Questions by Non-Christians (Archived)This forum is for non-believers seeking to know more about Christianity. This forum is NOT for Apologetics or debates.
I am to believe in a Bible (our English one of course) that was developed and "modiftied" during the European Renaissance? A time when Europeans where coming out of their Darkness to begin their dominance of our current lands? How am I to believe in something that may have been, in blasphemy, written to "fit" the European objectives of the time and important information been left out? Am I to have an issue with the Greeks, who once had polythestic beliefs? Am I to belief that King James and his hired translators didn't "talk about" what they were going to translate and how it would fit in the beliefs of his people? Am I to belief that the translators did not succumb to the economic demands (being relatively poor) of the time, rushing their work and altering The Word to feed their families and seeking fame?
You don't have to fully put your trust in these translators. We have many different translations to compare. They all say the same thing if read in context. Their are a few small differences but reading the Bible as a whole will give the same knowledge needed to fully glorify God. Its also important to look at the older manuscripts to find what God was really saying to us. The Dead Sea scrolls proved that the Bible hasnt been corrupted by time, translations, or those translating it.
If you can believe in eternal life and the virgin birth, then what would stop one from believing God potent enough to preserve His Word through the ages??? It doesn't take a large amount of imagination to believe Him able.
__________________ Galations 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
I never said I wasn't a believer. I am discovering The Word for myself and am in a research phase. I know that God was been doing his works with me for some time, but I didn't realize it was Him. He knows what he wants me to do...
I never said I wasn't a believer. I am discovering The Word for myself and am in a research phase. I know that God was been doing his works with me for some time, but I didn't realize it was Him. He knows what he wants me to do...
You came to the right place my friend. Welcome to the boards....
__________________ "Holy Mother, may you inflict the stripes of the Crucified One deeply on my heart." -- [Stabat Mater, G.P da Palestrina, 1525-94]
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I am to believe in a Bible (our English one of course) that was developed and "modiftied" during the European Renaissance? A time when Europeans where coming out of their Darkness to begin their dominance of our current lands? How am I to believe in something that may have been, in blasphemy, written to "fit" the European objectives of the time and important information been left out?
I'll assume for a moment that you mean the New Testament. In that case, we have manuscript evidence (actual paper fragments) from as early as 100AD and complete scrolls from as early as 200AD. So clearly this precedes any influence from the Renaissance. The New Testament is the most historically accurate document of all time, far more accurate than any work by Homer or Plato.
Am I to have an issue with the Greeks, who once had polythestic beliefs?
You should. The characters in the Bible had an issue with this as well. But they borrowed their language since everyone knew it. Kind of like if you are publishing on the Internet, English is a natural choice even if you are espousing anti-English views.
Am I to belief that King James and his hired translators didn't "talk about" what they were going to translate and how it would fit in the beliefs of his people?
As I look at the Greek New Testament and compare it to the English, I find very few examples of poor translation, maybe 3 or 4 max in the whole New Testament. I certainly don't find any that would appear to be maliciously motivated.
Am I to belief that the translators did not succumb to the economic demands (being relatively poor) of the time, rushing their work and altering The Word to feed their families and seeking fame?
Actually, most of the copyists of the Greek manuscript were monks. They lived in communities that raised enough food so that they could do their work--copying.
Wycliff, who made the first English translation, was already very wealthy by the time he began, IIRC.
If you are talking about the scholars hired by King James (the King of England), I hardly think they were begging for bread. I guess you could say that King James may have sought fame (since we still refer to his version that way), but can anyone tell me the name of any of the scholars?
The bottom line: read it for yourself. See if it changes your life.
Even between the majority text and a modern critical text the differences are minute. It's funny cause you should see the axes that grind about textual criticism and in the overall picture of things, the differences are amazingly small. So what I urge you to believe is that the KJV is simply a translation made with what the translators had to work with at the time. It's nothing more or less.
I never said I wasn't a believer. I am discovering The Word for myself and am in a research phase. I know that God was been doing his works with me for some time, but I didn't realize it was Him. He knows what he wants me to do...
When you read the Bible, read it with your heart, not your head.
When I began reading the Bible, I just started with Genesis and went from there. I was amazed at how it all started to make sense! I didn't read to find so-called "inconsistancies" or "inaccuracies", only to read it.
When you read the Bible, read it with your heart, not your head.
When I began reading the Bible, I just started with Genesis and went from there. I was amazed at how it all started to make sense! I didn't read to find so-called "inconsistancies" or "inaccuracies", only to read it.
God bless you in your search!
What did you do when you got to the part where Moses and the Israelites were told by G-d to kill Midianite babies, married woman but SPARE the young virgins. These young virgins were taken and divied up to the soldiers and priests. In fact, if memory serves me right, the priest got 32 virgins.
Maybe that didn't bother you too bad, but what did you then do when you read in 2nd Samuel 12:11-12 where G-d punished David by having his wives sleep with his neighbor? Did this not strike you as an odd thing G-d would do.
The bible was written by ancient man and how THEY perceived him, IMO.
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