Conservative Bible Project

Conservapedia ^ | 8 October 2009 | Conservapedia

[IntolerantOfTreason]

Liberal bias has become the single biggest distortion in modern Bible translations. There are three sources of errors in conveying biblical meaning are, in increasing amount:

• lack of precision in the original language, such as terms underdeveloped to convey new concepts introduced by Christ
• lack of precision in modern language
• translation bias in converting the original language to the modern one.

Experts in ancient languages are helpful in reducing the first type of error above, which is a vanishing source of error as scholarship advances understanding. English language linguists are helpful in reducing the second type of error, which also decreases due to an increasing vocabulary. But the third -- and largest -- source of translation error requires conservative principles to reduce and eliminate.^[1]

As of 2009, there is no fully conservative translation of the Bible which satisfies the following ten guidelines:^[2]

1. Framework against Liberal Bias: providing a strong framework that enables a thought-for-thought translation without corruption by liberal bias
2. Not Emasculated: avoiding unisex, "gender inclusive" language, and other modern emasculation of Christianity
3. Not Dumbed Down: not dumbing down the reading level, or diluting the intellectual force and logic of Christianity; the NIV is written at only the 7th grade level^[3]
4. Utilize Powerful Conservative Terms: using powerful new conservative terms as they develop;^[4] defective translations use the word "comrade" three times as often as "volunteer"; similarly, updating words which have a change in meaning, such as "word", "peace", and "miracle".

5. Combat Harmful Addiction: combating addiction by using modern terms for it, such as "gamble" rather than "cast lots";^[5] using modern political terms, such as "register" rather than "enroll" for the census
6. Accept the Logic of Hell: applying logic with its full force and effect, as in not denying or downplaying the very real existence of Hell or the Devil.
7. Express Free Market Parables; explaining the numerous economic parables with their full free-market meaning

8. Exclude Later-Inserted Liberal Passages: excluding the later-inserted liberal passages that are not authentic, such as the adulteress story
9. Credit Open-Mindedness of Disciples: crediting open-mindedness, often found in youngsters like the eyewitnesses Mark and John, the authors of two of the Gospels
10. Prefer Conciseness over Liberal Wordiness: preferring conciseness to the liberal style of high word-to-substance ratio; avoid compound negatives and unnecessary ambiguities; prefer concise, consistent use of the word "Lord" rather than "Jehovah" or "Yahweh" or "Lord God."

Thus, a project has begun among members of Conservapedia to translate the Bible in accordance with these principles. The translated Bible can be found here.

Benefits include:

• mastery of the Bible, which is priceless
• mastery of the English language, which is valuable
• thorough understanding of the differences in Bible translations, particularly the historically important King James Version
• benefiting from activity that no public school would ever allow; a Conservative Bible could become a text for public school courses
• liberals will oppose this effort, but they will have to read the Bible to criticize this, and that will open their minds

How long would this project take? There are about 8000 verses in the New Testament. At a careful rate of translating about four verses an hour, it would take one person 2000 hours, or about one year working full time on the project.

[IntolerantOfTreason]

This seems to have been an answer to my prayers each time I overhear a libtard claiming "Jesus was a liberal!"

[ottbmare]

This is an interesting concept. I’d love to see some specific verses that would be affected by a conservative translation.

[EmilyGeiger]

PIng!

[John Leland 1789]

Just more confusion among the 200 Englsih translations since the 17th century.

Each half century for the pastor 4 centuries, byt the way, has seen a very marked decline in REAL experts in Biblical Greek (NT). Translation capabilities are NOT getting better, they are getting progressively worse.

[Turbo Pig]

This seems to have been an answer to my prayers each time I overhear a libtard claiming "Jesus was a liberal!"

IMO, this is little better than the libtards who twist the Truth to fit their ideological agenda. Jesus's teachings, and the Bible, are not a political ideology. They are a moral code, and a path to salvation; no more, no less. The authors of the "Conservative" Bible run just as much risk of twisting God's word, and his plan, to meet their own ends as the libtards do.

