Hello Jeff,

>LL>All translations have certain biases.  The KJV is no different. Some
>LL>translations of the bible are good.  Other translations are horrible.  T
>LL>same thing is true of other religious texts, such as the Qur'an.  There
>LL>simply is no such thing as a "one text fits all" when
>LL>it comes to religion.

JS>Hello Lee. While I have long been a KJV advocate, for reasons which
JS>I explain in my series "In Defense Of The KJV", which you can read
JS>here...

JS>www.endtimeprophecy.net/EPN-1/GroupPages/grupakjv.html

JS>...nevertheless, even I am willing to admit that the KJV Bible is
JS>not a perfect work.

No work of man is ever perfect.  But the gospel accounts must be
taken as accurate, if the story is to be believed.  That is the only
record we really have, meaning we must accept that record a priori.

No book of the bible is a history.  Not even the gospel accounts.
It is more a revealing of religious truth(s).  Those who wrote the
gospel accounts were believers.  Nobody knows who the actual people
who wrote them were.  Nor is that really important.  The Jewish
people accept the writings of the Torah as true, just as Christians
accept the gospels as true, same as Muslims accept the Qu'ran as
true.

JS>Is it God-inspired? Yes, I do believe that it is; but because
JS>the actual physical work was done by man, and because man is not
JS>perfect, then obviously, human flaws will have crept into the Bible.

Muslims argue that the Torah when given to man by God was perfect,
but was later "corrupted" by man.  Muslims also argue that the Gospels
when given to man by God was perfect, but was later "corrupted" by
man.  Naturally, Muslims argue the Qur'an when given by God to man was
also perfect.  Within the first century of Islam, the Qu'ran was also
"corrupted", which is why Muslims destroyed later editions of the
Qu'ran, the idea to keep the Qur'an "pure."  That is why the Qur'an
must be recited in Arabic at all mosques.  English won't cut it.
French won't cut it.  Nor any other language.  It has to be Arabic.

What is God-inspired?  How do we know something to be God-inspired?
The Prophet Muhammad did not know if the Qur'an was the work of God
or of the Devil.  It took his wife, Fatima, to convince him it was
the work of God, rather than the Devil.

As Christians, we believe the Gospel to be God-inspired.
Naturally, Jews believe the Torah to be God-inspired, and
Muslims believe the Qur'an to be God-inspired.

If Christians believed in the same way as Muslims (or Jews), Christians
would not be Christians.  If Muslims believed in the same way as
Christians (or Jews), Muslims would not be Muslims.  If Jews believed
in the same way as Christians (or Muslims), Jews would not be Jewish.

JS>But here's the thing -- and again, I explain this in my articles -- what
JS>non-believers cannot apparently understand, is that inspite of the
JS>manipulation of the Bible by both political and religious forces over the
JS>centuries, if we truly believe that God is who He says He is, then we must
JS>also believe that He has been able to preserve the most important essence
JS>of His Word; the central message, of course, being Salvation through
JS>Jesus Christ.

What is a "non-believer"?  Muslims call all non-believers
"infidels".
Yet Muslims give honor to Jews and Christians, calling them "People of
the Book" - whose religion is tolerated because all believe in one God.

The Jewish way of salvation is not the same as the Christian or Muslim
way of salvation.  Peoples of different faiths have different beliefs.

Just because one is Jewish does not mean he/she is damned.
Just because one is Muslim does not mean he/she is damned.
Just because one is non-Christian does not mean he/she is damned.
Just because somebody calls himself/herself a Christian does
not save them from eternal damnation.

When Jesus was dying on the cross, he made believers out of
everybody, including others being executed, as well as Roman
soldiers who were doing the executing.

He made even more believers after He had risen from the grave,
scaring the living bejeezus out of everyone who saw Him walking
the streets of Jerusalem.

So who are we to say who are "non-believers"?

--Lee


 * SLMR 2.1a * All wiyht.  Rho sritched mg kegtops awound?

--- Maximus 3.01