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.
David says
🙂
laugh accomplished
Jeremy Myers says
Glad to hear it!
Jack Wellman says
It sounds like the Vatican was raided by the Politically Correct police.
Jeremy Myers says
Yes. The Catholics too are not immune!
Josh Honeycutt says
Jeremy
Love the title of your post! Nothing makes me smile more than awesome puns and catchy titles.
Jeremy Myers says
Gotta love puns! But I can’t take credit for it. I think it was in the original news item which I referred to…
Scrollwork says
That was a killer closing statement, Jeremy.
Jeremy Myers says
Thanks. I thought it might be over the top, but went with it anyway.
Susie Finkbeiner says
But “booty” made Maher shalal hash baz so cool to Bible College kids all over the world!