In the late 1980s, I had some experience of the workings of European Community law. One interesting point that was explained to me was which translation is correct, where there is a discrepancy in the translation of a Directive. The answer that was given to me is that they all are. The English version is correct for England, the German version for Germany etc. How very confusing for the lawyers. How very straightforward for the local people in a single country.
I suppose that the same question arises for the Bible. With so many languages, and so many versions, in the event of a difference, which is correct? (and they are different, even if only at the margins, as I know from my readling of the Bible in German.)
This point occurred to me some time ago, when two different people referred to the original Greek or the original Hebrew. “In the original Hebrew, the word used here is xxx, which means yyy”. Perhaps this is a “Golden Source”, to interpret matters that are in doubt.
I always thought that this was unfair. Only the (classically) educated may enter the Gates of God’s knowledge, according to this train of thought. You would never really know the value of what you are reading. It would need a person, educated in these ways to explain what is really meant. You cannot speak to God, without your lawyer or translator.
But God speaks to all of us individually. (“How” exactly is another question…..and “Why”, is another question again). Whichever version we are reading at that time is correct. Of course, it does need to be read, but whether it is a Book of Law, like the European Directives, with rules and regulations, is yet another question.
More questions raised than answered.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
A Cosmic Joke
When I was about 10 years old, the breakdown of atoms into electrons and protons had been discovered. According to the knowledge of the day, these particles were the ultimate building blocks of all matter. Now, nearly 50 years later, we have uncovered a few more layers. Actually, the layers have reached the point where these atomic building blocks may or may not exist, depending on whether they are being observed or not (I think). Whatever.
Isaac Newton had the laws of motion all tied up, until scientists came along with a better slide rule, and noticed that some of the observations were not consistent with this. It took Einstein to explain this. Now we cannot explain all the motion and gravitation in our galaxy, so we think that Dark Matter makes up the difference. (I think that Dark Matter is another way of saying that we do not know and we are waiting for Einstein Mark II.)
As you can tell, I do not understand any of this anymore. Perhaps mankind was not meant to understand it. (I certainly was not meant to understand this). We were meant to discover this, of course. Each layer of discovery leads later to more unknowns. Unlike the onion, whose layers unpeel, but eventually come to and end, before being chopped up and eaten in a Fish, Prawn and mash potato pie, or ending up on my kitchen floor, these layers will never come to an end.
God is having a joke with us. He can keep this up for ever. We are meant to look for these secrets. These discoveries are captivating. In doing so, we are meant to realise that we will never find the end of this path, as it has no end. God made it this way.
Chicago's 81-storey Aqua hotel and residence has recently won the Emporis Award for best skyscraper of 2009. (Have a look on Google.) I have not seen any awards yet for the Best Universe of the Year.
Each discovery is heralded as the ultimate piece of knowledge to unlock the secrets of the universe. The next scientist should announce his discovery as “This takes our knowledge of the universe from 0.0021% to 0.0022%”. Not much of a headline there for the Scientists International Conference.
Perhaps the universe only exists if it is being observed. Creepy.
Isaac Newton had the laws of motion all tied up, until scientists came along with a better slide rule, and noticed that some of the observations were not consistent with this. It took Einstein to explain this. Now we cannot explain all the motion and gravitation in our galaxy, so we think that Dark Matter makes up the difference. (I think that Dark Matter is another way of saying that we do not know and we are waiting for Einstein Mark II.)
As you can tell, I do not understand any of this anymore. Perhaps mankind was not meant to understand it. (I certainly was not meant to understand this). We were meant to discover this, of course. Each layer of discovery leads later to more unknowns. Unlike the onion, whose layers unpeel, but eventually come to and end, before being chopped up and eaten in a Fish, Prawn and mash potato pie, or ending up on my kitchen floor, these layers will never come to an end.
God is having a joke with us. He can keep this up for ever. We are meant to look for these secrets. These discoveries are captivating. In doing so, we are meant to realise that we will never find the end of this path, as it has no end. God made it this way.
Chicago's 81-storey Aqua hotel and residence has recently won the Emporis Award for best skyscraper of 2009. (Have a look on Google.) I have not seen any awards yet for the Best Universe of the Year.
Each discovery is heralded as the ultimate piece of knowledge to unlock the secrets of the universe. The next scientist should announce his discovery as “This takes our knowledge of the universe from 0.0021% to 0.0022%”. Not much of a headline there for the Scientists International Conference.
Perhaps the universe only exists if it is being observed. Creepy.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Day of Shopping
It is Sunday today. It is pouring with rain outside, but I am warm and snug inside, looking out over the lake. The other side is just about visible now, through the gloom.
“Six days shall you work and on the seventh shall you look out over the lake”. This is the fourth of the Ten Commandments (in Exodus 20, if you are interested). Well not exactly. “The seventh day is holy to the Lord. You shall do no work”. It is actually much longer than that, but that is the gist of it. Fourth in the list of ten, as well. Fairly high up. (Not killing, not stealing and not coveting your neighbour’s Audi all come after this.)
But as it is said in England, “Six days shall you work and on the seventh shall you shop”.
Going to church used to be the traditional way of observing this, combined in the afternoon, with visiting relatives or just having a snooze in front of the Television, before cooking the Sunday Roast and then falling asleep again. In Switzerland, (after going to church, if you go), it is traditional to climb a mountain, complete a 20 km hike or cycle 150 km. Those are summer observed activities, of course. In the winter, it is skiing or falling over on the pavement and breaking an arm.
