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Why don't they know?

Mon, 2008-03-03 23:39 — HELLIFIMWRONG
Question:: 
I may have found the holy grail that shuts them up! Ask who was king james and how did that version come to be? very few have a clue and the few that do dont want to talk anymore. could you please give a short history of HENRY V111 <serial killer> started his version. a book they say is the word of gODD hmmm I guess history isnt taught in sunday school
Atheist Answer: 

Here's the Wikipedia page on the King James Version of the Bible.

Here's a very quick version: Henry VIII of England had the Bible translated into English for the first time (before that, it was in Latin) while establishing himself as the head of what would become the Church of England. James VI of Scotland (also James I of England; same guy, different numbers for each country he ruled) later commissioned his own English version which was as non-controversial as he could manage but did have a few bits geared to support his own divine right to rule. (Charles I later relied unsuccessfully on this divine right when on trial for high treason, and was beheaded.)

The KJV (for short) is special because there are those who believe it's the only accurate and reliable translation, over and above even the original texts in Hebrew and Greek. (Remember that the people in the New Testament would have spoken Aramaic.) There appears to be no solid basis for this belief except for the fact that the KJV is really very well-written.

Pointing out the human origins of the Bible and its different versions is always a good way to make Christians think and examine the sources of their beliefs. It's hardly a skeptic's Holy Grail, however, because many Christians simply declare that God guided everyone even remotely involved in the writing, editing, translation, publication and distribution of the particular Bible they use. Same goes for any holy text before or since. It's never just a bunch of stuff some person wrote, it's always divinely inspired if not actually written by gods.

Quick comment on the questioner's handle: it's not necessarily Hell for you if you're wrong, only if you're wrong and some religion with a Hell is right. Even then you might get off in some cases.

- SmartLX

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Thu, 2008-04-03 20:22 — A. D'Adamo (not verified)

Who is King James?

In 1591 Euphanie Macalyane accepts a potion from her midwife to lessen the terrible pain of childbirth. Believers see childbirth pain as punishment for Eve’s sin (Genesis 3:16) and are enraged that any woman would try to evade God’s punishment. So the pious James VI, then King of Scotland, later King of England, brings Euphanie to Edinburgh and burns the young mother alive at the stake. (He also has scripture translated into English: he’s the "King James" of the King James Version.)

- An excerpt from my book at http://ACounterfeitGod.com

Tue, 2008-04-08 20:34 — Anonymous Coward (not verified)

posted by a forward I don't

posted by a forward
I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I don't agree with Darwin , but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his Theory of Evolution.

Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game. So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire Book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game.

But it's a Christian prayer, some will argue.

Yes, and this is the United States of America , a country founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect -- somebody chanting Hare Krishna?

If I went to a football game in Jerusalem , I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.

If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad , I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer.

If I went to a ping pong match in China , I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.

And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit. When in Rome ..

But what about the atheists? Is another argument.

What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand. Call your lawyer!

Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations.

Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.

God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you…well, just sue me.

Tue, 2008-04-08 21:58 — SmartLX

Speaking for yourself?

It's difficult to reply to the above when the context of the original post is unknown. It's also unrelated to the question. (In future, avoid non-sequiturs by making brand new questions.) Regardless, to the original poster:

A great many people do go to lawyers when evolution is taught to their kids. It's just less common nowadays because evolution has the upper hand in the courts, especially after Edwards v. Aguilard and the Dover trial. Now they fight to have evolution criticised as it's taught.

Exactly what Christian principles was America founded upon? Are they exclusively Christian, or are they just common sense? Are they good principles because they're in the Bible, or were they put in the Bible because they were already good principles?

You seem to suggest that the majority religion has the right to conduct its rituals (e.g. prayer) in public. I would say that all religions have this right, not just the most successful one.

However if you would not tolerate a Muslim prayer being said before an American football game, if you could not go to the bathroom or make a phone call or simply say a quiet Christian prayer while a Shinto cleansing ritual was carried out on the goal posts, then it is hypocritical to demand that the non-Christians in the audience put up with the equivalent. And there will be more than one or two. They're Americans no less than the Christians are.

You have every right to pray, and every right to preach. But a loudspeaker prayer before a football game means that everyone who bought a ticket must endure a commercial for Christianity to get their money's worth. It's effectively a captive audience, like in school or the military. So non-Christians oppose it for the same reasons as they oppose prayer in public schools.

"God, help us..." doesn't offend me. I just don't think it's going to help anybody.