Christians are balking at the the revised Bible.
One writes, "Taussig justifies all the revisions of the Bible by stating that "each iteration of the Bible addresses some cultural need."
That misses the purpose of the Bible, which is to serve as a source of spirituality. The updated New Revised Standard Version fails miserably in capturing the spiritual essence of the Bible and thus deprives its readers of the thing they need most from Scripture."
This guy notes that the KJV is best at capturing the "spiritual essence"--never mind that some parts are not translated correctly and some, i.e. "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" were deliberate errors.
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Many evangelicals think that the King James version is the word of god - in reality, the worst translation.
Beowulfsfriend
Level 9
Dec 31, 2021
1
Most of us have real problems with changes especially the religious. After Vatican II a lot of people left the church. They felt why should established dogma be changed. To do so meant the original dogma was flawed. One thing they don't take into account is the fact that every time the 'bible' is translated it was changed from the original.
JackPedigo
Level 9
Dec 31, 2021
1
@Gwendolyn2018 Not surprised but it also has been said that a book claiming to be written due to the inspiration of (a) god and then uses that inspiration as proof is a hoax. You and I know the bible is supposedly the most bought book (but which version) but also one of the least read.
I am curious how many 'discussions' have you had with religious zealots trying to convert you? It would be a fun watch/read.
@Gwendolyn2018 So in other words, God hasn't worked 'his' mysterious ways on you.
In my "Free Inquiry magazine there is a section on how one lost their belief. Some of the stories are lengthy and often interesting. Many say they simply read the bible (including Old Testament) from cover to cover. Books have been written about how bad the bible really is.
There have been arguments over what should be included in the book of Christian mythology since the first century. Augustine thought he would put it to rest in the third century when they cobbled together what would be included in the Greek bible. The Coptics and Etheopiana were excluded as well as the Gnostics.
What we have is an argument about whether the Greek, Latin, old English or modern English versions of an oral tradition are the correct version. Frankly I don't care, it is really bad poetry in all of them.
glennlab
Level 10
Dec 31, 2021
4
@Gwendolyn2018 The western bibles also don't include the books of Mary and Thomas, both included in some African versions. In the west we ignore the Coptic, Ethiopian, Greek and Russian Orthodox churches and their holy books. The evangelical go a bit farther and just ignore most of it that they don't agree with.
@Gwendolyn2018 Sometimes I feel bad for clearing the house of bibles. Lots of debating I'm missing out on
@Gwendolyn2018 The more you study the religious mythology around the world, the more you realize how similar they all are. There is nothing unique about any of them except their quirks.
@glennlab also ignore the Ethiopian Bible with two books of Enoch. Enoch has very little mention in the traditional bibly of Europe, yet he was so well liked by god that he didn't die - he "walked with god," taken to heaven without death. One would think he might have had something worth reading about 
This is hilarious.
It's also absolutely absurd.
Nothing like a bunch of delusional believers getting their panties in a wad over changes in their fictional "holy" book.
Most of these same people have little to no knowledge of the history of their little tome.
Nor do they have any knowledge of King James and the period of his reign.
Not to mention that reading the bibble was prohibited for much of the general public, an act punishable by death in many places.
Their outrage at this latest version is laughable, and truly pathetic.
KKGator
Level 9
Dec 31, 2021
3
@Gwendolyn2018 We take our victories where we can get them.
All seriousness aside, I like the KJV for its poetry. If I'm going to point out the self-contradictions of Judeo-Christianity, I'm going to use verses that sing!
Paul4747
Level 8
Dec 31, 2021
2
@Gwendolyn2018 Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett revolves partly around a Shakespearian-style theater troupe and a Macbeth-type play; every play they put on has "Divers alarums". Toward the climax, a group of guards are afraid to arrest the protagonist witches partly because "I read where they alarm divers."
@Paul4747 I'll have to read that book sometime. The only book by Pratchett I've read so far is Small Gods. It's one of my favorite books now.
@RhondaShotwell @Gwendolyn2018 I recommend Wyrd Sisters, Guards! Guards!, Sourcery, and Mort. Those basically initiate the major sub-series; Witches, City Watch, Unseen University, and Death (the character Death, not just people dying). There are some earlier novels that lay some background and are good in their own rights, but suffer from early installment weirdness. The books started out as straight-up parody of heroic fantasy tropes, before evolving into novels that just happen to be in a fantasy world. (Rather, "A world and mirror of worlds.)
Sir Pterry, rest his gentlemanly soul, described his novels as "Comedy with occasional tragic relief." I had the privilege of meeting him at a book signing in Glasgow. I still treasure my signed "Discworld Companion".
@Gwendolyn2018 If it weren't for books, I'd have no way to pass the time in the bathroom.
@Paul4747 Isn't that what our phones are for now, passing time in the bathroom? That brings back a memory where my dad would announce his intentions of using our bathroom, and our only one for a while, was that he was "going to the library." The first time I heard that I thought he was being literal, and asked if I could go too. That gave him a chuckle!
@RhondaShotwell I try not to take the damn thing with me. I still hate them. I was forced to get one 18 years ago to be available on the road, and I've regretted it ever since.
I remember back in the 70s when "the living Bible" translation was all the rage. When reading the Christmas story, instead of saying Mary was "with child", it said she was pregnant. People got upset with that- "We shouldn't be saying Mary was pregnant!" I mean, really??? Isn't that what she supposedly was???
JonnaBononna
Level 7
Dec 31, 2021
5
@Gwendolyn2018 In Victorian England, child birth was such a tabboo subject that they used the euphanism for it. "Going to the gates of death." Nothing like being upbeat, and encouraging.
The KJ is the favourite of the howling at the moon brigade, exactly because it is the most confusing, which enables the maximum number of interpretations to be placed on it.
Plus for the right wing conservatives, it was a rewrite, (not a translation ) deliberately made by right wing conservative authors, to please a right wing conservative government which was then in power in England.
Fernapple
Level 9
Dec 31, 2021
2
@Gwendolyn2018 They actually added whole chunks, like one account of the resurrection, an extra commandment, an extra verse to the Song of Sol. and lots more.
I remember a pastor who was berating people who read Bible translations other than the King James version. He was pretty nasty and condemned them for doing so. I said that the KJV could be confusing for some people, like the word "divers" as in "divers places." He said "divers" meant "different or various." I told him that now all the condemnation that he has spewed at others is now on his head, since he committed the very act that the Bible translators of modern Bibles have done, translating it to modern language. He became very unnerved and walked away.
nogod4me
Level 8
Dec 31, 2021
2
@Gwendolyn2018 I have read that he left his family for a man.
Plus the added benefit of using it as toilet paper when needed.
"Scource of spirituality and spiritual essence," that is not only hilarious it is just plain nonsense and stupidity. Just someone grasping to affirm their faith in an overrated and outdated book that most believers use as a talisman.
With all the errors, contradictions, and false information in the Bible, no wonder those who believe it are insane.
nogod4me
Level 8
Dec 31, 2021
4
It isth no wonderith of how they loveith the KJV. In my church dayz it was claimed to be the "most accurate" translation and one person even said "they talked so strangely back then." Most of the KJV crowd are really un-educated people who want to base a doctrine on a translation.
In You Tube bible rants a woman is badgering me over my lack of beliefs. She wants to know if I'm going to wait until the Rapture to be a Christian. Truth is, I will never be one again and "great joy at his appearing" does not translate into a bible doctrine. At that time you are supposed to be so special to god that he saves you just like he has saved all those other people in the past. Can we name them?
DenoPenno
Level 9
Dec 31, 2021
2
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