This is utterly and completely impossible.

First of all, there are several versions of the Bible in English. Many use different words in certain places. Some add in or take out whole books. Obviously, not all of them can be the "true" Bible. So which is it? Many people stick by certain versions, accusing the others of inaccuracy, but the truth is that all of them are wrong. This is because of a simple fact that most Christians seem to have either forgotten or are simply too stupid to know: When the Bible was written, the language known as English DID NOT EXIST.

So what? So it started in other languages, but the words still mean the same thing right? Guess again.

I'm sure you're all familiar with the term "lost in translation." It means that language is entirely dependant on one thing: the culture speaking it. Languages are not interchangeable because cultures are not interchangable. The Japanese people, for example, have such a complex system of humility and politeness, they have many different words for the same thing, each depending on the level of politeness (or lack thereof) the situation requires and the person (or people) speaking. They have no less than ten different words for "I/me"!!

Only by understanding both cultures can you understand what is "lost" and why. Obviously, this creates a huge problem. Still don't see it? Keep reading. The Bible was translated into English from Latin, a language which, after the fall of the Roman Empire, was understood only by scholars and clergy. Before it was in Latin, it was Greek, Aramaic, and Ancient Hebrew. Therefore, to fully understand the original words of the Bible, and therefore to understand the Bible itself, you must know not only all those languages, but also the people who spoke them. Slight problem. They're all dead. What they left behind is all we have with which to understand them and their culture. We can't ask them what cultural movment or event lead to the creation or alteration of this or that word so how can we be sure our translation is anywhere near correct?

The problem gets even more complicated. As I said before, after the fall of Rome, only scholars and clergy could understand Latin. They had to translate the Bible for everyone else, for it was forbidden to translate the Bible into any other language without Vatican approval. The King James Bible, published in 1611, was the first English translation of the Bible approved by the Vatican. In order to create this Bible, King James brought cardinals and bishops from around Europe to produce the translation. It is well known that they did not only translate the Bible, they also edited it, changing many words and phrases that they didn't think were "appropriate" for the common people to read. But that wasn't the first time the Bible was "edited." Here is an excellent timeline of the creation of the Bible demonstrating how the books slowly came together over time: History of the Bible. Note the use of the words "commonly accepted" and "widely accepted" referring to the 27 books of the New Testament. Obviously, the 27 were not the only books that had been written. Why then were some books not "accepted"? Were they forgeries? Or were they true versions that were unaccepted only because people didn't know any better? Here is an absolutely excellent page which answers those questions and more: A New Testament: Rise of the Christian Church. Obviously, church bias figured strongly into the equation! Just how "divinely inspired" could these writings have been, really?

Even if you can ignore all of these points, I still have one more. Writings that can be considered "divinely inspired" are often based on the writer's visions, dreams, voices that he/she has heard, etc. Surely, you are familiar with what I refer to as the Accident Phenomenon. Ten people witness an accident, yet every story is different. Perception clouds everything. Whether they realize it or not, whether they intend it or not, it still happens. In many cases, the authors of these "revelations" were the only "witnesses" so we have only their perceptions and, inevitably, their baggage, their bias, their attitudes formed by their culture and their life. Even a vision from God cannot possibly escape this "warping". Every pebble affects the course of the river, no matter how pure the water is.

There is no version of the Bible on this planet that can be entirely and completely the divinely inspired Word of God. It simply isn't possible. Pieces of it perhaps may be very accurate, but which? What if the truth was completely lost in translation, or, worse yet, destroyed by careless, egotistical, ignorant church leaders? All the evidence points to severe problems so how can any of it be trusted?

Nothing should ever just be accepted simply because it is popular or traditional. Ignorance, complacency, and conformity ultimately lead to the death of the mind and the soul. As the amazingly talented author J.K. Rowling says, "Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain."

-Callista Maris, 06/07/04