[CS-FSLUG] Advocacy

[sjm]

I just finished a newsletter to send out to our prayer and support team 
and thought I'd share a portion of it here.  (If you'd like to see the 
whole thing you can see it here: http://eepurl.com/dnoeX

Your Help Needed

One thing that has been an interest of Steve's is to be able to get 
Bible study tools in the hands of those that may not have the means to 
get them (legally, at least).

The background is that in Latin America it is very easy to get pirated 
copies of software and programs for a computer.  If the software was 
bought legally it would be out of their reach financially.  So, Steve 
has been advocating alternatives, when the opportunity comes up, that 
are legally within the reach of the common Latin American person.

One of the tools that could help is The Sword Project 
(http://crosswire.org/sword/index.jsp). The one thing that is lacking is 
that the owners of the copyrights for the more up to date translations 
in English and Spanish have not given permission to have their 
translations published for use with The Sword Project. See this link:
http://www.crosswire.org/wiki/Copyright#Contacting_Copyright_Holders

Would you be willing to pray for this effort and even write or call the 
copyright holders so they might give permission to The Sword Project to 
publish their modules?

You can use my name and email address if you would like:

Stephen J. McCracken

Please let me know how it goes if you decide to pray or to help out in 
other ways!

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To quote a little from the Crosswire Wiki:

Guidelines to Follow in Corresponding with the Copyright Holders

     * Be friendly (remember you are a Christian, act like one)
     * Explain you use BibleTime, Xiphos, or The SWORD Program for 
Windows. These programs use SWORD modules. Tell them you wish to be able 
to use their work with that program. Emphasize that each of these 
projects are free software (Open Source), non-commercial and receive NO 
payment whatsoever.
     * Explain you would like to see them support The SWORD Project by 
either granting The CrossWire Bible Society the right to freely 
distribute their work or setup up a way to pay a small fee to be able to 
use their work. Make sure you indicate you would be willing to pay the 
small fee to be able to use their work.

---------

Translations and Their Copyright Holders
The American Bible Society/United Bible Societies
http://www.americanbible.org/about/contact

     * Reina Valera - 1960 (RV60)
     * Reina Valera - 1995 (RV95)
     * Reina Valera Contemporánea (RVC)
     * Dios Habla Hoy (DHH)
     * Traducción en Lenguaje Actual (TLA)
     * Contemporary English Version  (CEV)
     * Good News Translation (GNT)

Baker Publishing Group
http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=0477683E4046471488BD7BAC8DCFB004&type=InfoRequest&nm=Form&mod=Information+Request&level=1&id=F4460FB2FD974619A2F83CD716EC9492

     * God's Word Translation (GW)

Biblica (formerly International Bible Society)
http://www.biblica.com/contact-us/

     * Nueva Versión Internaccional (NVI)
     * Castilian (CST)
     * New International Version (NIV)
     * New International Readers Version (NIrV)
     * Today's New International Version (TNIV)

Holman Bible Publishers
http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/connect/contact.asp

     * Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

The Lockman Foundation
http://www.lockman.org/mail/index.php

     * La Biblia de las Américas (LBLA)
     * Nueva Biblia Latinoamericana de Hoy (NBLH)
     * New American Standard Bible (NASB)
     * The Amplified Bible (AMP)

Thomas Nelson Publishers
http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/dept.asp?dept_id=1117900&category=Contact-Us

     * Nueva Biblia al Dia (NBD)
     * New Century Version (NCV)
     * New King James Version (NKJV)

Tyndale House Foundation
http://www.tyndale.com/00_Home/contact.php?lang=eng

     * Nueva Traducción Viviente (NTV)
     * New Living Translation (NLT)