Rolling Stone, which is one of my all-time favorite magazines, says it won’t carry an ad for a new version of the Bible being published by HarperCollins. The ad would have pictured a man gazing at the sky and these words:

“In a world of almost endless media noise and political spin, you wonder where you can find real truth. Well, now there's a source that's accurate, clear and reliable. It's the TNIV -- Today's New International Version of the Bible. It's written in today's language, for today's times -- and it makes more sense than ever.“

I’m sure Rolling Stone’s decision had to do with its overall format. An issue of Rolling Stone typically runs ads for new music, technology, fashion and adult products, among other things. So how would an ad for a Bible fit Rolling Stone?

Music is described by many people as a nearly religious experience. It is ecstatic and passionate and even at times inspires questions of belief. Many artists in their music and as they are quoted in Rolling Stone do make references to God, spirituality, faith, biblical texts and so on.

Such an ad would simply show a product to people who may very well want to know more about the Bible. It’s not proselytizing. It’s just an idea. Rolling Stone, in its vocabulary and subjects, has long been on the forefront of free expression. This, however, is a step backward.

Art and music often enough bring up questions of faith. They’re just questions, and attempts to address those questions should not be censored. I am disappointed that Rolling Stone won’t run this ad.

--E.K.