That is the title of 38-year-old Brendan Powell Smith’s interesting new book, which features passages in the Bible illustrated… in Legos. That’s right, Legos. The Tower of Babel, Noah’s Ark, and the Garden of Eden can all be found in this book – appropriately captioned with quotes taken directly from the “Good Book itself” AND constructed from thousands of different types of the beloved children’s building block toys. It’s definitely a unique take on the ancient text, no?
Unfortunately, as with the original source material, there is now controversy associated with the former web-programmer-turned-author’s work. The “racy scenes” depicted in the book were too much for some shoppers at Wal-Mart’s Sam’s Club, which “pulled the book from its shelves last month after only two weeks, despite brisk sales.” In the words of the author, most of the criticism has been voiced by people who are “either mad [he’s] an atheist, or unaware that there’s sex and violence in the Bible, too.”
On Smith’s website, bricktestament.com, the author warns that the Bible “contains material some may consider morally objectionable and/or inappropriate for children.” That’s why he was unhappy to hear that the Lego version he spent the past decade constructing (and editing so it did not include some of the more risque images his publisher did not feel comfortable putting in the final print version) was considered less appropriate for children than the other Bibles on the shelves at Sam’s Club.
In an e-mail to The Daily mail, a Sam’s Club spokesperson admits that they “miscategorized the book” and this is what led to the decision to discontinue sales; however, those who want to check the book out for themselves should not feel disappointed. “The Brick Bible” is still available at other major retailers, such as Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble, as well as at independent booksellers.
The author thought Legos would be an interesting way to tell the biblical tales, and it is hard to argue that the idea isn’t indeed… interesting. But is it really appropriate to handle the religious material in the way Brendan Powell Smith has? Does being raised by a Sunday school teacher and studying religion at Boston University give him a right to do as he pleases? Should we ignore the fact that he is handling religious material and instead focus on the creative and artistic aspects of his work? What do authorities in the religious community have to say about all of this?
Anyone interested in reading more about “The Brick Bible” and the drama surrounding Wal-Mart’s Sam’s Club can read this article. Anyone interested in viewing just a few more of the images that can be found in the book can click here.