A politically correct German Bible which emphasizes gender equality and social concerns is still sparking controversy a year after its release.
The “Bibel in gerechter Sprache,” or the “Bible in equitable language,” is a modern translation that makes women more visible, “corrects” anti-Semitic sentiments, and modernizes social issues such as class difference.
Instead of Jesus referring to God as “Father,” he says “our Mother and Father who are in heaven.” Also, Jesus is no longer referred to as the “Son” but rather the “child” of God, according to Catholic World News.
“The Bible doesn’t only offer paradigms, but rather it speaks to the heart of people’s existence,” said Pastor Margit Buttner, according to Germany’s Deusche Welle news agency.
“When that’s suddenly called into question, when suddenly I’m not supposed to pray ‘our Father in heaven,’ but am told: Jesus instructed his male and female disciples, you should pray: Our Father and Mother in heaven – that can put off people.”
The new translation consistently mentions women wherever men are mentioned and even refers to female and male rabbis when the first women rabbis were not ordained until the 1970s.
Catholic theologian Helen Schungel-Straumann, a feminist, said she disapproves of the new translation because it distorts historical truth, according to Deusche Welle. She contends understanding the patriarchal society which the Bible takes place in is important to grasping the text.
However, she was favorable about the translation moving away from the traditional view that God is male.
The authors of the translation contend justice is the main topic in the Bible and the changed text on gender, Judeo-Christian dialogue, and social justice help make the main topic in the Bible more justice.
The 2,400-page book was published last fall.
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My friend. My brother/sister. Do not grow tired of doing well. Do not feel that you are the only one. I think it was Elijah who hid himself and complained to God that he was the only one in all of Israel who was seeking God. But God showed him so many other prophets who shared his burden. We are out here! And there are many more carrying the light of the Truth to a dark world. We will remain faithful by God's grace and Spirit unto the end! Unto the end, my friend.
Wow...I never knew that stuff about Bono. I knew he claimed to be a Christian, but was always curious about his deep beliefs.
So, you are being slandered? Being called a false prophet because of you speaking the truth? I would like to feel sorry for you. But all i can say is "Way to go!". Jeremiah 20:7-10 is a scripture that God lead me too, because i experience the same thing. " O LORD, you deceived [b] me, and I was deceived [c] ;
you overpowered me and prevailed.
I am ridiculed all day long;
everyone mocks me.
8 Whenever I speak, I cry out
proclaiming violence and destruction.
So the word of the LORD has brought me
insult and reproach all day long.
9 But if I say, "I will not mention him
or speak any more in his name,"
his word is in my heart like a fire,
a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;
indeed, I cannot.
10 I hear many whispering,
"Terror on every side!
Report him! Let's report him!"
All my friends
are waiting for me to slip, saying,
"Perhaps he will be deceived;
then we will prevail over him
and take our revenge on him."
Hey Prophet, it's true, in today's post modern setting some pastor's are worried about offending the masses that keep their church attendance up. rather than preaching the whole counsel of God, they opt to not step on peoples toes. Are you familiar with Dave Hunt and Roger Oakland? They both are great Bible apologists who expose a lot of what this new wave of "christendom" is doing. Such as the emerging church which can't agree on anything absolute. they think everything is relative. This emerging church promotes the Message Remix Paraphrase version of the Bible because it changes words like homosexulaity into lust, and the like. It waters down the original intent of the Scriptures like this German Bible translation is doing. Did you know the Message Remix is endorsed by Bono from U2 who is also very active in the ecumenical/new age drive for unity called COEXIST? I can't believe Christinas are blind to this, and think this social gospel is going to be waht brings earth together in unity regardless of your faith or background, but the Bible teaches otherwise. It teaches there is one Way and that is JeEsus - John 14:6.
Hey on another note, remember when I was exhorting you to hear my heart out on the matter of prosperity teacher, and why I highly disagreed with them? I think you see why I was so critical of these teachings, right?
Well, apparently there are some that are bent on giving me a bad name now because I don't agree with the seed faith, "speak it into existence" name it and claim it stuff; they think I'm touching God's anointed. However, we see many instances where Paul the Apostle and Timothy called out people by name when they were doing something wrong.
You should really go and read the posts on the Prosperity teachers being investigated. There's some people who just don't get what i was saying; they think I as well as others can't judge certain things weI see wrong within the church, but the way i see it, if we as the Body, don't keep to sound doctrine, hold fast to what is true, nad shun evil; if we don't infomr others that are being lead astray by false teaching, then I think we do a grat disservice to the Body of Christ. Read the posts and then tell me what ya think alright? God be with you brother.
jc4me....hahahaha you have such eloquent words..."huggy pie kissy poo"....but its true. Hell and sin aren't preached enough. A pastor told some time ago that he balances his salvation messages between "hellfire and brimstone" and God's forgiveness and love. Because some people's hearts won't be turned by hearing about the love of God, only the fear of hell will turn some people...and after they are turned THEN they experience God's grace and mercy, and then their relationship with God turns from one of fear to one of love.
Prophet:
I must say your last statement is ironically and both sadly true. In todays sugar coated huggy pie kissy poo gospel no one wants to hear about man's sin nature, their need for repentance, and ultimately their need for a Savior. Oh, but they'll turn an ear to anything that sounds good, and doesn't offend. All they want is to have their ears tickled, so they can justify their lifestyles without the need to be accountable to their Creator - God.
dont they do that already?
If one goes so far as to make the bible gender-neutral, why not take it a step further and make it content-neutral. Take out all the negative references to any type of sin and add that anyone can get to heaven by doing whatever they feel like.
ok.. you must be right. you said so.
Wow, you ARE a relativist!
no..but unjust is in the eyes of the beholder. some people would say that america and democracy is unjust. all because it doesnt agree with what they believe. just ask the muslims. to them...we are unjust. to us...they are unjust. to most of the world, communism and socialism is unjust. but not to those who believe in that government.
Prophet: "unjust is in the eye of the beholder"? What are you, some kind of relativist? My objective morality is based on the survival of humanity in community. Your morality, based on everything you've said, appears to be "I want what I want, and if I don't get it, then whoever won't give it to me hates me."
unjust is in the eyes of the beholder. some people would say that america and democracy is unjust. all because it doesnt agree with what they believe. that is why you believe that God is unjust....because you want to do what you want to do without consequences. so anyone (whether God or man) who tells you otherwise must hate you. That is pride it its apex.
women hater...hahaha. funny. you must be an anarchist. you've shown strong offense to authority. but why do you put words in my mouth? God is a God of order. Those who cannot see that are people of chaos and disorder, backbiters, slanderers, bigots, perverts, spiteful, without love, murderers, drunkards, and thieves.
Prophet: There is a quote that is relevant to what you just said: "Men make gods in their own image; those of the Ethiopians are black and snub-nosed, those of the Thracians have blue eyes and red hair. If horses or oxen or lions had hands and could produce works of art, they too would represent the gods after their own fashion." -Xenophanes, Greek philosopher.
In other words, by choosing the bible to be the "word of god" as opposed to any other text, you've made for yourself a god in your own image. Everytime you interpret the bible one way, as opposed to another, you make a god in your own image. I'm often asked what human beings have created, and the answer to that is simple: they've created imagined gods in their own image, including the christian god.