There is a discussion currently underway in Switzerland about Sunday shopping. It was a great shock to us, when we first arrived to find that the supermarkets closed at 4.00 pm on Saturday. After the experience of having no Sunday Roast, we just got ourselves organised to do the shopping on Saturday. Not so hard, once you get used to it.
We try to explain to our Swiss friends and colleagues, that they really do not want Sunday shopping. Just as ex-smokers are the most evangelical campaigners of the merits of not smoking, we are devoted “No Sunday Shopping, but Sunday hiking” campaigning.
Do you know what the first three commandments are?
“Six days shall you work and on the seventh shall you look out over the lake”. This is the fourth of the Ten Commandments (in Exodus 20, if you are interested). Well not exactly. “The seventh day is holy to the Lord. You shall do no work”. It is actually much longer than that, but that is the gist of it. Fourth in the list of ten, as well. Fairly high up. (Not killing, not stealing and not coveting your neighbour’s Audi all come after this.)
But as it is said in England, “Six days shall you work and on the seventh shall you shop”.
Going to church used to be the traditional way of observing this, combined in the afternoon, with visiting relatives or just having a snooze in front of the Television, before cooking the Sunday Roast and then falling asleep again. In Switzerland, (after going to church, if you go), it is traditional to climb a mountain, complete a 20 km hike or cycle 150 km. Those are summer observed activities, of course. In the winter, it is skiing or falling over on the pavement and breaking an arm.
There is a discussion currently underway in Switzerland about Sunday shopping. It was a great shock to us, when we first arrived to find that the supermarkets closed at 4.00 pm on Saturday. After the experience of having no Sunday Roast, we just got ourselves organised to do the shopping on Saturday. Not so hard, once you get used to it.
We try to explain to our Swiss friends and colleagues, that they really do not want Sunday shopping. Just as ex-smokers are the most evangelical campaigners of the merits of not smoking, we are devoted “No Sunday Shopping, but Sunday hiking” campaigning.
Do you know what the first three commandments are?
Friday, March 19, 2010
The Communication Question
If you were God, how would you communicate with Man (and that is assuming, of course, that you thought that this was a worthwhile activity). This could be communication to men (and women) individually. “Johnny, come down here at once, and eat your breakfast” could be one example. This is in contrast to the collective communication “You shall not covet your neighbour’s Audi”, a very pertinent instruction at this time for owners of a Toyota.
Back to the question. How would you do this?
You could just speak words to them out loud, so that the man (or women) hears the words. There are people who claim that this has happened to them. They would do better to keep quiet, as they are generally regarded as being not completely sane, probably unsafe to take the neighbours children to school, and would no doubt fail a CRB check.
However, there are important exceptions to this. If you grow a long beard, have a stick that is nearly as tall as you are, and are able to cause a sea to part, so you can walk across on the dry land, you are in with a chance, but even then, only with a limited audience.
You could write a book and have it published. This supposes that the audience can read. If they cannot, this provides those who possess this ability to act as interpreters and filters of this. The room for misinterpretation are clear for all to see.
Then, there are all the different versions. How would you know which one is correct?
Supposing there is a mistranslation. Imagine if the translator of the word “Audi” read it as “Auntie”. We would have all kinds of discussion groups about not coveting relations in general (what about “uncles”). , People who said they had never coveted another Auntie, would be told that they were in denial and would have to undergo special remedial counselling.
The Rewards approach would seem to have something going for it. When people do the right thing they get rewarded. But are the rewards that you (as God) would give to people (the ability to enjoy a sunset) the same as those that people want (a new Audi).
You could take a “dog training” approach. “Listen “Ginger”, you’re a bad dog, Ginger. How many times must I tell you, Ginger. You’re really going to get it this time, Ginger.” The trouble is that Ginger hears “Blah blah Ginger blah blah blah Ginger blah Ginger blah blah” (With apologies to Gary Larson, Far Side Cartoon).
So now you are beginning to understand God’s problems.
Back to the question. How would you do this?
You could just speak words to them out loud, so that the man (or women) hears the words. There are people who claim that this has happened to them. They would do better to keep quiet, as they are generally regarded as being not completely sane, probably unsafe to take the neighbours children to school, and would no doubt fail a CRB check.
However, there are important exceptions to this. If you grow a long beard, have a stick that is nearly as tall as you are, and are able to cause a sea to part, so you can walk across on the dry land, you are in with a chance, but even then, only with a limited audience.
You could write a book and have it published. This supposes that the audience can read. If they cannot, this provides those who possess this ability to act as interpreters and filters of this. The room for misinterpretation are clear for all to see.
Then, there are all the different versions. How would you know which one is correct?
Supposing there is a mistranslation. Imagine if the translator of the word “Audi” read it as “Auntie”. We would have all kinds of discussion groups about not coveting relations in general (what about “uncles”). , People who said they had never coveted another Auntie, would be told that they were in denial and would have to undergo special remedial counselling.
The Rewards approach would seem to have something going for it. When people do the right thing they get rewarded. But are the rewards that you (as God) would give to people (the ability to enjoy a sunset) the same as those that people want (a new Audi).
You could take a “dog training” approach. “Listen “Ginger”, you’re a bad dog, Ginger. How many times must I tell you, Ginger. You’re really going to get it this time, Ginger.” The trouble is that Ginger hears “Blah blah Ginger blah blah blah Ginger blah Ginger blah blah” (With apologies to Gary Larson, Far Side Cartoon).
So now you are beginning to understand God’s problems.
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