What about the missing books like the Gospel of Judas?
Most Accurate Bible
- Thread starter lixluke
- Start date
this is an excellent point, so on that note i would go with the schocken series. originally undertaken by martin buber and ??? in german, but a more recent effort in english by everett fox is available (torah only). these preserve the poetic qualities and, at times, are quite repetitious and redundant. it reads as though it were a transcription of that which was originally transmitted orally.
I care which is more accurate.
Regardless of whether it is true, it is history.
Many billions of people have believed it and it has shaped our cultures and world, for better or worse.
I find that not only interesting, but compelling.
Thoreau
Valued Senior Member
It's one book out of millions that have shaped our cultures and world, and probably one of the most historically inaccurate books at that.
My point is that debating on the legitimacy and accuracy of the bible is no different than debating on the legitimacy and accuracy of Snow White, Cinderella, Pinnochio, The Quran, or any other fictional work.
Sure, it's a part of history. Unfortunately, a big part! But as much stock that people have bought in this book over the 2000 years, it doesn't change the fact that there is little scientific evidence to back up 99% of the claims in the book. So, why bother?
I'm not saying to be ignorant of it, but I nevertheless see no need to focus on it when there are a billion more important things to be discussing and learning about.
On the linguistic side, what I don't understand is why we have so many different versions and translations in the first place.
Do you remember that game that some of you played in school where you whisper something in one ear, they repeat it and way down the line the original phrase has been completely discombobulated and represents NOTHING of the original phrase? The bible is a lot like that.
Most of the versions we have available today are copies of copies of copies copies of copies etc and along the line, the errors and mistranslations have surely accumulated and transformed what was the original text into a completely unrecognizable and unrelated new book.
Compare even an original Gutenberg to the KJV. So many differences that no one could ever be sure which is right, if any.
Thoreau
Valued Senior Member
Or St Thomas... or Mary Magdeline?
And I find many of them fascinating - if not for the book itself, for the impact they HAVE had.
I study religions with an eye toward anthropology, mostly.
I am not religious and do not believe in any cognizant creator God at all, but I plan on majoring in it once I get my ass into school.
I can do that for hours on end, as well - but, as you are aware, Cinderella hasn't had quite the impact that The Bible has had.
I think you'd be surprised, if that "99%" wasn't gross hyperbole.
Because it is endlessly fascinating to me.
You can't learn anything about God through man's eyes, but you can learn a lot about man through God's eyes.
Then why are you wasting your time discussing it?
Seems rather silly to me.
Or do you feel compelled somehow?
I have a bit of an understanding, and if I have my way, I will spend the rest of my life continuing to explore just that.
Yes. It is called Chinese Whisper. Take a look at the little tag under my username.
Errors, mistranslations AND purposeful manipulation.
It's fantastic.
Think about how much you can learn about a people based on what version of The Bible they followed, what they changed in it and why.
I like to detangle oher religious texts and practices in the same manner.
The most comples puzzle man ever assembled.
I love to solve puzzles! Don't you?
I'm not. You've shifted the focus, but the central issue remains. There is no definative text. There are a number of texts which disagree with each other, sometimes significantly. Much of these have been purged and sanitized over the ages, but as archeologists dig up more works from the period, it becomes obvious that there can be no actual accuracy. It was made up, and by different people with different agendas.
Thoreau
Valued Senior Member
Good post. Good points. I think I understand more clearly where you are coming from now.
And here is the reason why it should be kept as the 11th hour. Because the 11th hour is not 5pm.
The biblical day is the same as the Jewish day. Jewish days start at sundown wich is 6pm. so the 11th hour is not 5.pm but it is in fact 5am.
I refer to God of Abraham as YAVEH. I got that from a dream, actually i was puzzled at first and wondered at the authenticity of the dream. Because at the time i had thought Yaweh was the correct way to say it. So i looked up YAVEH on the internet and to my surprise it was reognised in some quaters as correct.
Well i was a catholic and i did leave it. I was given a NKJV bible i see that your list does not include it. I use it as the bible i use for quoting but i also use the KJV because in some areas i believe it is more accurate.
I am against the NIV. i would never tell anyone to read it. And given the opportuity will adivise people i am talking to to look for another bible.
Then there is the precious KJV. Many Americans worship the KJV as the true word of God over even the original writings in which the KJV was translated from. Big mistake, pointless, and in no way Christianity. KJV is nothing more than one of many languages that original Biblical scripture was translated to. KJV is no more original scripture than the Chinese translations of the Bible are. The KJV is an even less accurate translation of much of what is out there. Christians who seek to understand original Biblical writings believe that Yehoshua ben Yosef was born from a virgin mother, Miryam, and is the son of God.
I believe that the Messiah Godwithus. known by various names was born from a virgin mother. and is the son of God.
All Praise The Ancient Of Days
*************By the way, sin actually means inaccuracy. So if you aren't about accuracy, you're probably about sin.
M*W: How conveniently wrong you are.
"Sin" was first believed to be a moon god, the father of all gods as Ernest Busenbark states:
"As the Sumerian cities became dominated by the Semitic culture of Babylon, the influence of Sin the moon god of Ur became greater and more widespread not only in Babylonia but in other parts of the ancient world. It was only in Babylon, however, where Semitic influence was strong, that Sin was particularly honored as the father of the gods."
"Sin was represented as an old man with long beard, seated beneath a crescent moon. He was identified with the healing art and as governor of oracles and dreams. On the other hand, he had a sinister aspect as bringer of sickness and misfortune to mortals and could punish evildoers with leprosy. Texts exalt him as the governer of light and wisdom. His titles designate him as the "wanderer," "the living father," "uncle" or "the old one."
In other cultures, the moon god Sin is believed to have been the father of Ishtar, the moon goddess, and Shamash, the sun god. Further, the astrological interpretation of the character of Ishtar is the ruler over the forces of generation, commonly known as the planet Venus. This characterization passed into popular Egyptian religion as "Meritaten" and into christianity as the "Virgin Mary."
Busenbark continues to say:
"Undoubtedly one of the reasons for the moon's being associated with growth is that the lowering of the temperature during th enight causes moisture in the air to condense and settle in the form of dew which nourishes vegetation and causes growth. In both mythology and astrology the moon is associated with humidity, moisture, water, and feminity, whereas the sun is considered dry, hot and masculine."
Other sources refer to Sin as a name for the darkness of night. If the sun ruled the light of day, then darkness ruled the night. Each had its own god personification. Sin has absolutely nothing to do with misbehaving. It has more to do with fear of the unknown.
References:
Busenbark, Ernest: Symbols, Sex, and the Stars, The Truth Seeker, Co., Inc. San Diego, CA, 1949.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin_(mythology)
http://www.answers.com/topic/sin-babylonian-god-of-the-moon
http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/moongod.htm