Atheist Translation of Bible

[Kitsune]

Is there an Atheist Translation of the bible available, one which lists the literal translation into English even if it makes no sense?

I did a google quick search and there is an Atheist Bible Companion but I don't think that is what I am looking for.

[TithonusSyndrome]

You're not looking for anything akin to the SAB, are you?

[Kitsune]

I mean something that might have tarnslations like are fount on this page:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_bibh.htm

"And with a male you shall not lay lyings of a woman"

[Ender]

Is there an Atheist Translation of the bible available, one which lists the literal translation into English even if it makes no sense?

I did a google quick search and there is an Atheist Bible Companion but I don't think that is what I am looking for.

Ahem
*adopts great, deep, impressive sounding voice*

In the beginning there was light, light so hot nothing else could exist but the void grew faster than the light and that was good. And out of the light came the tiny heralds of what was to come, as small to an apple as an apple is to your spherical world. For I tell you light can become solid, and the solid can become light. Take heed for I tell you what no man yet knows. And the heralds waited in the unseen light for their time. And 400 millennia later, when it could be so, so it was. And these things I will call atoms fell together. And I tell you, children of the light, in the void great clouds of atoms formed. Pulled by mutual attraction. Forced to become one, growing in size, gaining mass until at the center of the clouds there came a new light, making the unseen seen. As atoms of the first and simplest kind were forced together to become atoms of the second kind. And behold the first star was born.

Soon there were many stars, swirling by the hundreds of thousands of millions. Floating in islands like discs, each island separate, and racing apart. And the islands themselves shall be numbered in the hundreds of thousands of millions. And some of the stars were small and burned slow and dim and long. And some were giant and burned bright blue and fast, making atoms of the second, third, fourth ... up to the twenty-sixth kind, until they could burn no more. And then they die a powerful death, building up atoms to the ninety-second kind and beyond. Which they spread, along with abundant blinding light, like seeds back into the void, disturbing the stillness of the surrounding atomic clouds, giving birth to countless stars in their wake.

But these new stars draw around them disc shaped cloaks of the ninety-two types of atoms, the ashes and the seeds of the first giant stars. And the heavier elements fell towards the new stars and over millions of years there formed worlds of rock and metals to encircle the sun. And away from the star worlds of vapor and ice were formed, circling more slowly in accord to their greater distance from the sun. And nine thousand million years later, after the beginning, around one star, one rocky metallic world, ninety-two types of atoms danced to the tune of the light and the lightning, while mountains fell from the sky. This place would be called earth.

And for half a billion years the dance went on, atoms joining in ways forbidden by the heat inside the stars where they were made, but inevitable where the magnet is mightier than the fire. And by the law of the magnet and the lodestone one chain of many atoms begat other chains of identical form. And the chains spread through the waters, filling them, growing in size and complexity, taking unto them to the poisonous clouds and vapors that hung over world, and giving back the air. And the sky of the Earth, now clear of falling mountains, turned blue.

And as the chains grew and spread, those that were suited for their surroundings brought forth creatures similar to their selves, while those that were not, could not. And the small changes grew great, producing ever greater and ever complex creatures, which took on new shapes and behaviors with each generation. So it was that creatures vastly different came to be, for a longer or shorter time, yet all related.

And four thousand millions years later still you stand here, yearning to know how you came to be. But if you have the mind to ask the question, you have the mind to find the answer. Look to the light of the world, see how they dance. From this and only from this will you find the answers that will lead you to the knowing. And one day you will make better eyes from the sand, and look out into the night, and you will see wonders, things hidden until then, but keep looking and thinking with better eyes and clearer thoughts, and knowledge will come to you. You will see the island discs of countless millions of suns, stretching back into infinity. But be not afraid, see my creation, the jewels of millions of suns, stars of blinding light, holes of darkness that hold back the light, the clouds of atoms from which you came. And it is all yours if you can work as one.

I can give you no more than all that is.

*ends God like voice*

This is a modified version of the youtube video "I know more then God", containing 42 scientifically accurate facts. The original did not have the CMB (the light unseen being the microwaves and UV light) or evolution.

If this was Genesis, I'd believe.

[Rye]

Get a study bible from somewhere reputable like the oxford university press, whether a translator is an atheist, christian or wiccan should not bother you, only whether they are honest and held in esteem by their peers for their work. As for literal translations, I have no idea; sentences can lose all meaning if you do that.

"Je deteste les haricot verts!" "I hate beans green." For instance. Imagine that sort of confusion with a sentence that not only wasn't written in English grammar in the first place, but was a colloquial phrase in use at the time! Making work for yourself, there.

