Leaner Meaner Bible without the Poetry

[Adrian II]

They should replace the characters with animals IMO, instead of people.

Oh, but there are already animals in it..

[Don Corleone]

Well, I'm actually not all that upset about the bible as in the book itself. The Dead Sea Scrolls, uncovered in the 50's, showed people didn't play as footloose and fancy free with the wording as some would have you believe. Sadly, the only part of the New Testament that was found there was a small fragment of the gospel of Mark. In any case, the Old Testament and other non-biblical texts from that time that were found accompanying it seemed to have withered the translations through the centuries rather well. What's more, nobody's taking my NIV anytime soon.

That wasn't my point at all. I'm much more discouraged with the decision to do this. What's that you say? It's too tough to read a book? It's not fair that you have to actually spend some time reading it? Okay, we'll give you the dumbed-down version. A dumded-down bible for a dumbed-down people. I'm afraid it's things like this that really make me question my faith..... in my fellow man that is.

[Adrian II]

That wasn't my point at all. I'm much more discouraged with the decision to do this. What's that you say? It's too tough to read a book?

You will not be surprised that I totally agree with you. I have not seen the new Canterbury Lite Bible, but if it is a dumbed-down version as it appears to be, then most of the intellectual wealth of the Vulgate, which is in the details, will be lost. Indeed, what is the use? Might as well condense Beethoven's Fifth into three minutes of synthesizer .. oh wait, that's been done already...

[Goofball]

"A bloke named Jesus said be nice to each other so they killed him , but he came back from the dead and said ""honestly I mean it"" , so be nice to each other "

All joking aside, that is pure genius.

If being a Christian meant subscribing only to the above belief, I would sign up in a nano-second.

[ah_dut]

Gah! I don't know about this bible apart from reading about it in the metro. It seems to have jumped the shark a little though, I mean if you're going that far why not do Tribesman's version? It seems to work better

As for the accuracy argument, any text that old and still in use is no doubt constantly revised and changed. However, taking the bible as it is now and then shortening it seems to miss the important stuff in the use of a bible in some situations...minuitiae

[Don Corleone]

Well, ah_dut conventional wisdom says that the bible has been tinkered with for millenia, to make it say what the Pope wanted it to say. There's two problems with this theory...

Even though the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church have differed significantly in theology and dogma for 1000 years, their bibles are essentially congruous.

And, in the 1950s, an archeologic dig found a number of scrolls preserved in a cave, the famous Dead Sea Scrolls. While there was only a fragment of Mark's Gospel to reprsent the New Testament, the Old Testament was surprisingly similar to modern translations. What's more, the differences could most easily be attributed to stylistic differences (in other words, modern people didn't get the subtleties of ancient Aramaic. Imagine that!?)

I agree with Tribesman and others though. If the Bible itself is too difficult a text to get through, the 100 minute version isn't going to be any better. It needs to be the 2 minute version... just long enough to be read during a commerical break on American televsion. Give me a freakin break.

[ah_dut]

I'm not saying that it's tinkered to anybody's tastes per se but think of it like a game of chinese whispers where things you'd never think existed turn up at the end.

Hey, Tribesman's version of the 1 minute bible isn't bad Don

I'm not sure I get the subtleties of many modern languages let alone 4,000 year old ones

[Don Corleone]

You've got a good point Ah_Dut, but you're overlooking one thing. When you play Chinese whispers, you don't think you'll be damned to eternal torment if you don't do your utmost to get every last word correct to the best of your ability.

But yeah, while we're on this subject, some other great works in history that could deal with some revision to fit into our busy schedules...

The U.S. Constitution: We're in charge, you're not. Get over it.

A Tale of Two Cities: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. (That's all).

War And Peace: There was some war. Then a little peace. Then of course, some more war.

Grey's Anatomy: Whoop, there it is!

[A.Saturnus]

" 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[b] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[c] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Isn´t that already a summary of all?

[Don Corleone]

Amen brother.

[Goofball]

Yep, sounds good to me.

Somebody gimme hallelujah!