The Snake's Problem

"Some say that the snake became a troublemaker because he was bitter.  After all, God had told all creatures to multiply; but the snake is just an adder. Buh dum bum."  Kristin Swenson in Bible Babel (2010)

Let It Be

"When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be." Paul McCartney, "Let It Be," (1970).

Many people think that "Mother Mary" in this Beatles song is Mary, the mother of Jesus.  Paul McCartney, who wrote the song, has explained that the lyrics refer to his mother, who died when he was fourteen.

His mother, Mary, appeared to him in a dream during a period when he and the other Beatles were experiencing some internal discord.  She told him, "It will be all right.  Just let it be."

 

Presbyterian Church (USA) Delegates Approve Non-Celibate Gays for Clergy

53% of the delegates at The Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly in Minneapolis voted on 8 July 2010 to allow non-celibate gays to serve their churches as ordained ministers as long as they are in committed long-term relationships.  The vote must be ratified by a majority of the 173 U.S. presbyteries to become official.

If the vote is ratified, the church would join the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, The US Episcopal Church, and the United Church of Christ,the other American churches with the same policy.

Bible Printer's Errors: The Wicked Bible

Proofreading is very important.  Sometimes one word changes the entire meaning of a passage.    The following is an example to prove the point.  The incorrectly printed Bibles were pulled from sale and destroyed so any that survived are extremely rare and are expensive collector's item's.

The Wicked Bible (1631) is also called The Adulterous Bible or The Sinner's Bible.  It was a King James version printed by Robert Barker and Martin Lucas.  They were fined 300 Pounds Sterling and all available copies were burned.  Somehow, eleven Wicked Bibles still exist.

What it should have said:

“Thou shalt not commit adultery. “ Exodus 20:14

What it said:

“Thou shalt  commit adultery. “ Exodus 20:14

Film Comment: The Book of Eli

Denzel Washington is a Christian actor who has starred in an explicitly Christian film, The Book of Eli (2010).   The film raises an important question: is it acceptable for a Christian to resort to extreme violence to protect the things of God, in this case the only remaining Bible on Earth.

Eli has wandered in a generally westward direction for the last thirty years to deliver the Bible to a place he feels that God has told him to seek, a place where the Bible will be safe and cherished.  The landscape is worse than anything in the Mad Max films; a massive war has reduced civilization to rags and tatters with only a few people still being literate.

Eli carries firearms and a very sharp machete and never hesitates to use them to protect his treasure.  Robbers and brigands who try to steal his things (and who plan to kill and eat him) regularly end up maimed or dead.  Is Eli justified in pressing on to complete his mission of delivering the book even if he has to kill to do it?  What will it mean for the world if the book falls into evil hands or is destroyed?

Eli's greatest challenge comes when a powerful and totally ruthless warlord (Gary Oldman) realizes what Eli is carrying and decides that he must have it.  His illiterate henchmen tell him that it is just a book and he angrily informs them that no, it is a powerful weapon which gives its holder the ability to control and mold his followers.  How many people have used the Bible in just this way throughout history?

Chapter and Verse

Stephen Langton (b. ca, 1150, England - d. 1228), the Archbishop of Canterbury, was the first person to divide the Bible into the chapters which it carries to this day.  Before that, there were no breaks or subdivisions in the text, which, originally in the Greek and Hebrew/Aramaic, also had no punctuation or spaces between words or letters.

The printer and classical scholar, Robert Estienne (b. 1503, France - d. 1559) was the first to print a Bible with numbered verses.

The innovations of Langton and Estienne made the Bible more accessible for study, reference, and memorization by the general population. 

What They Think of Us: Alice Cooper

In the December 2009 issue of the Canadian horror film magazine, Rue Morgue (yes, I read several movie magazines), Robert Amacker of Poplarville, Mississippi decries the fact that the magazine has covered the work of the shock rock musician, Alice Cooper, but not of King Diamond, a horror themed rock musician.

"...while I respect all of the contributions Cooper has made to the worlds of music and horror, at least Diamond hasn't tarnished his legacy by taking up golf and Christianity."