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New Bible yanks Father, Jesus as Son of God

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WND EXCLUSIVE

NEW BIBLE YANKS 'FATHER,' JESUS AS 'SON OF GOD'


Islam-sensitive project ignites controversy, online petition
Published: 1 day ago

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(http://www.wnd.com/2012/01/new (http://www.addtoany.com/sha -bibleyanksIn the world of questionable and sometimes downright silly Bible translations, one would think that it couldn fatherany worse. jesus-asAfter all, weve seen the In da beginnin Big Daddy created da heaven an son-ofEbonics Bible, as well as the Apostles Log Star Trek English paraphrase Bible. In god/print/) a more serious effort, the New Oxford Annotated Bible was created in part by pro gay and feminist scholars in order to set forth a more gay revisionist interpretation of Scripture. By Joel Richardson

But now there is a major controversy developing as the latest altered Bibles are being created by organizations that most would think of as being more conservative and reasonable. At the forefront of the controversy are the Wycliffe Bible Translators, the Summer Institute of Linguistics and Frontiers, all of which are producing Bible translations that remove or modify terms which they have deemed offensive to Muslims. Thats right: Muslim-friendly Bibles.

Included in the controversial development is the removal of any references to God as Father, to Jesus as the Son or the Son of God. One example of such a change ca be seen in an Arabic version of the Gospel of Matthew produced and promoted by Frontiers and SIL. It changes Matthew 28:19 from this: baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit to this: cleanse them by water in the name of Allah, his Messiah and his Holy Spirit.

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A large number of such Muslim-sensitive translations already are published and well circulated in several Muslim-majority nations such as Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia. According to Joshua Lingel of i2 Ministries, (http://www.i2ministries.org/index.php? option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=9) Even more dramatic a change is the Arabic and Bangla (Bangladesh) translations. In Arabic, Bible translations err by translating Father as Lord. Guardian. and God. In Bangla, Son of God is mistranslated Messiah of God consistent with the Qurans Isa al (Jesus the Messiah), which references the merely human Jesus.

In response to these translations, many within the evangelical missions movement as well as many former Muslim converts and indigenous Christians from countries where these translations are being used, are indignant. After numerous appeals have been rejected, a petition has been launched (http://www.change.org/petitions/lost translation-keep-father-son-in-the-bible) to call for the end to the translations. More than 3,000 already have signed up. While the organizations that are promoting these translations are adamant that replacing such terms as Father with Lord or Master best conveys the inspired meaning of the text, many of the indigenous Christian leaders from the countries where these translations are being promoted are broadly rejecting the translations. The indigenous believers see the introduction of these American-made translations with which they so strongly disagree as a form of American cultural imperialism or colonialism. According to Turkish pastor Fikret Bcek, such new translations are, an all-American idea with absolutely no respect for the sacredness of Scripture, or even of the growing Turkish church.

According to the testimony of one leader from a church in Bangladesh, one of the most problematic aspects of this development is that it gives fuel to the often-heard Muslim claim that Christians are liars who change their Bibles t deceive Muslims. Once a Bible translation is well established within any country, the introduction of such radically different translations reinforces the Muslim charge and undermines trust in the Christian community.

According to Lingel, who can be contacted at info@i2ministries.org, (info@i2ministries.org) the crisis in methodology is largely due to a postmodern literary bias that has crept into some translation circles in recent decades. Such translations would seem to demand that the divine author of the Bible change rather than the Muslim reader.

But Jesus demanded that many of his listeners change, says Lingel, explaining that instead of demanding that Muslim readers change their understanding of God, these translations seem to convey that God must accommodate the religious prejudices of Muslims.

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Lingel is also the co-editor of a new book, Chrislam: How Missionaries Are Promoting an Islamized Gospel, (http://www.i2ministries.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=113:bookchrislam&catid=26:books-category) which represents the first major response against Muslim-sensitive translation as well as the larger movement often referred to as the Insider Movement or Chrislam. According to reports, of the roughly 200 translation projects Wycliffe/SIL linguists have undertaken in Muslim contexts, about 30 or 40 remove the terms father and son with reference to God and Jesus. Lingels response is quite direct, These projects need to be defunded.

