Londoner wrote: ↑Fri Apr 20, 2018 10:38 am
You do understand that the Bible isn't written in English? That the words we have are all translations?
I checked translations in three languages: English, Humgarian, German.
The earliest translations all named it Evil. The exact equivalent.
The latest translations were done in the 20th century for Hungarian.
In all three languages the LATTER translators woke up to the fact that they have to go with the official word, which was, not to besmirch the name of god.
The kinder, gentler words substituted for "evil" were not translations; they were ameliorations. They did serve a political purpose.
It can't be a mistake that in all the languages I examined, the first, rawest and therefore I daresay the most honest translations were "evil".
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Bible translators have had a rough time over the centuries. The most impossible word to translate is "arsenokoitei", the word Saul used on certain male people. It is not possible to translate, although its meaning is straightforward and totally unique. It is not possible to translate, because it's an expletive of the worst kind. Western translators found it blasphemous to include a direct, figuratively, nominatively and literally direct translation for this word, which is one word in in English.
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I am going with the King James version. Why? Because you, Londoner, want to go with a different version. I am entitled to choose the version I want, much like you are entitled. If you say I can't use that version, you are oppressing me unduly; if you say my version is wrong, I defend it with saying that
A. unless proven otherwise, it is not wrong, and
B. it is likely a more precise word or perhaps even THE precise word of the original, and
C. if you say my version is wrong, then I can declare all versions wrong, as translations can't be trusted, very much like you pointed out.
If you insist that my version is wrong because the translation is inaccurate, then I insist that you can throw away all versions of the translated bible, as you have pointed out that one can't be trusted, and therefore none of them can be trusted.