Finally, Touch Bible has started to roll out on the NOOK Color and the NOOK Tablet.  Touch Bible KJV + Strongs is available now, but Touch Bible will be releasing a free versions soon.  If you have a friend with a NOOK, be sure to tell them about Touch Bible so they can have a Bible for the NOOK!

In the medieval world, men were not free to voice criticisms against organized religion. One’s own tongue could be the death of him and the church would usher in the executioner. Why was the church so anti-free speech and what can we learn from that?

The medieval church had much to hide.  It taught that forgiveness could be purchased with money.  This idea isn’t found in scripture, but the general public didn’t know. They were wasting their money on fake salvation.

Jan Hus was one of the first to speak out against the mainstream church.  While he took many stabs at the money hungry church, he was one of the first to educate people that salvation wasn’t purchased with money, but it came by faith.

Hus was burnt at the stake for his words.

It isn’t surprising. Church has a history of overreacting to opposition. Intimidation sends a clear message to the less brave, “Don’t speak out against the church or it will make life harder for you.”  It seems the more a church has to hide, the harder it will try to silence its critics.

The church’s embarrassing history still stings today.  The good news is we have come a long way since those days.  While “harsh” words may be exchanged, the church isn’t actively turning heretics over to the government for execution.  Instead, threats come in the legal form or by the tried and true excommunication – where a believer is condemned to hell by the church.

Any church that might try to silence criticism with legal threats should be examined closely by its members. Are they hiding anything? We do not want to bring back the days when opinions are forbidden and outspoken people were punished for their God given right to express opinions.