Advances (choke!) in Bible Translation
Publishers of the Bible do not seem to know when to quit. In what has become a market-driven money-making enterprise, the bizarre has entered the scene.
Our Australian readers have, perhaps, heard about The Aussie Bible (Well, bits of it anyway), due out this past August. The Aussie Bible, written in the Australian vernacular, known as "Strine," is aimed at readers who believe the Bible is too high brow or simply boring. Believing Australian English to be "a distinct language, with its own colour and feeling", journalist and author, Kel Richards, has set out to provide Australians with a version of the Scriptures in their own vernacular, as might be spoken in any Outback pub or city building site. Accessibility is the guiding principle.
In The Aussie Bible, the Virgin Mary is a "pretty special sheila" who wraps her nipper in a bunny rug and tucks him up in a cattle feed trough (see below). The Magi are "eggheads from out east" who follow a star to find the baby Jesus and announce their arrival with: "G'day, Your Majesty!" The Good Samaritan is a "grubby old street sweeper" who patches up the victim of a highway robbery with his first aid kit, then drops him off at the nearest pub. The stories have headings such as "The Wise Guys" and "The Story of the Good Bloke."
The 90-page volume draws heavily from the Gospel according to Mark, with some stories from the other Gospel books and the Psalms mixed in. We are not anxious for Mr. Richards to translate the rest of the Bible.
Excerpt from The Aussie Bible (Well, bits of it anyway)—Luke 2:8-14-
There were some drovers camped out in a paddock nearby, keeping an eye on their mob of sheep that night. Their eyes shot out on stalks when an angel of the Lord zapped into view, and the glory of the Lord filled the air like a thousand volts of electricity. The angel said: 'Stop looking like a bunch of stunned mullets. Let me give you the drum, the good oil, it's top news for the whole crew -- everyone, everywhere. Today in that little town on the hill a rescuer has been born: he is the Promised One, the King, the Lord.
'And here's how you'll find him: the nipper is wrapped up in a bunny rug, and lying in a food trough.' And before you could say, 'Well, I'll be blowed!' the whole sky was filled with more angels than you could count, all singing away at the top of their lungs (if angels have got lungs, that is): 'God is great! God is bonzer -- and to everyone on this planet who's on God's side: peace and goodwill…”
Sources:
Telegraph
Bible Network News
There is a further contribution from Australia. The Surfers Bible, another recent version of the New Testament, is a collaboration between Christian Surfers International, a wave-ridin' ministry, and the Australian Bible Society. The text remains a modern English translation; it's the packaging that's different. The jacket looks like a surfing magazine. Apparently, if not for the New Testament subtitle, you would think it a volume of handy surf hints.
Source:
Surfer's Bible
Not to be outdone by the Australians, the French have gotten in on the act by producing a new rap version of the Bible.
This "Bible" is written in a style of French likened to the rhythms of popular street music or modern poetry. The new translation is the first to appear in France for 30 years. Unlike the Aussie Bible which is the work of one man, this rap version took 47 writers to produce—novelists, poets, as well as Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek scholars. They worked in pairs, one literary expert working with one religious expert.
If the French were to be translated into English, Genesis 1:1 would read something like:
"First, God created heaven and earth.
Empty land, solitude.
Dark over the depths.
God said Light and light there was."
John 1:1 would read as follows:
"In the beginning, the word,
the word with God,
God, the word".
The authors state: "We've tried to be as faithful as possible to the original language and imagery of the Bible. But this is more literary and poetic, fluid and refreshing."
One Roman Catholic priest was reported to have commented, wisely: "It won't age well."
Source:
Telegraph
If the good old Aussie bloke, the surfers and the rappers can have their own Bible, why not the bikers. Great news (said he sarcastically)! The English Bible Society has released the "open road" Bible.
The idea is that of Alan Lowther, an atheist turned Christian minister, president of the Christian Motorcyclists' Association and the "driving force" behind the new Manual for Life. The goal is to make Scripture more real and appealing to this sub-culture. On the cover is a colourful collage of motorcycles and the message: "Discover the freedom of the open road."
In this biker's Bible, Christ's blood is compared to the oil in a motorbike. An introduction to the Manual for Life reads: "As oil is essential to the running of an engine, so blood is vital for life. You check your oil regularly on the bike and repair any leaks: you stop the bleeding when you cut yourself. There is one person, however, who let himself bleed to death in order to give us life…. This book tells his story."
Source:
Telegraph
Comment: We do not need to return to the language of the King James Bible or the Book of Common Prayer, but surely, neither do we need to resort to the banal, let alone the bizarre and the blasphemous. A good, faithful translation of scripture will do. And we do not just stick Bibles into people's hands, and then move on. We bring them under the faithful preaching of the Word. For as the Word itself says: … faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17).
