Modern bible continue to blaspheme God’s word
“And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:19
A controversy is brewing over three reputable Christian organizations, which are based in North America, whose efforts have ousted the words “Father” and “Son” from new Bibles. Wycliffe Bible Translators, Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) and Frontiers are under fire for “producing Bibles that remove “Father,” “Son” and “Son of God” because these terms are offensive to Muslims.”
Concerned Christian missionaries, Bible translators, pastors, and national church leaders have come together with a public petition to stop these organizations. They claim a public petition is their last recourse because meetings with these organizations’ leaders, staff resignations over this issue and criticism and appeals from native national Christians concerned about the translations “have failed to persuade these agencies to retain “Father” and “Son” in the text of all their translations.”
Biblical Missiology, a ministry of Boulder, Colorado-based Horizon International, is sponsoring the petition. The main issues of this controversy surround new Arabic and Turkish translations. Here are three examples native speakers give:
First, Wycliffe and SIL have produced Stories of the Prophets, an Arabic Bible that uses an Arabic equivalent of “Lord” instead of “Father” and “Messiah” instead of “Son.”
Second, Frontiers and SIL have produced Meaning of the Gospel of Christ , an Arabic translation which removes “Father” in reference to God and replaces it with “Allah,” and removes or redefines “Son.”
For example, the verse which Christians use to justify going all over the world to make disciples, thus fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) reads, “Cleanse them by water in the name of Allah, his Messiah and his Holy Spirit” instead of “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Rev. Bassam Madany, an Arab American who runs Middle East Resources, terms these organization’s efforts as “a western imperialistic attempt that’s inspired by cultural anthropology, and not by biblical theology.”
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Third, Frontiers and SIL have produced a new Turkish translation of the Gospel of Matthew that uses Turkish equivalents of “guardian” for “Father” and “representative” or “proxy” for “Son.” To Turkish church leader Rev. Fikret Böcek, “This translation is ‘an all-American idea’ with absolutely no respect for the ‘sacredness’ of Scripture, or even of the growing Turkish church.”
SIL has issued a public response stating “all personnel subscribe to a statement of faith which affirms the Trinity, Christ’s deity, and the inspiration of Scripture.” However, in the same statement, which is similar to Wycliffe’s, it claims “word-for-word translation of these titles would communicate an incorrect meaning (i.e. that God had physical, sexual relationships with Mary) [sic],” thus justifying substituting “Father” and “Son” in new translations. Calls and emails to Wycliffe and SIL to clarify their positions were not returned. Frontiers responded to calls with articles that critics have already dismissed as skirting omissions of “Father” and “Son” in new Bible translations.
It is time to get off the fence and make a stand.
ReplyDeleteMy stand is: It's a free country, thank God. Your religious beliefs are your own business. I happen to believe in the Trinity and the divinity lf Jesus, but if you don't then that's your right. These publishers are risking their businesses, which is also their right.
ReplyDeleteDo they have a "right" - yes but I am more concerned with this tone. This is about the anti-Christ "Christians" and the Chrislam movement. They are trying to blend Christianity with Islam and they cannot because they contradict each other. Many will be led astray and that is their choice but it is my duty/responsibility to yell - think of what you are doing! -
DeleteI always thought it was quite interesting that the Christian church did not stand in direct opposition to the Islamic faith particularly when Islam has shown such a radical element and hasn't outright condemned it.... Islam counts Jesus and a mere prophet and anyone who would hold him as part and parcel of the God identity is an infidel. It almost appears as if the Christian faith is afraid of the Muslim world. Seems to me that we find yet another level hypocrisy in our society 'cause .... If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.
ReplyDeleteMost Christian churches teach what is expected rather than what not to do or point to bad examples. They have left discernment up to their parishioners for the most part. Where it gets dicey is when self professed members of a faith stand with a view opposed by the same faith that they claim to a part of. This is where the churches need to interject the beliefs of that faith even if it is hard to hear. Many churches are emptying out because of lack of resolve - this may very well be part of that as many have just given up.
ReplyDeleteMuslims should remove references to Mohammed as that is offensive to Christians.
ReplyDeleteThis is another subliminal victory for the Islamists.
Mohammed is not worshiped by Muslims you moron.
DeleteAngie, the right to religious freedom is guaranteed by our constitution. Your use of quotations marks implies to me that you don't think this constitutional guarantee is real. I have never seen anyone here write about the "right" of free speech or the "right" to bear arms. Do you really not believe that some of our constitutional rights are not real? I am puzzled.
ReplyDeleteI had too many "nots" in that next to last sentence. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteAs an observation from a Godless liberal, our culture in America is a threat to ALL religion because it leaves the option to choose to live piously, or to live a life of endless indulgence. I am not ignorant of what the bible says, I was raised Lutheran and attended a Lutheran school from Kindergarten through 8th grade. Looking at the life of Martin Luther, it is hard for me to not see a similar "flavor" in his actions and the actions of radical clerics. He railed against the church and the blasphemers of his day and though he didn't go and blow up a church, he nonetheless declared war on the church.
ReplyDeleteIn my lifetime, this country has moved decisively away from a devout religious life. Every now and again someone at work will have Joel Osteen on preaching his message that Jesus is your buddy and I am a little amazed. That shit would not have flown in the church I grew up in. But, just looking at our culture here, it is easy to see what we have embraced and what we have rejected. We have embraced consumption and rejected any sort of concept of charity towards each other. Pure capitalism is no more blendable with Christianity than Islam is.
As a final observation, I find it ridiculous that we go out of our way to not offend Muslims. If we want the billions of the Muslims in the world to join the rest of us, we need to offer them respect for their lives over respect for their religion.