I stumbled upon yet another misguided Bible translation. This time instead of one lonely person with their Strong’s concordance in hand, the WikiProject Wiki Bible opens their doors to anyone with a keyboard.
Not to be elitist, but not everyone should have a hand in translating ancient texts, not even everyone who claims to “know” the language(s). Translation is a very complicated and challenging process, especially when translating something as emotionally charged as the Bible. Furthermore, religious/ideological commitments are bound to come into play. What’s going to happen when several “editors” of the Wiki Bible say, from Pentecostal, Mormon, Presbyterian, Baha’i, secular, and Islamic backgrounds, have a tug of war match back and forth as they take turns altering the text?
Apart from the faulty general premise, the first sign of trouble appears in their appeal for help:
This is a work in progress. Everyone is welcome.
If you know Greek or Hebrew, claim a chapter!
News flash to the WikiProject: the Bible also contains substantial portions of Aramaic. If you don’t know this, you might not be the best person to instigate a translation.
Maybe the Aramaic portions were already claimed? ;-D
Extending the discussion beyond simply Bible translation, why is it that when it comes to the bible and theology that everyone believes it is not only their right, but their place to assert their own opinions? This is “priesthood of the believers” working to an extreme that would appall the Reformers.
These same people likely would not tell their doctor that his diagnosis was wrong because they read the chart differently (although with the advent of the internet and things like WebMD, I could be mistaken . . . ).
There is a difference between being elitist and acknowledging that one’s training/expertise should carry more weight than the average Joe’s . . .
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