Conservapedia: Re-Writing the Bible for the Rich

[Absolutely Virtue]

Spoiler: show

The guy comes back at the end.

[Woozie]

Spoiler: show

The guy comes back at the end.

ROFL, you guys are awesome.

[Yeargdribble]

why would anybody be opposed to this? It's pretty clear if you've read the bible (which I　bet you godless heathens have never) that the bible is full of propaganda spewed by people wishing to redistribute wealth - which is the opposite of what god wants

I've been bringing this up for a while. Jesus was very socialistic or even communistic if you think about it. The Bible explicitly states many times not to hoard up wealth but rather to share it (for your reward in heaven will be greater, yadda yadda). You're supposed to give and help those less fortunate.

I'm an atheist, but I listen to a ton of Christian talk radio and they don't even talk about the message of the Bible any more. They talk about how bad socialism is and how terrible health care reform would be. Then you hear adds for http://medi-share.org/ What is it? It's Christians helping "share each other's medical expenses." In the same breath they talk about how Obama's a dirty Nazi because he wants to share the wealth.

Christian hijacked the Republican platform and now the result is that both partners are getting fucked up. Christianity is becoming (more) rife with politics and straying far from its message (which was fucked up to begin with) and Republicans don't even stick to their traditional platforms. Sure there's a little of the no big government thing, but so much of it is just the anti-that-black-guy-president platform and a big part is the anti-gay platform.

Oh yeah, because small government tells people who they can marry and whether or not they are fit to serve in the military.

They need to learn that the ship has sailed, because even though I'm not too happy with everything about Obama's pacing, at least he's not the anti-nigger, anti-fag party leader. You really think by 2012 we will have devolved back to the point as a whole that people like Sarah Palin are going to sound reasonable to most? These loons get good press because everyone wants to watch a train wreck, but they are just a loud minority.

Ditch your anti-everything platform and take a stance on issues and you might even be able to sway someone liberal like me, but you won't because you're too busy putting your cock in the mouth of evangelicals.

[Zilong]

There was an era in history where Christianity was the basis for everything.

I believe it was called The Dark Ages.

[Ksandra]

These people are idiots, and I'd like to point out (thought will probably not sink in) that not all Christians are conservatives.

In fact I'd have to believe that these people can't even be Catholic (or at least know true Catholism). If you are Catholic then you are supposed to follow what the Pope says, and I can only imagine what he thinks on this topic. The idea to change it over his authority is a big no no.


I'm gonna vote and say Southern Baptist. They love this shit.

[Olo401]

There was an era in history where Christianity was the basis for everything.

I believe it was called The Dark Ages.

At least at that time they had a bible that was a lot closer to the actual original, rather than the one that we have now that has been reinterpreted and misinterpreted over and over and where entire books of the New Testament have been removed.

[Zilong]

Well, at least now we can say that the damn thing is a really shitty work of fiction by collaborative authors who really have no fucking clue on what they're writing without being burned at the stake!

[Jakson]

lol @ turning something conservatives never read into something they'll never read.

[Jaybar]

These people are idiots, and I'd like to point out (thought will probably not sink in) that not all Christians are conservatives.

In fact I'd have to believe that these people can't even be Catholic (or at least know true Catholism). If you are Catholic then you are supposed to follow what the Pope says, and I can only imagine what he thinks on this topic. The idea to change it over his authority is a big no no.


I'm gonna vote and say Southern Baptist. They love this shit.

I have to agree with what Ksandra posted. I'm pretty left leaning and not so much conservative anymore.

I grew up Roman Catholic, don't agree with many Protestant ideals, and dislike the Vatican. I still consider myself Christian and believe in many of the ideas presented in the Gospels. Most of my baptist/methodist friends are very conservative/right wing hypocrites (they are friends for other reasons). I'm sure some won't have a problem with this, but there are a lot of Protestants that strictly adhere to original translations (pretty much all the different versions of the Bibles nowadays are direct translations of the older greek scripture anyway) and would consider this a huge blow to their belief.

Most of the other people I got to school with go on Missions trips (either to help the homeless in Chicago or go abroad to 3rd world countries. Most donate to charities to feed the needy. Many of them are strictly against "socialist" government programs. I call them out on it, but most of the time they will just retort with "It's different" without sound reasoning, if any response at all.

[kuronosan]

I think this entire thing is just hilarious. The statement of Jesus being socialist is just too true. People (americans) think Jesus was some figure who struck down the evil greedy jerks and advocated God's wrath.

People (americans) just want to justify their bigoted behavior.

Surprise! The only way to fix someone else butchering the bible with liberalist socialist propaganda is to butcher the bible with racist greedy propaganda.

[Jaybar]

Jesus invented socialism.

[Gunitsoldier]

Can hardly call it a bible anymore if it's re-written. Many specific details are lost because of translation already, altering it again will only result in a bible with words they wanna hear -> not the book of god.

[Ksandra]

At least at that time they had a bible that was a lot closer to the actual original, rather than the one that we have now that has been reinterpreted and misinterpreted over and over and where entire books of the New Testament have been removed.

This does bring the point that I wasn't able to catch, which version of the bible are they rewording?

