Method For Enhancing Knowledge of a Religion Using Customized, Illustrated Playing Cards

Abstract

Disclosed is an assemblage of various playing cards arrived at by designing each card essentially based on symbolism, text, and spiritual images found in the sacred writings of a particular religion, or “Faith.” Each of the playing cards displays wording and/or images corresponding to images and/or names of selected sections of those sacred writings. The titles or names of the sacred writings designate what commonly functions as “denominations” in conventional card games. Specific Faith-oriented artistic images function as “suits.” In the preferred embodiment, the cards correspond to names and images found in the Books of the Christian Bible. The disclosure is also applicable to the concepts and sacred writings of other religions. The playing cards serve to encourage and challenge persons to increase their knowledge of, and gain greater understanding and appreciation of their Faith, in an uplifting and socially interactive manner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method and system of enhancing knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of a particular religion (the “Faith”) the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) gathering information, text, symbols, and imagery associated with selected sections, books, and/or chapters of an accepted publication of the sacred writings of the Faith; 
 (b) preparing at least two written, ordered groupings, each grouping comprising a chronological, intra-related listing of names and titles of related sections, books, or chapters of the sacred writings, the listings within each grouping further having a degree of commonality; 
 (c) preparing the initial production of a plurality of playing cards, the playing cards specifically designed and fabricated, for the printing thereon, information, text, and imagery derived from the sections, books, or chapters of the sacred writings; 
 (d) organizing the aforesaid groupings into specific titled categories, the title of each category serving in the capacity of a denomination for use with the plurality of playing cards; 
 (e) printing on the inner, or front, surface of each playing card, (i) one of the titles of the categories of groupings, the title thereby functioning as a denomination; (ii) a Faith-oriented artistic image functioning as a suit designator to which the playing card belongs; and (iii) an Arabic numeral representing a scoring value of the playing card; 
 (f) printing on the outer, or back, surface of each playing card (i) a distinct ornamental design, and (ii) an indication of whether the playing card is associated with a particular concept, image, or category of the sacred writing; 
 (g) organizing the aforesaid playing cards into decks of playing cards; and 
 (h) formulating a plurality of specific sets of rules and guidelines to be applied in the playing of card games and competitive events by users of the decks of playing cards; and 
 (i) arranging gatherings or social settings for users to engage in playing the card games or events as set forth in (h), above. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method and system of  claim 1 , wherein (a) there are four suits integral to each distinct deck of playing cards. 
     
     
         3 . The method and system of  claim 1 , wherein the sacred writings are those of a Christian Bible. 
     
     
         4 . The method and system of  claim 1 , wherein the sacred writings are those of a King James Version of the Christian Bible. 
     
     
         5 . The method and system of  claim 1 , wherein the sacred writings are those of the Religion of Judaism. 
     
     
         6 . A method and system of enhancing knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of a particular religion (the “Faith”) the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) designing and preparing an assemblage of playing cards having various denominations and suits, the assemblage utilized as a method and system to enhance knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the Christian religion (the “Faith”), the playing cards designed and created based on information, text, and imagery derived from selected sections of an accepted publication of a Christian Bible, wherein there is provided (i) a First Grouping comprising the twenty-seven Books of the New Testament and (ii) a Second Grouping comprising the thirty-nine Books of the Old Testament, both the First Grouping and Second Grouping thereby providing a source of inspiration for names, images, suits, and denominations for forming decks of playing cards and sub-sets of playing cards; 
 (b) printing on the outer, or back surface of each playing card (i) a distinct ornamental design, and (ii) an indication whether the playing card is associated with either the New Testament, or the Old Testament; and 
 (c) printing on the inner, or front surface of each playing card (i) the name of a Book of the New Testament or the name of a Book of the Old Testament, the name of the Book functioning as a denomination; (ii) a Faith-oriented artistic image which represents and designates a suit to which the playing card belongs; and (ii) an Arabic numeral representing a scoring value of the playing card. 
 (d) organizing the aforesaid playing cards into various decks of playing cards; and 
 (e) formulating a plurality of specific sets of rules and guidelines to be applied in the playing of card games and competitive events by users of the decks of playing cards; and 
 (f) arranging gatherings or social settings for users to engage in playing the card games or events as set forth in (e), above. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method and system of  claim 6 , wherein (a) there are four suits integral to each distinct deck of playing cards and (b) four suits integral to any sub-set of playing cards. 
     
