The next edition of the New American Bible, the preferred translation for millions of Catholics, is removing the booty from the Bible.
And just when people were beginning to think the Bible was fun to read…
Actually, all they are doing is updating their translation to more modern wording. According to NPRs News blog, here are some of the swaps included in the new Bible:
- “booty” is now “spoils of war” — for presumably obvious reasons.
- “virgin” becomes “young woman” — especially where the original uses the Hebrew word “almah.”
- “holocaust” will become “burnt offerings” – scholars say that was closer to the original meaning, before “holocaust” came to be identified with the genocide of World War II.
- “cereal”— now co-opted by General Mills and Post, becomes “grain.”
Ironically, a woman named “Mary” reported that “virgin” in Isaiah 7:14 should no longer be translated as “virgin” but as “young woman.” Mary Sperry, who oversees Bible licensing for the bishops, told Reuters that ”The bishops and the Bible are not signaling any sort of change in the doctrine of the virgin birth of Jesus. None whatsoever.”
So I guess Mary is still a virgin. There was no midnight booty call.
