By Stephen Schwendiman
stephen@newsroom.byu.edu
Advocates of the Holy Bible are disappointed in the role the Bible has in modern society.
The Bible is becoming less important in society today, said Greg Johnson, associate pastor of the Evangelical Free Church in Orem.
Society is far less literate as a culture than it used to be, Johnson said.
'I believe a lot of problems could be solved through a Bible revival,' said Pastor Rick Roberson of the Victory Baptist Church in Orem. 'If we apply biblical principles it would lead to a better society.'
Roberson said principles in the Bible would not completely solve society's problems, but it would help.
Johnson said he thinks there are two reasons the Bible is not as popular with society as it used to be.
Society has become secularized and is embracing tolerance and multiculturalism rather than religious principles, he said.
Johnson said the Bible has lost its status gradually.
'No one said, let's throw away the Bible, they (society) just said the rest of the books are equal.'
The problem is everything has to be equal in society, Johnson said.
To stand for something now is to be a bigot, too right winged or narrow-minded, he said.
Johnson said it would take a big crisis to turn society back to the Bible.
Roberson said another reason the Bible has lost status is because the present generation is not being as responsible as previous generations.
Ron Barrier, national spokesman for the American Atheists, said religion is too simplistic an answer to problems in society.
'I don't think the Bible is the answer. I don't think any holy book is the answer,' Barrier said.
Barrier said he believes the Bible has led to more misery and more war and bloodshed than any other book.
It is a confusing book, Barrier said.
Josh Gates, 24, a senior from Fort Collins, Col., majoring in zoology, said the Bible contains the information we need to have a peaceful prosperous society.
'If people would follow the morals and other dictates that are in it, better than we do, we wouldn't have so many problems that we have now,' Gates said.
Gates believes the Bible is not used enough in Latter-day Saint culture.
Gates said members The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should follow the example of other sects and become more familiar with the Bible.
It would take a lot of prayer for the Bible to regain its status, Johnson said.