Conservatives Caught Recreating the Bible in Their Own Image

[ensho]

http://blog.buzzflash.com/analysis/919

Conservatives Caught Recreating the Bible in Their Own Image Are Preaching to the Right-Wing Choir


We've been hearing rumblings all around the blogosphere, from news tips to tweets to comments on our stories, submitted by progressives worried about conservatives trying to rewrite the Bible in their own political language. Because we so value our readers concerns, we looked into it.

The effort, called the Conservative Bible Project, comes from Conservapedia, a right-wing online "encyclopedia" founded in November 2006 by Andrew Schlafly, son of conservative activists John and Phyllis Schlafly. Conservapedia itself seems to have been inspired by an intense anger from perhaps being rejected by Wikipedia. Its own thread on Wikipedia has this to say about the site's supposed political bent:

Wikipedia shows a systematic bias in that tiny proportion of articles which treat controversial issues. It ignores its own policy when it allows contributors to "delete well-referenced information" merely because it comes from a scientist who holds a minority view. It would only be a violation, if the article used the information to give a false impression of the proportion of scientists adhering to that view, but liberals use "undue weight" like a sledge hammer. They are either unaware or unconcerned about their bias.

Wow. Bitter anyone?
-snip-
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and


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/05/conservative-bible-projec_n_310037.html


Conservative Bible Project Cuts Out Liberal Passages


Lo and behold, the Bible has gotten too liberal, according to a group of conservatives. And it needs a little editing.

That's the inspiration behind the Conservative Bible Project, which seeks to take the text back to its supposed right-wing roots.

Yes, even scripture is not orthodox enough for the modern conservative. Not that it's the fault of the author(s), exactly. The group cites a few reasons why the Bible is too progressive: "Lack of precision in the original language ... lack of precision in modern language" and "translation bias in converting the original language to the modern one."

So how can the Bible be conservatized? The group has proposed a Wikipedia-like group editing project. Some of the ideas would only bring the translation closer to the original. But others would fundamentally change the text.

-snip-

Among the words to be eliminated: "government." A conservative columnist at Beliefnet described the effort as "just crazy ... like what you'd get if you crossed the Jesus Seminar with the College Republican chapter at a rural institution of Bible learnin'."
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the religiously insane are dangerous and should be removed from all positions of power in our govt.

[Ian David]

1. Stephen Colbert wants us to write him into parts of the Conservative Bible. n/t

[tomg]

12. And the site is now down

for "maintenance." Hilarious. Remember wikipedia and the elephants.

[Ian David]

15. Looks like it's still up

http://conservapedia.com/Conservative_Bible_Project

[tomg]

16. I don't know if that is bad news

or good news. I do want to see what happens with Colbert.

[Ozymanithrax]

2. They are creating their own Holy Book. It will be every bit as valid..

as any one of the translations that exist since Constantine the Great had the whole thing put together. If the LDS can write their own holy scripture and Jefferson can make his own bible, so can right wing religious fanatics.

Until God comes down and designates, in person, a particular version of holy writ, they are all just human interpretation of history, myth, and desire.

[kenfrequed]

10. Valid?

I cannot speak to the validity of such a book. I would imagine some Christians are going to be angry at this modification.


But validity is not what worries me. What worries me is the attempt to substitute the word 'Intellectual' for Pharisee. The Pharisees were the hide bound literalists not intellectuals.

By subbing in the word 'intellectual' you may as well be saying the word 'thinker.' The whole thing has more than the odor of facism.

[OHdem10]

3. I guess all that "Peace" talk and all those admonitions to care for

poor and oh yes, all that forgiveness talk--is just more
than they can bear. (sarcasm)

[niyad]

4. "lack of precision in the original language"??? according to them, the bible is the authentic word

of god--so, according to them, god screwed up--did not speak clearly.
some omnipotent god, eh?

do they even have a freaking clue how utterly contradictory and insane their justifications are, given that they say the bible is the accurate word of their creator?

[Winterblues]

8. It is blasphemy plain and simple.

There word is more important than that of God in their opinion..

[CJCRANE]

5. Um...if you don't like the Bible

maybe you're not cut out to be a Christian?

:shrug:

[qb]

6. Another great split. Soon there will be...

Judaism
Islam
Christianity
&
Conservianity

[Historic NY]

7. them damn Liberal Apostles & Christians.....

..Is Jesus a liberal Jesus or conservative Jesus? I think their actions pretty well sum it up.

[rurallib]

9. Will the new version have the story of Jesus and the merchants in the Temple?

How Jesus helped set up their stalls and gave them tips on making more profits?
I always thought that other version was fake.

[Historic NY]

11. It will have a sermon on the importance of off-shore tax shelters.

[rurallib]

14. Will the beatitudes begin "Blessed are the rich ...."?

[BlooInBloo]

13. Sure. Like people have always done, from day 1.