Personally, even though I am a conservative, I would stay away from it, and find a good Bible teaching ministry that sticks with the Truth. Do that and you can't help but become a conservative in the way you live your life.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

8.Exclude Later-Inserted Liberal Passages: excluding the later-inserted liberal passages that are not authentic, such as the adulteress story

Gobbledygook

"Liberals cite this passage to oppose the death penalty.. The God-ordained government has the responsibility for punishment. Civilized society may not depend on stoning to deter immoral crimes, but it does depend on retribution enforced by people who are themselves sinners."

The would-be stoning of the adultress was illegal from the get-go, possibly trumped up just to trip Jesus:

John 18:31 "Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death"

This bunch of biblical illiterates should not be allowed within a mile of babelfish.

[sueuprising]

I am in complete agreement with you. The Bible is not a political treatise , it is the Word of God. If these individuals do not want to read a modern translation, and I do not blame them, then they should go to the King James Version or the New American Standard Bible. These two are the most literal from the Greek. What “conservative” ideologues are proposing is just as insidious as what already has been done by liberals.

[Mr. Blonde]

I thought Conservapedia was a satire site. Whoops....

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

I like the King James, not because it is perfect, but because anything that turns on a word can be checked in Strong’s or Young’s complete concordances.

[Oztrich Boy]

This might not be the stupidest idea Andy Schafley has had, but it’s pretty close to the front runner

[Habibi]

This whole “project” is BS. They’re exchanging Liberal PC spin for Conservative PC spin. Which “interpretation” is worse? My guess is that it’s all a secularist effort to pimp around gullible conservatives that are so wrapped up in their own political philosophies, that they can’t even view religion outside of their constrained view.

Helpful Hint: Christ isn’t about Democrats or Republicans, conservatives or liberals. If you can’t view God outside of your political beliefs, you’re operating at a very simplistic level. Make no mistake, there are plenty of folks that never exceed that standard, but they are easy marks for the charlatans that are pushing this hocum. Don’t be one of them.

[IntolerantOfTreason]

I agree that there is a danger here; I don’t think Jesus was a hero of the free market, because what He comes to bring transcends petty concerns like economics.

But it is also true to say that there is a certain matching between Conservatism and Christianity, where there is a mismatch between Liberalism and Christianity.

- Opposition to the dogma of evolutionism
- Opposition to the ideology of Sodomy
- Opposition to abortion

It is impossible to be both a true liberal and a true Christian.

[Habibi]

“It is impossible to be both a true liberal and a true Christian.”

There is a certain “reverence” for Christianity among religious conservatives. Remember, there are conservatives that aren’t necessarily interested in religion (economic and social conservatives being two examples). Amongst American religious conservatives, Christianity is what it’s all about. Of course, if you picked a religious conservative in Saudi Arabia or Iran the “flavor” of religion would be quite different. By the same token, if I may paraphrase your posting, it is impossible to be a liberal and a true Muslim. For example, Muslim family values are quite similar to Christian family values. That’s why Focus On The Family reps are welcomed by their Muslim hosts in many countries around the world.

That cannot be said for liberal secularists. They are not considered to be “of the book”, and are thus viewed as persona non grata, unless they’re in the useful idiot category. So yes, I’d say that Conservatives are generally “religion favorable” towards their respective religion (even if that religion is quite twisted). Thus Conservatism is not necessarily about religious freedom. It is commonly oriented towards supporting the prevailing religion, and can be as easily twisted to suppress minority religious beliefs ie. Church of England, and Islam in the Middle East etc.

Thus, Conservatism isn’t always your religious buddy, unless you are in the favored sect(s). Do not rely on a political construct as a validator for your religious beliefs, as all these political institutions are fickle. In the end, God transcends, and trumps conservative/liberal machinations.