Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matthew 7:20


On the Ropes

The New International Version (NIV), that new age Bible that evangelicals love, is on the ropes today. World Magazine (P.O. Box 2330, Asheville, NC 28802) published an article entitled, "Femme Fatale: The Feminist Seduction of the Evangelical Church," in their 3-29-97 issue which exposed the NIV's attempt to publish a new American, gender-inclusive NIV.

This blasphemy was set to come on the heels of their New International Reader's Version (NIrV), which was published in 1995 and is aimed at a 3rd grade reading level. They have been selling this NIrV to children and prisioners with the gender-inslusive language, but didn't market it as such (sneaky as a fox). Gender-inclusive language renders "brother" to "brother and sister". "Man" becomes "human beings", etc. The New International Inclusive Language Edition, which is also gender-inclusive, was published in Britain in 1995 (published by Hodder & Stoughton).

In response to prominent Christian leaders speaking out against the gender-inclusive language, the International Bible Society (IBS), the publishers of the NIV, issued the following statement from the Zondervan web site --

1. IBS has abandoned all plans for gender-related changes in future editions of the New International Version (NIV).
2. The present (1984) NIV text will continue to be published. There are no plans for a further revised edition.
3. IBS will begin immediately to revise the New International Readers Version (NIrV) in a way that reflects the treatment of gender in the NIV. IBS is directing the licensees who publish the current NIrV to publish only the revised NIrV as soon as it is ready.
4. IBS will enter into negotiations with the publisher of the NIV in the U.K. on the matter of ceasing publication of its "inclusive language" edition of the NIV.

Read the telling comments for yourself at the Zondervan site. They still stand by the idea that gender-inclusivity is more accurate.

The Wolf Strategizes

Does this mean that IBS won't publish the gender-inclusive language edition at some point? I don't think so. Look at this quote from IBS International President Lars Dunberg made on 4-19-97 (made to Priscilla Papers, a publication of Christians for Biblical Equality):

"Zondervan and IBS WILL PUBLISH an inclusive version of the NIV in the American market. It is not clear yet if that will be done before the major revision that IBS has been working on with the Committee on Bible Translation, which has been going on for the last five-six years. It may be that the next edition will include all those changes, and in that case will not be released until the year 2000. These things are still being debated; that's why we have not been public with it."

Look at that last sentence. Dunberg is telling the world that they are sneaky. Every time you give your kids one of their corrupted Bibles, you don't know what they are sneaking in, and take it from me there is much--they've been selling the gender-inclusive NIrV since 1995 despite the fact that they knew it was unacceptable to most! How many of us agree with calling a man a woman and man? How many agree to the next stage which is to call God a she? In my sister's "Teen NIV" (a gift--she reads AKJV) it says Catholics are Christians who have the same faith we do. This is not true. The NIV Bibles may have pretty graphics, but doesn't the word say that Satan comes as an angel of light and therefore it is no marvel that his ministers pose as ministers of righteousness? Lookin' good and an easy read doesn't mean that it is right. God did not give these warnings in vain--He meant what He said.

Gender-Inclusive Language: Accurate Translation?

If the NIV is so accurate, why is it changing the original masculine words to masculine and feminine? Because the NIV is not accurate. Its translators use dynamic equivalency to translate/rewrite some of the worst manuscripts available. The result is that they render what THEY THINK God meant and what SEEMS relevant today. They are used to manipulating God's word for their profit, that's how they could inaccurately translate these gender-inclusive editions with such ease. Contrast this with AKJV translators who simply rendered what the best manuscripts said, word-for-word--that is formal equivalency. The authorized King James is the only version that uses formal equivalency. They didn't put human interpretation in it--give me that book!

Look at the shifty, changing nature of the "philosophy" of the IBS (publisher of the NIV):

Virtually all other contemporary Bible translations already reflect gender treatments consistent with the language of today. However, the NIV has essentially become the Bible of the evangelical church, which has come to trust in and depend upon the NIV's CURRENT ACCURACY, clarity and readability...

...many people in North America don't want the NIV changed, even if many Bible SCHOLARS feel a revision could MORE CLEARLY reflect shifts in English language usage, and MORE PRECISELY render the MEANING of the original texts into English for current and future generations." (Victor I . Oliver, board chair of the International Bible Society).

These shysters have so many people hoodwinked! In the above-quote, IBS claims that gender-inclusive language more clearly reflect shifts in English language usage--no it does not. The words "he" and "she" still mean what they always did. The quote is also telling in that Mr. Oliver speaks of the NIV's "current accuracy". The Bible tells me that God don't change and that He's magnified His word above all His name--how then can His word change and have different levels of accuracy given time and place when God is eternal?

The NIV is a Cash Cow

The NIV/IBS is politically and economically motivated. They are trying to appease everyone and sell them Bibles. The NIV is not about the truth, it is about makin' money. Since the "current accuracy" may change, that means that in five years it may not be accurate so then that means they have to put out another edition for the people to buy with their hard-earned bucks. Look at a few of the NIV "editions" that IBS publishes:

...and this is not all of them. I am looking directly at the 1997 Scripture Catalogue of the International Bible Society, publishers of the NIV. I have another catalogue that offers over 750 different Bibles. If this ain't confusion, I don't know what is.

Dobson in the Act?

Now why is James Dobson getting mad about the gender-inclusive language? He loves the different versions. Look in the above list: there is an Adventures in Odyssey NIV Bible. What scripture does he use to attack the use of gender-inclusive language? Revelation 22:18-19. One of the same verses that we defenders of the AKJV use. The difference is that, unlike Dr. Dobson, we don't believe that whole Bible passages should be removed or reworked to change their meaning. We don't believe God's word is subject to change based on "contemporary" standards. Look at what Dobson said in an article:

"If we would not change a comma in the Gettysburg Address, why in the name of heaven would we tamper with the Word of God?"

I agree with you, Dr. Dobson. Why do we need 750 new versions when we have the AKJV? But then again, you'd probably call me a fanatic for believing in the purity of God's word. Welcome, Dr. Dobson, to where I live.

You may wish to read, "Is God a She?" which was written weeks before I got this news on the NIV. This error of tampering with the Bible has been invited into our homes and it will destroy the faith of many. If taught that there is no definitive word of God, to whom shall they turn?

"A little leaven, leaveneth the whole lump."

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