Yet according to a recent Forbes 200 Largest U.S. Charities report, the Orlando-based Wycliffe Bible Translator USA is the third most well-funded religious charity in the states. (http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features religion-world/2011/12/12/orlandos-wycliffe-ranks-third-among-religious-charities/)

Proponents of the Insider Movement claim that this method of reaching Muslims is bearing great fruit. Opponents, however, point out that the so-called converts within the Insider Movement remain hidden within their Muslim culture, continue to attend mosque, pray like a Muslim, acknowledge Muhammad as a prophet, the Quran as inspir and make the Muslim credal confession, known as the shahada.

Some now claim that there are as many as 300,000-1.2 million new Insider believers in Bangladesh. But one for Insider who left the movement and speaks out in Lingels Chrislam book reports that the number of insiders couldn be more than 10,000. According to this source, many of the claims are greatly exaggerated so as to bring in more funding from wealthy American missionary organizations.

Other former Insiders have reported publicly that many Insiders are really Muslims who will do whatever it takes the jobs and money they are offered by pro-IM ministries to feed their families, Lingel says.

Further questioning the funding and support of well-known Christian organizations of this movement, Lingel recounts, I have consulted with the leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention on missions and evangelism among Muslims at various times [Who] stated that there are tens of thousands of Isa al-masih jamaats, or congregations, in northern Africa. But the members of these jamaats call themselves Muslims, do not believe in th Trinity and believe Muhammad is a prophet of God. Are they Christians or Muslims? Why talk about them in term of missionary success?

In response to what many Christians see as a heretical movement based on deception, Lingels i2 Ministries is in th process of completing a video-based university called Mission Muslims World University, with 40 of the most experienced professors from around the world teaching courses in Muslim ministries, Islamic Studies, apologetics, evangelism and discipleship.
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ambeidrew (http://disqus.com/wnd5165bb7092845d883f5d8fd52d1f32b5/) There are a lot of false statements being made on this issue. Here is the official statement and response from SIL

(Wycliffe's sister field organization): http://www.sil.org/sil/news/20... (http://www.sil.org/sil/news/2012/SIL-Son translation.htm;) http://www.sil.org/translation... (http://www.sil.org/translation/divine_familial_terms.htm). The following i Wycliffe's stand: "we strongly affirm the eternal deity of Jesus Christ and require that it be preserved in all translations. Scripture translations must promote understanding of the term 'the Son of God' in all its richness, Jesus' relationship as Son with God the Father."
6 hours ago

Hussein Wario (http://disqus.com/google7b24482c6a30fcd6fc2321748801aa1f/) Mr. Campbell: Would you please point out what the "false statements" are in this article? I would like to respond if you out. By the way, I found your name via Twitter. I understand Wycliffe/SIL personnel's penchant for pseudonyms public discourse. I am trying to break that cycle. Let the discussion begin.
3 hours ago in reply to ambeidrew

David Irvine My first reaction to this was disbelief, no one would do this, surely not Wycliffe. What I have found to be true makes my

heart sink. As I prepared to go work in West Asia for Wycliffe I was given charts that planned out how this new paradigm translation was to be implemented. First in the language of the majority religion (Islam). Once that was done

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was to be worked into the minority religions. In a powerpoint presentation for language program managers Andy Clark (o

the board of directors of SIL Eurasia group) prepared he talks about the backlash that this new paradigm will generate fr the "man in the pew" and the church. It talks about planning a corporate answer... Ladies and gentlemen, this is bigger t just removing or altering a few words in the Bible. It is about the leadership adopting a new theology (at least they are defending it down to the wire). When questioned about it they are not forthright or transparent. They hold up doctrinal...show more
7 hours ago 2 Likes

Jill Martin Rische (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1314177003) (http://disqus.com/facebook1314177003/) Muslim Insider Groups intent on rewriting the Bible (from a missionary to the Muslim people): "They also have influence over the Bible Society...because this is really sad, you know, because they have their people in the U.S.A." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzPK93pI65I)

