Christians: Most-often used Bible version?

[Sapphocrat]

Yes, there's a reason for this, and I promise I'll explain later. For now, just tell me: What version of the Bible do you consult, primarily?

Any explanation as to why (e.g., "That's what we were raised with in XYZ Church," or "None, because the nuns told us NEVER to read the Bible without guidance") would be appreciated.

(Sorry there are only 10 choices!)

[Supormom]

1. NIV

It is used by the church I attend and by my children in their Sunday School classes.

[whathappened]

2. book that was in front of us

nt

[Maraya1969]

3. What I am doing to spread out message

I am posting this here because I cannot start a thread but I have a good idea about how we can get the message out to the Right Wing. I have collected a ton of email addresses that appear to be from Rebulicans because they were sent by a few people and I copied all the names AND the names of the people that forwarded the messages, (sometimes there are several forwards to get email addresses from). I have sent several emails explaning the hypocricy of the Christian view point for voting for George Bush. The following is a letter I just sent with a link to an article I found here about Hitler and how he was a Christian and used his Christianity to excuse his attrocious acts. I will put the letter in the next post becuase I hear the posts cannot be very long.

[Maraya1969]

4. My letter

For everyone who voted for George Bush because of 'Moral" values or because he was a "Good Christian" and wanted to suppress homosexuals and stem cell research and abortion, read below about Hitler and how he used his Christianity to take over Germany and kill millions of people in the name of God. Fundamental Christians who want to make this County into a Fundamentalist Christian country are too similar to the Taliban to feel safe anymore. And everyone who voted for George Bush because he is Pro-life remember that 1,000 US soldiers are now DEAD, 100,000 Iraqi citizens are DEAD including 40,000 innocent children. He attacked an unarmed country and concealed it as a "War on Terror". The terrorists did not come from Iraq. Actually Iraq could not harbor terrorists as a rule because they were under a Dictatorship run by a man who was NOT RELIGIOUS. There was no Jihad pushed by Saddam Hussein because was not into Jihads!

If you are Pro-Death Penalty. If you are Pro war. Then you are NOT Pro-Life!

(Are you Pro-Life or just Pro-Birth?)

[Maraya1969]

5. The article I included

Hitler, the Christian

Religion and The Holocaust: Was Hitler a Christian:

http://www.infidels.org/org/ffrf/fttoday/march97/holocaust.html

Hitler not only got brought up as a Roman Catholic Christian, but he expressed his Christian views into adulthood, including his period as Chancellor of the German Third Reich. One only need read Mein Kampf to see the extent of his Biblical beliefs. The German populace knew well about Hitler's book and it became a best-seller second only to the Bible. Furthermore, Hitler expressed his Christian feelings even more intensely in his speeches and proclamations throughout his power reign.
Although some might counter that Hitler's admission to Christianity, by itself, does not make one a Christian, how else can an individual convey to another his religion except from their own confession? One of the tenants of Christian belief, indeed the definition of a Christian, comes from the Pauline epistles in regards to faith in Jesus:
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
-Galatians 2:16

To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
-Romans 3:26-28

Paul, by declaring faith in Jesus over law, effectively separated Christianity from Judaism. It came from these Pauline declarations that first defined Christianity. Belief in Jesus serves as the only requirement for membership into the Christian community. Christianity does not require adhering to Old Testament laws or membership to any Church or abstaining from evil deeds. One need only have faith in Jesus for its justification, period.

Although Hitler did not attend church regularly and later criticized the Church for their rejection of his reformation of a unified German Church, at no time did Hitler criticize God or Jesus. He always maintained an honor and belief in Jesus. This alone put him as a Christian believer. But Hitler went beyond just belief in Jesus; he devoted his entire political life to deeds aimed at creating a race of people in the pure image of God.

