REFUTING 
INNOVATED CHRISTIAN BELIEFS 

    If the refuting of unfounded fallacious dogmas that have crept into the traditional Christian beliefs is your objective, here is a simplistic way of fulfilling this mission. God Willing, this kind of approach could achieve the desired results without entering into unpleasant arguments and controversies. The sources of these misleading fundamental dogmas have in effect been invalidated by the editors of the Revised Versions of the Bible. These editors have either expunged the previously added words or replaced the innovated texts upon which these contrived dogmas were based. Our task is to place before the mislead people these Revised Texts and let them do the soul searching. If they have problems with the REVISIONS they should first approach these learned editors who are skilled in editing of the Bible texts and try to convince them. 

    "And say; Truth has come and falsehood has vanished away. Lo! falsehood is ever bound to vanish."
                    (Holy Qur'an 17:81) 
Below I have quoted five consequential texts or titles that have been revised. First reproduced are the texts from Authorized King James Version -1976 (K.J.V.), published in USA by Collins World (1976). Followed are the texts from the New Revised Standard Version -1989 (N.R.S.V.), published in USA by World Bible Publishers, Inc., (1989). The editors of N.R.S.V. have declared that their version is in turn, an authorized revision of the original K.J.V. published in 1611.

BEGOTTEN SON

Authorized King James Version: 
For god so loved the world, that he gave 
his only begotten Son,                               John 3:16 
New Revised Standard Version: 
For God so loved the world that he gave 
his only Son,                                              John 3:16
    Note: The concept that Jesus Christ is or was the begotten Son of God, happens to be a stepping stone of the Christian beliefs. The superfluously added term "begotten" is expunged/deleted in the revised version because it does not appear in the original text written by Apostle John. Hence Jesus becomes a "Son of God" for the Bible readers.
        In the Bible, Jesus is not the only individual for whom the term "Son of God" is used. The term is used in Lk. 3:38 for Adam; in Ex. 4:22 for Israel; in 1 Chron. 22:10 for David; and in Jer. 31:9 for Ephraim. Besides, "the children of Israel" and "the peacemakers" are also called the “Sons of God”. These texts denote that the terms "Son of God" and "Sons of God" are not used in their physical or literal senses but rather in the metaphorical or symbolic senses. For further details please click   HERE and read the "Notes:" 
    at the end of the article.

RESPONSE TO answering-islam.org
The Critic Andrew Vargo writes at their website:
 http://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Meherally/meh8_0.htm

Mr. Meherally is insinuating that Christians added the word begotten "superfluously" to the Bible. This is not true, the Greek manuscripts of John 3:16 are consistent. The word "begotten" is one of English translations of the Greek word "monogenes" which can mean "only" or "only begotten". Jesus is called God's "only Son" in either case.

My Response:

1 The Critic writes "which can mean" shows it is not the direct literal translation of the Greek phrase "monogenes". If it was, the critic Andrew Vargo would have produced the syllable by syllable direct translation of the phrase "monogenes" in his rebuttal, which he has not.

2. Here is a passage from the Preface to the Bible, by the Committee of translators of the New Revised Standard Version:

Within the constrains set by the original texts and by the mandates of the Division, the Committee has followed the maxim. "As literal as possible, as free as necessary." As a consequence, the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) remains essentially a literal translation. Parapharistic rendering has been adopted only sparingly, and then chiefly to compensate for a deficiency in the English language -- the lack of a common gender third person singular pronoun.
3. The above quoted passage clearly indicates that the REVISED translation is primarily based upon the LITERAL translation and the earlier translations that were based upon which can also mean have been revised, amended and corrected. This explanation is equally applicable to rest of the similar rebuttals by the Critic to this article.


TRINITARIAN TEXT

Authorized King James Version: 
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the Water, and the Blood; and these three agree in one.     1 John 5:7 and 8 
New Revised Standard Version: 
There are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree.          1 John 5:7 and 8
    Note: The superfluous verse depicting the Trinitarian concept, injected to the Authorized King James Version has now been removed in the Revised Version of the Bible, since it does not appear in the original text.


BORN AGAIN

Authorized King James Version: 
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.      John 3:3 
New Revised Standard Version: 
Very, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.     John 3:3
    Note: To many, being a born-again Christian is not only a matter of great pride and privilege but it also means; the Salvation is assured. The false hope of Salvation being handed on a platter, does vanish with the expunging of the phrase `born-again’ in the revised text. The Greek phrase used by apostle John translates, 'born from above'. Jesus by reciting the above verse was telling Nicodemus, a devout Pharisee who believed in the Resurrection, that the kingdom of God would only come to the whole world at the time of Resurrection. No man can see the kingdom of God, before his resurrection. 

A VIRGIN SHALL BEAR A SON

Authorized King James Version: 
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.            Isaiah 7:14 
New Revised Standard Version: 
Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.     Isaiah 7:14
    Note: The name Immanuel translates 'God with us' and hence the prophecy is looked upon by the majority of the Christians, as the corner stone for the physical manifestation of God as Christ Jesus, that was born to virgin Mary. Isaiah was not speaking of a virgin, but of a young women. Secondly, he did not write shall conceive. He wrote of one that was (is) with child. Matthew in 1:23, quotes the above prophecy for virgin Mary. But, neither did virgin Mary name his son Immanuel nor did the disciples of Jesus called their master Immanuel. Matthew himself confirms that an angel of the Lord had asked Joseph to name the child "Jesus"; that virgin Mary had conceived. see Mt. 1:21.

H E B R E W S

Authorized King James Version: 
The title of the Epistle to the Hebrews reads: The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews 
New Revised Standard Version: 
The title of the Epistle to the Hebrews reads: The Letter to the Hebrews.
    Note: The Epistle to the Hebrews is of great significance for the Christians who wish to propagate the ultimate authority and supremacy of Jesus Christ. The editors of N.R.S.V., have noted that the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, whoever it was, was clearly demonstrating the superiority of Christ over everyone and everything. And, was revealing Jesus' true identity as God and his ultimate authority. Christianity supersedes all other religions and can never be surpassed etc., etc. According to the traditional Christian belief, apostle Paul - the supposed author, was the one that had made these claims. However, upon examination of all the letters, supposedly written by Paul, Hebrews is the only letter where his name does not appear as an introductory opening word in the opening chapter. The style and language shows that it was written by a pseudo author to show the superiority of Christianity over Judaism. Since the name of Paul is eliminated from the title of the Epistle in the revised text, the readers of Hebrews have to do some serious soul searching before accepting claims made by a pseudo author whose identity is unknown.
A Christian    response    response to some of the above.

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