A whole lot, like just whose translation will be accepted
The folks at Wikisource have a new project bound to stir up controversy. It's called the Wiki Bible Project, and it aims to "create an original, open content translation" of the Bible, by the people for the people. Call it the Pauper John Goldfarb Ali Version.
Great idea. I mean, people have never disagreed over what the Bible says. Christians and Jews and Muslims all worship the God of Abraham, so they must read his word from the same pages. Buddhists and Taoists and Pagans? Individualistic variations, nothing more. A holy book is a holy book, regardless of what name it goes by.
Right ... Just try telling that to Jerusalem. Muslims and Christians and Jews all understand the Bible quite differently on this subject.
The Bible doesn't talk directly about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but I wonder if CAMERA has any plans for influencing the editing.
Libby Purves at Faith Central explains a little more about the project and shares a satirical story from Britain's version of The Onion:
They ask people who know Greek or Hebrew to "claim" a chapter (Exodus went first) and offer a translation. It fiercely says "Stay faithful to the original source text and do not borrow from copyrighted modern versions....Avoid sectarian disputes, possibly by footnoting variant translations."
However, the mischievous beasts on Newsbiscuit report straightfacedly that it is an attempt to make "one on-line holy book for all world faiths, written and edited by the world-wide community....‘If someone feels strongly that the central tenet of another religion is fundamentally wrong, then they can go on-line and change it. This morning the Wiki-Bible stated quite categorically that there was but one god and his name was Allah. This afternoon, another editor had corrected that to explain that there were in fact a number of different gods including Ganesh, Krishna, Vishnu and Cristiano Ronaldo.’
And so forth. It also suggests adapting commandments -- 'This morning the seventh commandment read ‘Though shalt not commit adultery. Unless it is with thy neighbours wife Janice".
This article was cross-posted at The God Blog.
Posted by Brad Greenberg on May 28, 2008 8:09PM
Comments
Since there are so many translations already available, I don't see the harm in one more. This could be a really fun project for Hebrew or Greek students - either claiming a chapter of their own to translate, or checking the work of another translator.
Posted by: Mike Hickerson at May 29, 2008
This project reminds me of a statement made by long ago by Archiue Bunker to his son-in-law in one of their infamous debates on the TV show, "All in The Family," "Remember, God was created in the image of man."
Such a "translation" would surely bear the image of man far more than the image of God.
Posted by: tom fry at May 29, 2008
... until someone else comes along in five minutes' time and changes it... to whatever they want... even if they don't know a single word of Hebrew or Greek...
Posted by: Wiki-nonsense at May 29, 2008
An editable version of the Bible, very interesting, so if I feel I don't agree with something stated, I can edit it to fit my needs. Seems like a very slippery slope. I think I will stick with the translations already available.
Posted by: Vernon at May 29, 2008
As a mature Christian I am somewhat appalled by this project, however as a Sociologist I am completely fascinated. It is my prayer that a new convert or fresh seeker not take this work as the true Gospel. On the other hand, I can't wait to see what picture the cumulative mind of the masses paints of God.
Posted by: TIM at May 29, 2008
I don't paticularly have a problem with the 'cumulative mind of the masses' as I think that most of them are resistant to change and would in actual fact not even know about this project. As usual we'd have to accept that it's the ideologies of the few which would be expressed in this project.
Posted by: Thys van der Merwe at May 30, 2008
This project concept has about as much hope as the Tower of Babel. Once the Gnostic gospels, Hitler's Mein Kampf and a few hundred other less-than-inspired works get added to the pot the good Lord only knows how many souls will be lead astray.
Posted by: Mallory at May 30, 2008
This is a TERRIBLE idea! Are there limits on who can edit, or can everyone? How can someone who doesn't know Spanish evaluate the accuracy of a Don Quijote translation in English, or someone who doesn't know German evaluate translations of Immanuel Kant? Of course, same with the Bible. Readers have to trust those translators! If they have a problem with that then they can learn the languages themselves.
This doesn't even speak of the problem of translation theory. Everyone stands in a different place along the word-for-word/thought-for-thought continuum.
Wikipedia can get by because though there is interpretation with facts and history (!), things can, at some level, be agreed upon. Well, translations are even less objective. Though obviously some translations (for specific words or verses) are better than others, there can be options.
And most of all, the Bible is such an emotionally charged book that everyone will be itching to get their say (all of whom NOT qualified to do so).
Please avoid this Wiki Bible like the plague!
PhD candidate in Bible
Then there is the fact that
Posted by: student at May 30, 2008
A project like the Wiki Bible will obviously appeal to some.
Most people reject Christianty because they do not like the idea of a god telling them what to do, particularly if that god happens to be the God of the Christian Bible. So the opportunity to set up their own God is tempting.
As a Bible-believing Christian myself I must confess to not being the least offended nor worried about this project, since all it does is confirm for me what the existing Bible says about people with "itching ears" wanting to hear some new thing, and self-proclaimed religious wise men with marble monuments
exalting "unknown gods".
It also confirms that there are a mass of seekers out there and true believers in Christ must find creative ways to engage them.
Creating a god in one's image and a cry for help is the same to me.
The Wiki Bible project shows me clearly that the harvest is still "plentiful", and that people are still "hungering and thirsting" after reality if not righteousness.
Maybe some of these modern day "prophets" will feel the need to consult one of the already existing versions of the Bible before attempting their version of inspiration, and be pleasantly surprised that there really is no need for another bible nor another God.
Posted by: Steve Skeete at May 31, 2008
If you get five Christians in a room, no one will ever agree on a "correct" interpretation of the Bible; thus, we are creating God in our own image all of the time. The evidence for this lies in why there are so many sects of Christian churches out there. Even King James tweaked his Bible here and there to fit his own belief system. There can never be a "definitive" translation of the Bible as we do not have the original manuscripts, only copies that have been translated and copied by thousands of hands over thousands of years. What is one more? As William Blake once said:
The Vision of Christ that thou dost see
Is my Visions Greatest Enemy
Thine has a great hook nose like thine
Mine has a snub nose list to mine
Thine is the friend of all Mankind
Mine speaks in parables to the Blind
Thine loves the same world that mine hates
Thy Haven doors are my Hell Gates
Socrates taught what Melitus
Loathd as a Nations bitterest Curse
And Caiphas was in his own Mind
A benefactor to Mankind
Both read the Bible day & night
But thou readst black where I read white...
--William Blake, The Everlasting Gospel, Notebooks
Posted by: Diane at June 2, 2008
If all those people who call themselves Christians do not see the appalling BLASPHEMY in this... what a sorry bunch of "servants" of the Most High. If things like this do not grieve the Spirit of God within you, then the Spirit of God AINT in you. Maybe you should take a look at your King James... maybe check out 1 Peter 1:25: "But the word of the Lord endureth forever." Just a thought.
Posted by: rachelpark at June 8, 2008
God's word was given to us in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic. Very few of us read these languages. If we have a freely available project that allows everyone to submit suggestions for correct English meaning, then I'm all for it.
Many of the complaints above are ludicrous. Wiki, is by definition, not controlled by one person or some cabal (as are most translations). If you disagree with some aspect of the translating on WikiBible, then have your say on it!
Instead of getting angry with the world, involve yourself in getting Christ out, not anger and bitterness and empty (especially ignorant) speculation. By the way, I have nothing to do with Wiki, or the Wiki Bible, but I intend to investigate how to contribute. Look at the positives, not just the negatives. The world is going to hate us enough without giving them extra ammo!
Posted by: Grahame Gould at October 31, 2008
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