Posted on 07/08/2008 8:27:57 PM PDT by MaryFromMichigan
Christian publisher Zondervan is facing a $60 million federal lawsuit filed by a man who claims he and other homosexuals have suffered based on what the suit claims is a misinterpretation of the Bible.
The suit centers on one passage in scripture -- 1 Corinthians 6:9 -- and how it reads in Bibles published by Zondervan.
Whether the federal civil rights suit will stand up in court is unclear.
Bradley Fowler filed it. He says Zondervan Bibles published in 1982 and 1987 use the word homosexuals among a list of those who are "wicked" or "unrighteous" and won't inherit the kingdom of heaven.
Fowler says his family's pastor used that Zondervan Bible, and because of it his family considered him a sinner and he suffered.
Now he is asking for an apology and $60 million.
"To compensate for the past 20 years of emotional duress and mental instability," Fowler told 24 Hour News 8 in a phone interview.
He claims the company is misinterpreting the Bible by specifically using the word homosexuals. Fowler admits that every Bible printed is a translation, interpreted in some way, but he says specifically using that word is not a translation but a change.
"These are opinions based on the publishers," he said. "And they are being embedded in the religious structure as a way of life."
Fowler says he came across the discrepancy while researching a book. He says Zondervan Bibles published in the 1980s use the word homosexuals in the Corinthian passage in question, but earlier and later ones don't.
24 Hour News 8 went to a library to do some research of our own, and found Zondervan Bibles published both in the 80s and post-2000 use the word homosexuals in the passage. Some other Bibles, like the New American Standard, also use the word.
Others don't.
The (regular) American Standard version uses the phrase "abusers of themselves with men." The King James says "abusers of themselves with mankind." Still others, like the New American Bible, use the word "sodomites."
Fowler says the idea that those phrases are another way of saying homosexuals is a misinterpretation as well.
Zondervan released a statement saying it "has not been served with a lawsuit and therefore cannot comment on it. However, it is important to note that since Zondervan does not translate the Bible or own the copyright for any of the translations we publish, we should not comment on the merits of how a word should or should not be translated. We rely on the scholarly judgment of the highly respected and credible translation committees behind each translation and never alter the text of the translations we are licensed to publish. We only publish credible translations produced by credible Biblical scholars."
If he was offended by 1 Corinthians 6:9, then he’d really flip if he read Leviticus.
Frivolous lawsuit.
All that concern for one verse? Has he read the rest of it?
Sad, sad... what a shallow fellow.
jw
oh right.............
I've lived to long. I remember when there was a modicum of sanity in this country.
Well, they could get obamama to testify as to The Sermon on the Mount. He says Jesus gives his okay to be gay in there somewhere...
Maybe that's in the Black Liberationist's version of the Bible?
When your religion does not agree with my way of thinking then I get to take you to court!!!
Stupid, stupid, stupid............
Try Romans.
.....and mental instability.....
To compensate for the past 20 years of emotional duress and mental instability...
________________________________________________
MENTAL INSTABILITY??? Bet you a nickel that he was having a few problems with the brain before he read that verse.
As for your tag line, I am proud of you too. Thank you for keeping us free.
Sure...today its frivolous. Tomorrow its serious.
It seems like the First Amendment might have a thing or two to say about this lawsuit.
1Co 6:9
(ALT) You* know that unrighteous [ones] will not inherit [the] kingdom of God, do you* not? Stop being led astray [fig., being deceived]; neither sexual sinners nor idolaters nor adulterers nor passive partners in male-male sex nor active partners in male-male sex
(ASV) Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men,
(BBE) Have you not knowledge that evil-doers will have no part in the kingdom of God? Have no false ideas about this: no one who goes after the desires of the flesh, or gives worship to images, or is untrue when married, or is less than a man, or makes a wrong use of men,
(Bishops) Knowe ye not that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God? Be not deceaued: neither fornicatours, nor idolatours, nor adulterers, nor weaklinges, nor abusers of them selues with mankinde,
(CEV) Don’t you know that evil people won’t have a share in the blessings of God’s kingdom? Don’t fool yourselves! No one who is immoral or worships idols or is unfaithful in marriage or is a pervert or behaves like a homosexual
(Darby) Do ye not know that unrighteous persons shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who make women of themselves, nor who abuse themselves with men,
(DRB) Know you not that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God? Do not err: Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers:
(EMTV) Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
(ESV) Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
(Geneva) Knowe yee not that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God? Be not deceiued: neither fornicatours, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wantons, nor buggerers,
(GNB) Surely you know that the wicked will not possess God’s Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral or who worship idols or are adulterers or homosexual perverts
(GW) Don’t you know that wicked people won’t inherit the kingdom of God? Stop deceiving yourselves! People who continue to commit sexual sins, who worship false gods, those who commit adultery, homosexuals,
(ISV) You know that wicked people will not inherit the kingdom of God, don’t you? Stop deceiving yourselves! Sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals,
(KJV) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
(KJV-1611) Know yee not that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God? Be not deceiued: neither fornicatours, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselues with mankinde,
(KJVA) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
(KJVR) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
(LITV) Or do you not know that unjust ones will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be led astray, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals,
(MKJV) Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor abusers, nor homosexuals,
(Murdock) Or do ye not know, that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not mistake; neither whoremongers, nor idol-worshippers, nor adulterers, nor debauchers, nor liers with males,
(RV) Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men,
(Vulgate) an nescitis quia iniqui regnum Dei non possidebunt nolite errare neque fornicarii neque idolis servientes neque adulteri
(Webster) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
(WNT) Do you not know that unrighteous men will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Cherish no delusion here. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor any who are guilty of unnatural crime,
(YLT) have ye not known that the unrighteous the reign of God shall not inherit? be not led astray; neither whoremongers, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor sodomites,
I suffer every time the New York Times is published. It offends me. Do I get to sue?