Some claim that Hitler lied when promoting religion, for political reasons (without citing a shred of evidence), but nothing in the historical record indicates this, nor would there appear any reason for him to do so. Even if he lied in Mein Kampf, why would he continue to consider himself a Christian after he held absolute German power? Why spend so much valuable resources to rid Germany of Jews if not from some profound justification? Hate of Jews alone cannot explain it. The hate must stem from some source and the historical record shows that anti-Judaism had long lived in the minds of Christians ever since Paul separated his community of believers from the law and people of Judaism.
Just as revealingly, not only did Hitler present his religious beliefs in his speeches, but his own private notes reveal the influence of the Bible, long before he came into power. In one of his notes, he describes the Bible as the monumental history of mankind and used the Old Testament race laws as the foundation for his views against the Jews, which later turned into the Nazi Nuremberg race laws
Many Christians have attempted to destroy Hitler's claimed Christianity by pointing out that his actions did not appear Christian-like (whatever that means). Therefore, so the hypothesis goes, no "true" Christian would cause "evil" deeds. But again, the Bible does not define Christianity in terms of deeds regardless of how good or evil they seem. Yet it came through his very deeds that Hitler confessed his work for the Lord:
Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord.
-Hitler (Mein Kampf)
Hitler's work of the Lord only agrees with Biblical scripture:
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

[Sapphocrat]

6. Who are you, and why...

...are you reading my mind? :D

If we don't cross paths on this thread again, PM me when you get PM privileges.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[Maraya1969]

10. Hi Sappocrat!

You'd better put me in your buddy list because I just checked and it said I have to be a donor to get that privilege. I can do that but not while I'm rushing to get out the door, (I rush really well don't I?)

We should figure out a way to get email lists of right wingers. I got a lot of my names because my mother is a Repub and she mistakenly sent me some forwards. They started way back after 9/11 by circulating an email trying to blame Bill Clinton for the attacks! Then several months ago they sent one around reminding all the seniors to tell all the "younger ones" about Chappaquiddick(sp) and Ted Kennedy and how one of the Kennedy cousins was, "credibly accused of rape" GAWD!

So they started their campaign years ago. We need to do that to!

[bobbieinok]

7. pentecostals/charismatics--NIV, new KJ

although in seminary, theology classes it's often the new RSV....which is really strange, because when it first came out fundamentalists attacked it as anti-christian; it translated the Isaiah passage 'behold, a virgin shall conceive...' as 'behold, a young woman shall conceive...'

[Joy Anne]

8. NRSV

That's the translation used in scholarly work, including theology. It's the most accurate, up-to-date translation of the texts that are the most ancient. That's what I read when I'm reading for specific meaning.

However, the King James is (and probably always will be) the most beautiful and poetic English translation. It's what I read for pleasure.

[WoodrowFan]

9. NRSV for study, "Good News" for just reading.

When I just want to read the Bible I use "Good News for Modern Man." If I'm preparing for Bible Study class I use the NRSV. It's a ood translation and it's what the PCUSA uses (my church).

[Sapphocrat]

11. Some explanation

First, thank you to everyone who responded. Perhaps we'll get a few more votes in this poll, but for now, from what I've been able to discern, this small sampling more or less mirrors the bestseller rankings of Bible versions.

If y'all have been following any of my other semi-related posts lately, you know I've been thinking very hard about the most productive way to reach un-thinking believers. I don't have all the answers yet, but I've come up with one little project that may help. Unfortunately, I'm getting on a plane tomorrow night, so this will have to wait about a week.

Anyway ... I appreciate everyone's votes, and insight. And just for the record, so you don't think you're being hoodwinked or anything, understand that I am not a Christian -- I'm one of those recovering Catholics they warned you about in Sunday school ;) -- who journeyed through many Protestant faiths before finding the path that is true for me. For the sake of brevity, let's call it a modified hybrid marriage of Brahmanism and Zen Buddhism. Whatever you call it, it's the only thing that ever made sense to both my head and my heart, and makes me feel godliness in here (thumping chest) instead of thinking of it as some detached, angry thing out there (pointing to some distant spot in the sky).

Nevertheless, I retain a deep and ongoing interest in the Bible, and in Christianity itself. I respect the faith (and I respect genuine Christians), and it angers me as much as it does you that Christianity has been so badly perverted by so many false Messiahs.

That said, thank you again for your input. I think for this project I'm going to go with the NRSV, as it does seem to offer the most even balance between accurate translation and clarity of meaning. (I myself prefer the KJV for my own study, but if I want to get a point across, I think the poetry of the KJV does tend to trip up the average reader.)

To wit:

Exodus 22:21

KJV
Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

NKJV
You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

NIV
Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt.

NLT
Do not oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.

NRSV
You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.