[Jaybar]

Re-Written doesn't mean rewrite over the rewritten versions...fucking idiots. You rewrite using the old texts used to compile the older versions. They only change syntax for newer generations.

I won't get away without showing comparisons, so here goes (I quickly looked up a comparison site since I only have the dumbed down Oxford version and no King James/NIV/NASB version) - Source

Proverbs 18:24

King James Version (1611):

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

New American Standard Bible (1971)

A man of many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

English Standard Version (2001)

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

New International Version (1984)

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

New Living Translation 2nd Version (2004)

There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

The message:

Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.

Lots of butchering going on in these "revisions". That's just the first set, there's a few more quoted in that link. If you are feeling REALLY scholarly and understand Greek, go check out the original Greek versions and compare them.

@Ksandra
Sounds like they just want to make their own version without using any source material.

[Olo401]

This does bring the point that I wasn't able to catch, which version of the bible are they rewording?

Why the only version - King James edition!

[Ksandra]

Re-Written doesn't mean rewrite over the rewritten versions...fucking idiots. You rewrite using the old texts used to compile the older versions. They only change syntax for newer generations.



@Ksandra
Sounds like they just want to make their own version without using any source material.

For first part Jaybar is right. Without writing a novel on it, we don't have the actual writings anymore (ie. the scripts that Moses wrote himself), but we have the copies that scribes made at that time of them. When people "rewrite" the Bible, they go back to those copies and try to translate them as best they can into their modern language.

As to second, at least that's a little better in the sense, versus taking the King James, and rewording the parts they don't like.


I still think the idea is idiotic though.

[Zilong]

As if basing your life's ideal on a work of fiction written thousand years ago wasn't idiotic to begin with.

[Marootsoobutsu]

The article itself doesn't make me ill, though I think the journalist is somewhat misguided. I'm used to liberal interpretations of scripture, and I think they are hugely flawed. I am a very, very firm believer that the Bible calls for a highly conservative government, and intense personal generosity, charity, and compassion from the individual; every reading of the Bible I've had has reinforced that. And I should note that that was not my beliefs when I first began reading it. However, the "Conservative Bible Project" feels me with a sense of nausea that truly makes me feel unclean.

I recognize that many people here-- and elsewhere-- think the Bible's just a bunch of stuff written by some tribal leaders. I do not. My reading of scripture, my personal experiences with God, and my reading and understanding of history at large doesn't fit with that. I firmly believe that the Bible is literally the word of God, that it was perfectly inspired, and that the Bible is a revelation of truth from the source of ALL truth.

I also firmly believe that any sincere approach to the Bible as a source of truth (and, thence, authority), must believe this as well. Believing it's just a good book removes its authority, except to show that some folks held similar ideas a long time ago. Who cares? Most of the Bible's social commentary is found throughout the world in religions and philosophies all over. Where the Bible distinctly deviates from most religions is the personal relationship between the individual and God, and the declarations of what that relationship means. The Bible, as nothing more than a way to live your life, written by men, isn't a bad idea... but it lacks authority, and it lacks any power itself. In order to have power, in order to sculpt and change lives (and not simply be a justification one way or another for a predetermined lifestyle), it must come from God. There are individual exceptions; people can have their lives changed by Harry Potter, but I'm speaking on larger, more "forest scope" terms.

And, especially, I recognize that many people do not approach the Bible as I do, and as importantly, that many who *do* approach the Bible the same way I do (with the intent to better understand what it says), reach different conclusions. I may well disagree with such people. I may disagree with such folks, but I do not feel ill at it.

This... project... goes beyond that in such ways that I can only call blasphemous. This is vile. It is evil. It is a perversion of holiness that Conservative Christians should be so furious at that wrath is not a strong enough word. I do not agree with every word of every translation of the Bible into English. I'm not fluent in Greek, nor in Aramaic nor ancient Hebrew, so I lean on the understanding of experts, but I try to go to those original languages as much as possible to understand the Bible in its original languages. But I also firmly believe that, while not literally true in translated form, most of the major translations-- NIV, NAS, etc...-- were approached with prayer and supplication, and a desire to state what God said without bias.

My anger at this has me trembling as I type this. My fury is beyond anything I have known since 9/11/01, and might well surpass that. I can only remember the occasions when Christ went into the temple and drove out the money changers with a whip; I have a similar desire. I am not a violent person-- I dislike it to a degree that would surprise most who know me, I think, given that I enlisted in the Marines and am as much a fan of the NFL and strategy war games as I am. But I can approach this with nothing but contempt and a righteous hatred.

This is not conservative, this is wretched and contemptible. This post finished, I am looking for the instigators of this heinous act that my opposition will be more than a rant at a D&D board. After I grab a trash can in case I can't keep from throwing up.

[Ksandra]

@ Zilong

Dunno what age has to do with anything.


We should all start pooping in our back yards because the Romans knew how to have running water thousands of years ago.

YOU SHEEP ARE CONFINING YOUR ASSES TO COLD PORCELAIN FOR NO REASON.


Don't get me wrong, I understand why a lot don't believe and could care less whether you do or not, but I think it's rather silly giving the point that it's old.

[Zilong]

My emphasis was more along the line of it being the work of fiction to begin with.