The ultimate breach in the Separation of Church and State already happened when they decided churches can’t talk politics and the courts established psychiatry as their religion.
...which is why I added that to the keywords. Hopefully it gets thrown out of court but you never know.
I’ve said before that gays would sue God if they could. Well, this comes close.
The guy is bat sh!!!t nutz.
From Thayers Greek Lexicon:
“one who lies with a male as with a female, a sodomite”
Some various translations:
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
King James Version 1611, 1769
NKJV - 1Cr 6:9 - Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
Footnote:
That is, catamites
New King James Version © 1982 Thomas Nelson
NLT - 1Cr 6:9 - Don’t you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals,
New Living Translation © 1996 Tyndale Charitable Trust
NIV - 1Cr 6:9 - Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
New International Version © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society
ESV - 1Cr 6:9 - Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
Footnote:
a Or wrongdoers
b The two Greek terms translated by this phrase refer to the passive and active partners in consensual homosexual acts
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version © 2001 Crossway Bibles
RVR - 1Cr 6:9 - ¿No sabéis que los injustos no heredarán el reino de Dios? No erréis; ni los fornicarios, ni los idólatras, ni los adúlteros, ni los afeminados, ni los que se echan con varones,
Reina-Valera copyright © 1960 Sociedades Bíblicas en América Latina; copyright © renewed 1988 United Bible Societies.
NASB - 1Cr 6:9 - Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
New American Standard Bible © 1995 Lockman Foundation
RSV - 1Cr 6:9 - Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts,
Revised Standard Version © 1947, 1952.
ASV - 1Cr 6:9 - Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men,
American Standard Version 1901 Info
Young - 1Cr 6:9 - have ye not known that the unrighteous the reign of God shall not inherit? be not led astray; neither whoremongers, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor sodomites,
Robert Young Literal Translation 1862, 1887, 1898 Info
Darby - 1Cr 6:9 - Do ye not know that unrighteous [persons] shall not inherit [the] kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who make women of themselves, nor who abuse themselves with men,
J.N.Darby Translation 1890 Info
Webster - 1Cr 6:9 - Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Noah Webster Version 1833 Info
HNV - 1Cr 6:9 - Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals,
Hebrew Names Version 2000 Info
Vulgate - 1Cr 6:9 - an nescitis quia iniqui regnum Dei non possidebunt nolite errare neque fornicarii neque idolis servientes neque adulteri
Jerome’s Latin Vulgate 405 A.D. Info
******************
The homosexuals need to get over it...and repent of their sins.
I don’t believe the word ‘homosexual’ was used in the Genesis account of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 19). I seem to remember they got nuked because they of their rampant homosexuality.
Also, this guy seems to not have noticed that this message appears more than once in the Word from the Tanakh to the Gospels.
Homosexuals should get over themselves.
Of course Romans, Chapter 1 is interesting, too.
http://www.justbible.com/bychapter.asp?bookchap=B45C001.htm
Noticed your tag line … we are all proud of you and thank you for your service.
It’s the bastardization of our legal system. This crap should be thrown-out and the lawyer handed the bill. Everything is being tested by our “Judicial” system and the more they “hear” these cases the more the plantiffs find ways to destroy the fabric.
Oh Good!
A U.S. Court is going to settle a disagreement regarding an interpretation of a Bible verse!
When this gets to the USSC, I hope Kennedy gets his coin toss correct.......
Has he read Romans 1?
“Sue” God? Try KILL God.
But a company spokeswoman says Zondervan doesn't translate the Bible or own the copyright for any of the translations. Instead, she said in a statement, the company relies on the "scholarly judgment of credible translation committees."
That is to say, setting aside whether the federal civil rights lawsuit is credible, the company says Bradley Fowler sued the wrong group.
The "suing the wrong group" defense seems like a good way for Zondervan to put the matter behind them with a minimum of fuss and expense.
Pretty ironic the rest of that verse is about not suing your brethren!
Think it speaks for itself!
Romans 1:27 "and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error." -- think of one word that fits this description.
Genesis 2:24 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” - the definition of marriage!
What about this verse then?
Leviticus 18:22-23
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it: it is perversion.
If he is so sure of himself that the translation is WRONG, has he offered any explanation as to what it DOES mean?
Sounds like fornicators, servants of idols, adulterers.
Anybody speak Latin out there?
This guy is representing himself. His complaint consists of nine handwritten pages of semi-legible, semi-literate crap. He’s also requested that the court appoint counsel to represent him pro bono.
Since it cost me $0.72 to view the document, I went ahead and downloaded a copy to my hard drive. I’d be happy to e-mail it to anyone who would like to look at it.
Hmmm...I wonder if it says something similar in Hebrew?
I’m no Scripture scholar, but I was taught by several. One told us in class that the most accurate translation for the Greek word St. Paul uses, most often translated as “sodomites” or “homosexuals,” was m@#$%&f@#$%&s.
Impressive eisogesis!
The sodomites are going to use every tactic they can to try to attack Christ and his church, until they can finally use the law against us and drive the church back into catacombs.
I sure am looking forward to having a Moslem president, what with Islam being tolerant of diversity of faith.
A rose by any other name—would still stink up the place.
How does this idiot establish willful intent by Zondervan to harm him?
Would it be too much to expect to tell the plaintiff to get lost and stop wasting the court’s time?
And gee, is every gay person a friggin’ victim, or what?
Ping.
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