[Marxism] RE: Christianity (OR 'Islamic Translations')

["Calvin Broadbent" <calvinbroadbent@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

In discussing the posts about Biblical and Koranic translations offlist,
Jurriaan asked me to send this message of his to the list, to which he is
currently unsubbed.
cheers.

JURRIAAN WRITES:

(can you post this for me to Marxmail please, thanks - JB)

I said I was not going to post anymore, but I feel I ought to clarify
something in one last post. My post on the Bible was not intended as an
attack on christianity, but on a fundamentalist reading of the Bible. I do
not believe in religious fights or fights over religion and spiritual
beliefs. It seems to me inimical to what it is about. Texts are interpreted
and reinterpreted, and rendered in different versions.

If the Boomtown Rats sing "don't believe what you read" I take this to mean
that the text is only an aid to focus or stimulate your own thinking, not
necessarily to be taken literally as "the truth". But obviously in daily
life, we are constantly faced with texts, some are very clear and can and
should be interpreted appropriately, and we do all have to believe
something, and try to work out the meaning of the text in the spirit in
which it is intended. I have often found this very difficult. I have tried
to write and communicate as clearly as possible, but obviously
some ambiguity can always be found.

The reading I take out of the text I quoted is "be reasonable and let God
inspire you, so that your mistakes can be cleared up, or else things will go
badly for you". Particularly significant in some versions of it is the
appeal to reason. That message I ought to heed, since my life is rather
precarious, and I need help to correct matters. Recently I panicked and then
I know it's time for me to seriously concentrate on the basics of my life,
and have some faith.

I get addicted to the Internet, but it is not a substitute for living life,
and while you are preoccupied with mails, other parts of your life can get
out of sync. I have tried to share the best I could think of with the list,
but I have to concentrate now on my own life and not think that I can sort
of dream away in a Marxian cyberspace.

I wish the list members a merry Xmas and a happy new year, and wish me luck.
I am going to need some.

Jurriaan

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