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A new politically-correct translation of the German Bible popped up recently at a Frankfurt, Germany bookfair.
Compiled by a group of "52 Biblical specialists," the new German version seeks to remove language considered offensive by feminist and others in the politically-correct crowd.
It is called "The Bible in a more just language" and was published by Pastor Martin Dreyer, the founder of a group called 'Jesus Freaks.'
The Bible seeks to de-masculinize the Bible in every way except one. For example, Jesus teaches us a new way of prayer, it's now "Our mother and father who are in heaven" instead of "Father."
Jesus is no longer called the "Son of God", now He is the "Child of God." "Lord" in all its male repugnance is translated "God" or "Eternal One."
The one exception is the devil who is still referred to as "he." It's a curious exception and one that certainly keeps many feminists happy.
This new version also corrects many of the traditional views of Biblical incidents. Most Christians are unaware Jesus fed the multitudes hamburgers, instead of fish and loaves. In fact if another correction is any indication, they were probably Big Macs.
How do we know this - well according to this German version, after the young prodigal son squandered his wealth he ended up cleaning bathrooms at Macdonalds.
Gender-neutrality -- a major component of political correctness -- requires other changes references to "mankind" are rewritten as "persons" or "humankind," "sons" become "children or child," "brothers" are changed to "brothers and sisters."
This is just another in a line of Bibles published over the past few years to appease the politically-correct crowd. In 1995, the Oxford Press published "The New Testament Psalms: An Inclusive Version," which makes similar revisions to the scripture as the German bible including changing references to God as "Father" to "mother-father."
A New Testament published in 1994 by Priests for Equality went so far as to de-sex Jesus. No longer is our Lord referred to as the "Son of God" He is called "the Chosen One" or "the Human One."
Sadly, even the widely read New International Version (NIV) has been caught up in the fad. The NIV, published by the International Bible Society (IBS) and printed through Zondervan is the second most popular translation of the Bible behind the King James.
The concern for conservatives is gender-neutrality requires translators ignore the original language and essentially rewrite scripture. Though employing gender-neutral terminology, as of yet the IBS has not changed the male references to God and Jesus .
In 1996, the NIV published a gender-neutral children's Bible. Initially, IBS's first foray into gender-neutrality went unnoticed. However, when it was finally caught, IBS revised and republished in 1998 with gender neutrality removed.
Undaunted, the IBS made its second sortie into gender neutrality releasing its "Inclusive Language Edition" in Great Britain in 1996 for the Anglican church.
Perhaps the most disturbing notation was not found in the scriptural changes but in the preface. Here the translators stated, "it was often appropriate to mute the patriarchalism of the culture of the biblical writers through gender-inclusive language when this could be done without compromising the message of the Spirit."
However, this notation suggested to some, the IBS was trashing the conservative view scriptural inerrancy.
IBS intended to release this translation in the US as its NIV Bible, but its plans were thwarted by an article in World magazine entitled "The Stealth Bible: The popular New International version is quietly going gender-neutral".
Initially IBS backed off when conservatives such as Dr. James Dobson and J.I. Packer publicly condemned their plans. Conservative Christians are big buyers of the NIV and fearing a public backlash, IBS added the phrase "Inclusive Language edition" to the name.
However, in 2005 IBS ploughed ahead with its third gender-neutral Bible, Today's New International Version (TNIV) removing any reference to gender neutrality in the title.
TNIV has no problem changing scripture even when the writer was clearly addressing males. Examples include 1 Thess 4:3-8, where Paul exhorted men to flee sexual immorality and if need be to take a wife. It changes the reference to "brothers and sisters" and doesn't even bother to footnote its rewrite of the original scriptures.
Another example is seen in Isaiah 19:16, where the prophet says "In that day, the Egyptians will become like women and they will tremble with fear" (NASV). To avoid sterotyping women, TNIV changes it to "In that day the Egyptians will become weaklings."
I quit using the NIV years ago and started using the New American Standard Bible which in my opinion is one of the most literal translations of the original Scriptures available today.
Source: http://www.bible-researcher.com/ / German scholars unveil "politically correct" Bible (cwnews.com: November 13, 2006) / The gender-neutral Bible controversy: Muting the masculinity o God's words by Siebenthal, Heinrich von (findarticles.com)
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