     
         8 . The method and system of  claim 6 , wherein a numerical value is assigned to each playing card, said numerical value determining a scoring value in accordance with a specific set of rules by which a variety of card games may be engaged in by users of the playing cards. 
     
     
         9 . The method and system of  claim 6 , wherein the selected sections of a Christian Bible are those written in a King James Version (KJV) of a Christian Bible. 
     
     
         10 . The method and system of  claim 6 , wherein there is provided four decks of playing cards, further comprising:
 (a) a first deck consisting of twenty-three denominations derived from the names of the first twenty-three Books of the New Testament;   (b) a second deck consisting of twenty-three denominations derived from the names of the first twenty-three books of the Old Testament;   (c) a third deck consisting of twenty-three denominations derived from the names of the seventeenth Book of the Old Testament (Esther) sequentially through the last Book of the Old Testament (“Malachi”); and   (d) a fourth deck consisting of seven denominations derived from the names of the nineteenth and twentieth Books of the Old Testament (“Psalms,” “Proverbs”) and sequentially, the names of the first five Books of the New Testament; wherein   (e) all decks having a plurality of suits derived and designed from information, text, and imagery of the New Testament and of the Old Testament.   
     
     
         11 . The method and system of  claim 6 , wherein the assemblage(s) of playing cards may be used in an analogous manner to an unlimited number of existing card games, as an example, but not by limitation, Spades, Tonk, Gin Rummy, Pinochle, Poker, Go Fish, etc. 
     
     
         12 . A method and system of enhancing knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the Christian religion (the “Faith”) the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) designing and preparing an assemblage of playing cards having various denominations and suits, the assemblage comprising six sub-sets of playing cards, utilized as a method and system to enhance knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the Faith, the playing cards designed and created based on information, text, and imagery derived from selected sections of an accepted publication of a Christian Bible, further comprising, 
 (b) preparing a first sub-set of thirteen denominations, derived from the names of the fifth Book of the New Testament (“Acts”) sequentially through the seventeenth Book of the New Testament (“Titus”); 
 (c) preparing a second sub-set of thirteen denominations, derived from the names of the fifteenth Book of the New Testament (“1 Timothy”) sequentially through the twenty-seventh Book of the New Testament (“Revelations”); 
 (d) preparing a third sub-set of thirteen denominations, derived from the names of the first Book of the Old Testament (“Genesis”) sequentially through the thirteenth Book of the Old Testament (“1 Chronicles”); 
 (e) preparing a fourth sub-set of thirteen denominations, derived from names of the twelfth Book of the Old Testament (“2 Kings”) sequentially through the twenty-fourth Book of the Old Testament (“Jeremiah”); 
 (f) preparing a fifth sub-set of thirteen denominations, derived from names of the fifteenth Book of the Old Testament (“Ezra”) sequentially through the twenty-seventh book of the Old Testament (“Daniel”); 
 (g) preparing a sixth sub-set of thirteen denominations, derived from names of the twenty-seventh Book of the Old Testament (“Daniel”) sequentially through the thirty-ninth Book of the Old Testament (“Malachi”); 
 (h) printing on the outer, or back surface of each playing card (i) a distinct ornamental design, and (ii) an indication whether the playing card is associated with either the New Testament, or the Old Testament; 
 (i) printing on the inner, or front surface of each playing card (i) the name of a Book of the New Testament or the name of a Book of the Old Testament, the name of the Book functioning as a denomination; (ii) a Faith-oriented artistic image which represents and designates a suit to which the playing card belongs; and (iii) an Arabic numeral representing a scoring value of the playing card; and 
 (j) formulating a plurality of specific sets of rules and guidelines to be applied in the playing of card games and competitive events by users of the decks of playing cards.