book sales in general as well, being replaced by digital formats.

My head went to a similar place.
 

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
In case anyone wants the numbers here's one study.

Religion in the United States is worth $1.2tn a year, making it equivalent to the 15th largest national economy in the world, according to a study.

The faith economy has a higher value than the combined revenues of the top 10 technology companies in the US, including Apple, Amazon and Google, says the analysis from Georgetown University in Washington DC.

People who were hypothetically removed from faith-based schooling will actually be added to secular schooling. Same with hospitals, etc.

There is an argument to be made about religious stimulation of the economy, but it's way less cut and dried than you're presenting.

You're also taking the least conservative number from the study to try and prove your point...
 

bobhikes

Nondetermined
Premium Member
People who were hypothetically removed from faith-based schooling will actually be added to secular schooling. Same with hospitals, etc.

There is an argument to be made about religious stimulation of the economy, but it's way less cut and dried than you're presenting.

You're also taking the least conservative number from the study to try and prove your point...

Provide some studies, I have already provide 2 neither from a religious organization.
 

columbus

yawn <ignore> yawn
The first thought off the top of my head is that I'd bet if you drew a graph showing an increase in the use of online Bibles, such as Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, that would probably account for a decrease in hard copies. The same is probably true for printed book sales in general as well, being replaced by digital formats.
I'd bet it's this.
My local library is dumping dead tree books in piles because they get less and less use every day. But their e-book and computer and such services are booming.
Tom
 

Skwim

Veteran Member
The first thought off the top of my head is that I'd bet if you drew a graph showing an increase in the use of online Bibles, such as Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, that would probably account for a decrease in hard copies. The same is probably true for printed book sales in general as well, being replaced by digital formats.
But it isn't just a possible change in format, printed vs online, but a change in actual use of the Bible.

"With over 5 billion copies sold, the Bible remains earth’s most-read book. But the world in which we read and engage with the Bible is rapidly changing. The steady rise of skepticism is creating a cultural atmosphere that is becoming unfriendly to claims of faith; the adoption of self-fulfillment as our culture’s ultimate measure of good is re-orienting moral authority; and the explosive growth of digital tools such as Bible apps, daily reading plans, study resources and online communities offer unprecedented access to the Scriptures.

In the last six years alone, we’ve seen unprecedented changes. Nearly a quarter of a century ago in 1991, 45 percent of American adults told Barna they read the Bible at least once a week. In 2009, 46 percent reported doing so. These percentages were remarkably consistent over the course of nearly two decades. But since 2009, Bible reading has become less widespread, especially among the youngest adults. As more and more Millennials join the ranks of adulthood, the national average continues to weaken. Today, about one-third [33%] of all American adults report reading the Bible once a week or more. The percentage is highest among Elders (49%) and lowest among Millennials (24%)."
source

Thing is, with the decline of Christianity in the USA why wouldn't there be a corresponding decline in Bibles sales?

I was just surprised that it's had such an impact, "Philly-Based Bible Printer Will Close and Lay Off 174 Due to Decreased Demand"

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Skwim

Veteran Member
It seems to me that you scan the religious terrain looking for reasons to gloat and sometimes miss the obvious.
I assume the obvious is that a business misjudge its market. Okay, but what I don't find obvious is that it did so to such a large extent; to be left with sooo much inventory.

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9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
What you giving us an actual reason to support religion. We do need to keep jobs in america. The Bible manufacturers, the candle makers, Religious music houses, religious movie studio's plus all those tv crews for the evangelists. You have the decorations for all the holiday's retailer's would have to lay off thousands. The American economy would collapse without religion, that should be the making talking point about saving Religion in America. What non-religious country has an economy better than ours, it would be disastrous. Thanks for the information we need to get this out there for everyone. Save Religion save the US economy. Now I get Trump.
With any luck, the decline of religion will create jobs as well: for instance, skilled trades to renovate disused churches into restaurants, event venues, etc.
 

Cooky

Veteran Member
With any luck, the decline of religion will create jobs as well: for instance, skilled trades to renovate disused churches into restaurants, event venues, etc.

I haven't seen that, but I have seen a lot of old movie theatres turned into churches and Jewish temples.

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