[Kitsune]

A great example of part of the problem is the term

arsenokoitai
Literal translation is "Man Beds"
it is usually translated as Homosexual but the Greek term for that is:
"paiderasste"

[Rye]

Arsenokotai apparently means something close to "man sexers" and yeah, there's ambiguity there (it could refer to male prostitutes, rapists, etc) and at any rate, homosexuality is not the ideological thrust of the times it's mentioned in the New Testament, it's more in passing while complaining about the pagans or whatever. At the same time, it's pretty clear that Paul was unlikely to be permissive of homosexuality (he certainly seemed to believe in a natural purpose to human beings, men for women, men to be leaders of families, etc), so it's a pretty reasonable bet that the first century christians would've probably understood to not engage in that sort of behaviour due to its associations with idolatry and pagan gods, even without the rest of it.

Still not sure why you want an "atheist translation" rather than one that's just good.

[Kitsune]

Still not sure why you want an "atheist translation" rather than one that's just good.

My hope is that by having a non-Christian translate it, you can avoid Bias in the translation of various passages.

[Rye]

That's an ad hominem fallacy.

[Kitsune]

That's an ad hominem fallacy.

A Christian generally wants the bible to make sense and they are driven by their pre-conceived notions. I looked up "ad hominem fallacy" to make sure I understood what you mean but cannot quite agree. Writers do have perspectives. You may create another perspective by using non-Christian writers but to compare them you would get something potentially interesting

[Singular Intellect]

An atheist translation of the bible? That is ridiculasly easy to do.

Translation: It's bullshit.

[General Zod]

That's an ad hominem fallacy.

A Christian generally wants the bible to make sense and they are driven by their pre-conceived notions. I looked up "ad hominem fallacy" to make sure I understood what you mean but cannot quite agree. Writers do have perspectives. You may create another perspective by using non-Christian writers but to compare them you would get something potentially interesting

It doesn't really matter whether someone religious or atheist translates it for the most part. There will always be some things lost in any translation, no matter what the subject. If you want a more accurate translation, you could always learn ancient Hebrew and read the scrolls directly yourself.

[Kitsune]

It doesn't really matter whether someone religious or atheist translates it for the most part. There will always be some things lost in any translation, no matter what the subject. If you want a more accurate translation, you could always learn ancient Hebrew and read the scrolls directly yourself.

I kind of wish that I could to be honest. I also wish I could afford an Anchor Bible

[Themightytom]

Why do you want to know what the bible says if you are an atheist? if the purpose is to dispute what theologians have interpreted than anyone translating it would still b biased, jsut the other way. if you wanted to understand the cultural history of the hebrews theres other ways, and if youw anted the history of the world, well theres Monty python...

[General Zod]

Why do you want to know what the bible says if you are an atheist? if the purpose is to dispute what theologians have interpreted than anyone translating it would still b biased, jsut the other way. if you wanted to understand the cultural history of the hebrews theres other ways, and if youw anted the history of the world, well theres Monty python...

What the fuck kind of bullshit nonsense is this? Do you think legitimate historians pay attention to every aspect of a culture they want to learn about but just magically skip over the religious aspect?

[Kitsune]

Actually, I would ask why you are on this board if it does not interest you?

[Darth Ruinus]

I cant believe no one has said this yet but, Ender, that was badass. Did you make it or is it from somewhere else?

[Darth Ruinus]

*looks up I Know More Than God on Youtube*

See, thats what I get for speaking before looking up stuff.

Either way, its badass. Had the real Bible started out like that, well, I might have read it.

[Rye]

That's an ad hominem fallacy.

A Christian generally wants the bible to make sense and they are driven by their pre-conceived notions. I looked up "ad hominem fallacy" to make sure I understood what you mean but cannot quite agree. Writers do have perspectives. You may create another perspective by using non-Christian writers but to compare them you would get something potentially interesting

The truth and validity of their arguments rests on what they say, not who they are. There's no guarantee a non-christian is going to be objective, and there's no guarantee christians are going to shun objectivity, especially in peer reviewed academic work. Looking for stuff that panders to your ideology first and examining arguments second is weakness on your part, and evidence that you just don't get what "free thinking" is.

[Kitsune]

What are thoughts on the NAB bible...any better as far as translation of what teh actual scriptures state and possible have some references? The online version does.

[God Fearing Atheist]

Really Kitsune, just about any translation with a sound textual background (essentially every modern translation) is going to be pretty good. If you want to get into the nuance of interpretation without learning the languages, I suggest picking up some good critical commentaries like those in the Word or Anchor series.

[Kitsune]

Really Kitsune, just about any translation with a sound textual background (essentially every modern translation) is going to be pretty good. If you want to get into the nuance of interpretation without learning the languages, I suggest picking up some good critical commentaries like those in the Word or Anchor series.

As I noted with Issiah 7-14 there are deliberate mistranslations....

I would to have a copy of the Anchor Bible on CD Rom but it is $200+
I also don't think there is an online version of it

[God Fearing Atheist]

I would to have a copy of the Anchor Bible on CD Rom but it is $200+
I also don't think there is an online version of it

Library, dude.

[Kitsune]

I would to have a copy of the Anchor Bible on CD Rom but it is $200+
I also don't think there is an online version of it

Library, dude.

I am in a debate and I want to look something up right away.....I am just curious and want to look something up that is disputed...they are in reference, I cannot take them home