7 hours ago

2 Likes

LouiseCA (http://disqus.com/LouiseCA/) But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 Pet. 2:1
7 hours ago 2 Likes

Col Ben Miles (http://www.facebook.com/people/Col-Ben-Miles/1360612803) (http://disqus.com/facebook1360612803/) Revelation 22:19 And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the book of life from the holy city and from the things which are written in this book".
7 hours ago 4 Likes

margaretpaddock (http://disqus.com/google995a09189b95faa2727aaa96ff3fce9d/) future. All God ever asked is that one believe in faith. So if they do not, well.............they will learn.

They can call it a bible if they want but that does not change the original. They are lost souls and they are risking their o

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God is the final judge, not man.


8 hours ago 1 Like

admasi (http://profile.yahoo.com/GMXO2D7GL4QFWCG6UF3RZEZ7GU) (http://disqus.com/yahooGMXO2D7GL4QFWCG6UF3RZEZ7GU/) Wycliffe Bible Translators-SIL in their "Audio Panoramic Bible" translated from the Arabic (UrbedLuke01) renders Luke 1 -35 as follows: The day that Gabriel went to [lit. arrived] Mary, God said: Peace be upon you! You are the one that God honors. Our master is with you! What is that you are saying, and what is this greeting? Do not fear, oh Mary! God is pleased with you and you will become pregnant and give birth to a boy and you will call boy, Isa. He will be great among all the people and he will be the king, Gods Caliph, the exalted. And God will give him the throne of the prophet David, his great [lit. first] grandfather. And he will lead over the leaders his tribe, the sons of Jacob. And his leadership will last [for all] time. How can I have a boy and [until] now no man has approached me? The spirit of God will [contrary to standard Bible translations in Arabic, spirit of God...show more
9 hours ago 1 Like

William Brown (http://disqus.com/google459e809a129b01d4445da435c9a9cfa1/) Admasi, please be careful as you stand before God and ignorantly accuse thousands of His most committed

sacrificial children of serious crimes (Rev. 12:10-11). May God be merciful to you! My wife, family and I spent 2 years working with Wycliffe to learn a previously unwritten language, produce literacy & basic health materials a

eventually complete a New Testament for an isolated group of people you have even heard of. Much of that tim meant living without electricity, running water, telephone, or medical care for our children. There was cost in the world's eyes. Yet, we are convinced we did what God designed us to do. I am not only very familiar with Wycliffe's translation policies but was also trained as a translation consultant to help other translators

communicate the original meaning of the Greek text as accurately and clearly as feasible in a given language. T be clear we retired from Wycliffe after finishing the translation a few years ago. I am not in an official role representing them. But I do know...show more
6 hours ago in reply to admasi 1 Like

Sosipater_Zelophehad

(http://disqus.com/margaretpaddock/) William Brown, how is faithfully translating what Wycliffe Bible Translators-SIL has produced in Arabic b into English "ignorantly accus[ing] thousands of His most committed sacrificial children of serious crimes

At the very least I have a clear conscience in what I have written which is more than can be said for thos

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who pervert God's Word. For those who can read and understand Arabic I encourage all to part of WBT-SIL's "Audio Panoramic Bible" at http://alanbiya.net/ (http://alanbiya.net/) under Masih" part 1, around the 10 minute mark and see if what I have written is accurate or not. Your fear mongering and emotional appeal sidesteps the ugly reality that WBT-SIL are preaching another gospel through these mistranslations (Galatians 1:6-9). Moreover, I have a PowerPoint dated 11 Feb 2004 from Rick (Richard) Brown, SIL member,

this as an "Audio Panoramic Bible," that was given to me by Steve(n) Coats of WBT and president of Sabeel Media prior to the distribution campaign among Iraqi Muslims in the Detroit area. Mr. Coats also wrote in...show more
2 hours ago in reply to William Brown

M Subscribe by email S RSS (http://wnd-news.disqus.com/new_bible_yanks_father_jesus_as_son_of_god/latest.rss)

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