fredag, februari 06, 2009

Dag Hammarskjöld and the RSV 4.

The dear librarians had found the book – and it was one book, not two as in the catalogue…

It took only 4 minutes to check 1 Cor 6:9 up in Specialläsesalen; the Particular Reading Room, one floor up by a spiral stair. It was in mint condition – didn’t seem to have been used, even. No scribbles! (which I had actually hoped for, a little ;=)

The cover was indeed red, with the words THE HOLY BIBLE in gold. It’s funny, that editors – proud of their work that they must be – are so unwilling (or coy) when it comes to stating that a particular translation (in this case the RSV) with an Agenda, is precisely that…

In the 1952 1 Cor 6:9 reads exactly as expected, but with a footnote: “Two Greek words are translated by this expression”. Rather strange, actually. More honest than Bible editions usually are, but too imprecise to actually say what is happening:

Two Greek words are NOT translated by this expression!!!

On the contrary! Three Greek words are falsely (and intentionally) rendered as one different word, one Modern Concept. One that didn’t exist before 1869 (when the newly minted Homosexual was a medical diagnosis for an exaggerated sexual lust for persons of the same gender) and has changed its meaning first in 1890 (when, in the English translation of Dr von Krafft-Ebing’s Psychopathia Sexualis it was made into symmetric twin Concepts: homo- and hetero-), and was later to change its meaning once more in late modern Times (Pater Zerwick 1966 “Sexual Orientation” as identity ;=)

In fact, it is the 1972 which is changed, made to conform to the spirit of the anti gay 1966 English language Jerusalem Bible saying "sexual perverts” for malakoì oúte arsenokoîtai – as do the versions found on the Internet (the Jerusalem Bible actually says (catamites and sodomites, following Pater Zerwick's symmetrical Concept of "passive" gay man vs. "active" gay man ;=)

This differs, however, from the French original which is not overtly "homo"-sexualised in this place, only saying – vaguely – “ni depravés, ni gens de moeurs infames.”

It would, of course, have been thrilling, in its way, if the change from malakoì oúte arsenokoîtai to the ghastly “Homosexuals” could have been nailed down more exactly than to around 1950... but it doesn’t really matter.

What is important is the change, the forgery, not the dating.

Remains that the change is Socio-Political, anti Modern. And that this change probably has a lot more to do with the refused drafting of applicants to the USA Navy during WW2 – which made San Francisco into what it is today - than with the Holy Scriptures of the Bible, where no such thing as a Political ban on GLBTI is ever imagined, be it in the late modern form of “don’t ask, don’t tell”, or the actual Modern Blue Discharge from the US Navy.

13 kommentarer:

Fred Preuss sa...

Goran, your church is dying away and this is the most important thing you can think of to blog?
Forgive me, but as a Mercan (your expression)you should take care of the more important things first. Bible translations (in Sweden, where hardly anybody reads the bible) and homosexuality (native Swedes-as opposed to the 'new Swedes' from inferior countries)don't really care about who does what to who in private.
Have you thought about preaching to your new Muslim neighbors about tolerating gays/lesbian/transgendered/bisexual/whatever people? Or would you prefer to keep preaching to other white christians/ex-christians about subjects about which all of you already agree?
Even for a religion (and please don't forget, I'm a non-believer) mainline Protestantism is irrelevant.

Göran Koch-Swahne sa...

Fred, dear, my Church is not dying away. It will prevail - against the Gates of Death, as the saying goes ;=)

Don't listen to Propaganda. We in Europe somehow learnt our lesson about that many years ago...

And sorry, the spelling is M-U-rcan.

And above all, don't Idolize, either way.

Most people do care... And there are Murcan-inspired Sects.

They came over Hamburg in the 19th century. The most important, the Pentecostals came directly from LA around 1907. They even have their own Party - hovering around 4 %

But no, on the whole they haven't got a chance here.

Kalle af sa...

Inspirerad av dina Hammarskjöld-inlägg skrev jag själv ett inlägg om saken: http://karlafhallstrom.blogspot.com/2009/02/jamforande-bibelstudium-1kor-69.html

Tack ska du ha!

June Butler sa...

Göran, can you tell me how the three Greek words translate into English?

Göran Koch-Swahne sa...

Dear Mimi,

My reply is in the post above ;=)

Brother David sa...

Father Göran, I am sorry that you have to experience the hatred of this Troll, Fred P.

He appears to be a very unhappy sort who has heard a call to spread misery and discord in our online progressive Christian community.

Thank you so much for the English translations of your work. Although I must read them through many times, the material does seep into my brain matter eventually!

Göran Koch-Swahne sa...

Oh, it's ok in its way.

What amazes me are not the views, which betray a "rationalistic" superstitious mind relying on "facts", but the inability to learn and listen.

The "rationalism" of course comes from the very American Calvinist "gotha" attitude ;=)

Fred Preuss sa...

Goeran, Blow me sideways, you and your spic friend.

June Butler sa...

Dahveed, "has heard a call to spread misery" describes Fred's activities quite well.

Brother David sa...

And now we know that he is a racist.

Göran Koch-Swahne sa...

How is that? The word "spic" - never head of it.

Brother David sa...

"Spic is an ethnic slur used in English speaking countries for a person of Hispanic descent."

It is not the first time a United Statesonian has called me that. It is a bit more disconcerting and much more intimidating when they spit it at you face to face.

Göran Koch-Swahne sa...

Why am I not amazed?

Seems to be endemic to humans n o t to behave like humans...

But I must be lucky for I have never heard of it - but maybe that is because it wasn't raround in 1972, when I lived in London.