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
From the Alliance Advocate:
Liberals betray commitment to protect marriage
Yesterday, MPs narrowly defeated a Canadian Alliance motion to affirm the traditional definition of marriage in Canada by a vote of 132-137. Only four years ago, a nearly identical motion passed, with Cabinet and backbench support from the Liberals, by a vote of 216-55. The Liberals ran in the 2000 election on the promise that they would stand by their 1999 vote and defend the traditional definition of marriage. This vote confirms that they lied to Canadians during that campaign. The Liberals never had any intention of protecting the definition of marriage or appealing the court decision that re-wrote the law. The Liberals are hiding behind the courts.
Liberals betray commitment to protect marriage
Yesterday, MPs narrowly defeated a Canadian Alliance motion to affirm the traditional definition of marriage in Canada by a vote of 132-137. Only four years ago, a nearly identical motion passed, with Cabinet and backbench support from the Liberals, by a vote of 216-55. The Liberals ran in the 2000 election on the promise that they would stand by their 1999 vote and defend the traditional definition of marriage. This vote confirms that they lied to Canadians during that campaign. The Liberals never had any intention of protecting the definition of marriage or appealing the court decision that re-wrote the law. The Liberals are hiding behind the courts.
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm.Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Thursday, September 04, 2003
The Seed of the Serpent devouring the Fruit of its Womb
The seed of the serpent continues to devour itself. The Lord said in Matthew 24:12 about the last days: "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold." More than 100,000 Canadian mothers every year let the natural love for the fruit of their wombs grow cold!
On the one hand it is a shocking statistic; on the other, what can you expect from the seed of the serpent? The seed of the serpent embraces a culture of death. Cain belonged to the evil one and killed his brother Abel. Lamech boasted about how he had killed a young man for injuring him. He even wrote a song about it! The earth was full of violence in the days before the flood. Man's violence led directly to the great flood.
Only the seed of the serpent, who is so disposed toward violence, could hate the fruit of the womb. The natural love of a mother for her child is proverbial. Isaiah 49:15—"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?" Isaiah 66:13—As a mother comforts her child…." 1 Thessalonians 2:7—"…like a mother caring for her little children."
One wonders how Satan feels about this depletion of his ranks. Assuming the 100,000 babies aborted per annum would be raised in unbelief, the Canadian ranks of the serpent's seed would increase by 100,000 more per year were they allowed to live; one wonders how the serpent feels about this. It is a strange phenomenon, this nihilism of the serpent's seed. One can only explain it by reflecting upon how much the serpent and his seed hates life and loves death—to the point they kill themselves.
I am unequivocally Pro-Life. Only three times have I held up signs in public stating a position for a cause. All three times it was at a silent Pro-Life march. I am as aghast as the next Christian at how many of my fellow Canadians are killed every year before they see the light of the sun. It would be like wiping out the population of Brantford one year, of Guelph the next, of Moncton the year after. I realize that many of those who opt for abortion are young girls in trouble or young women being pressured by boyfriends, husbands, or parents. We need to reach out to them in love and direct them to organizations like Aid to Women in Toronto, Beginnings in Hamilton, and similar organizations in other provinces. At the same time, I am left wondering what force is at work when the seed of the serpent is so hungry for the fruit of its womb.
The seed of the serpent continues to devour itself. The Lord said in Matthew 24:12 about the last days: "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold." More than 100,000 Canadian mothers every year let the natural love for the fruit of their wombs grow cold!
On the one hand it is a shocking statistic; on the other, what can you expect from the seed of the serpent? The seed of the serpent embraces a culture of death. Cain belonged to the evil one and killed his brother Abel. Lamech boasted about how he had killed a young man for injuring him. He even wrote a song about it! The earth was full of violence in the days before the flood. Man's violence led directly to the great flood.
Only the seed of the serpent, who is so disposed toward violence, could hate the fruit of the womb. The natural love of a mother for her child is proverbial. Isaiah 49:15—"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?" Isaiah 66:13—As a mother comforts her child…." 1 Thessalonians 2:7—"…like a mother caring for her little children."
One wonders how Satan feels about this depletion of his ranks. Assuming the 100,000 babies aborted per annum would be raised in unbelief, the Canadian ranks of the serpent's seed would increase by 100,000 more per year were they allowed to live; one wonders how the serpent feels about this. It is a strange phenomenon, this nihilism of the serpent's seed. One can only explain it by reflecting upon how much the serpent and his seed hates life and loves death—to the point they kill themselves.
I am unequivocally Pro-Life. Only three times have I held up signs in public stating a position for a cause. All three times it was at a silent Pro-Life march. I am as aghast as the next Christian at how many of my fellow Canadians are killed every year before they see the light of the sun. It would be like wiping out the population of Brantford one year, of Guelph the next, of Moncton the year after. I realize that many of those who opt for abortion are young girls in trouble or young women being pressured by boyfriends, husbands, or parents. We need to reach out to them in love and direct them to organizations like Aid to Women in Toronto, Beginnings in Hamilton, and similar organizations in other provinces. At the same time, I am left wondering what force is at work when the seed of the serpent is so hungry for the fruit of its womb.
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