I have a serious question for you. I will gladly accept advice from anyone on this topic. I hope it's okay that I ask here.The following is a statement someone made on a Christian board where I am a moderator:
"I also strongly believe the KJV should be respectfully retired. It uses archaic language from 1611 and is not as accurate as some modern translations. It places an unnecessary stumbling block for modern readers. Unfortunately many Christians have incorrectly made the translation an idol and a sacred tradition."
I have asked the other moderators what course of action I should take since I cannot in good conscience allow this statement to go unchallenged, but I don't want to start a detrimental war on this topic either.I have said that if they don't want to get involved, I will simply post something like this:
"I exclusively use the KJV and believe it is neither archaic, nor inaccurate -- nor a stumbling block; but it is the only completely accurate translation; the most masterful piece of literature of all time with timeless words and phrasing, masterful use of rhyme, rhythm, and poetic devices; containing a self-defining dictionary, written at a reading level where all readers can learn all of the nuances of biblical truth, containing insight into the English language that causes secular universities to study it for the sake of understanding all of the implications of letter, word, and phrase combinations, meter, and poetry that cause standard-written English to be the most inclusive, intuitive, descriptive, and profound languages on the planet."
Would that be okay? How should my statement be changed/edited?I welcome grammatical (or other) input from those with English degrees also. :P (hint, hint)
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3 comments:
I am sorry that I can be of no assistance to you. I understand what you are saying but I have never had to punctuate such a long sentence before.:)
I know what you are going through in trying to share your convictions without offending or starting a war. Punctuation aside, I think what you have written is not only unoffensive (is that a word?) but straightforward and honest.
I will ask this though; is the standard-written English language singular or plural? I may have ended with "language on the planet."
Thanks. I seem to have lost my preposition.
Also, you don't really have to be that tactful with me.
How sad! "Christians have incorrectly made the translation an idol..." Obviously this person is not familiar with Psalm 138:2 - "I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." God has magnified His name above His Word! Sounds to me like it is intended to be worshipped. (Jesus is the living Word and the Bible is the written Word.) As far as not being accurate, it would take you but a few minutes to show them the rampant and egregious errors in modern translations that definitely affect doctrine. (This attitude is a sad commentary on the leadership of your Board.) Sadly, this is an issue that has been ignored for too long in fundamental churches just because it's easier to let people go their own merry way than to teach them a hard subject which may bring division. With all due respect, I might also point out (since you asked) that the argument of "masterful use of rhyme, rhythm, poetic devices" will be totally lost on him...assuming he can even appreciate all the other nuances of your argument....
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