[extropy-chat] Religion: Subject Change! How can you Trust Anything from the Bible - Wise Maji or Not?

[natashavita at earthlink.net]

WARNING - Subject Line Change! 

Just in case anything thought I was trusting taking anything from the Bible
as "serious."

It's an important point (and I'm sure Robert Bradbury would agree).  The
acknowledgement of gender-awareness, in the church or bible, is a bit
ironic, no matter how funny it seems.

Courses that I am taking right now are based in social change and what
specific catalyzing proponents of change do make a difference in the long
term.  In that most of the world is "religious" and has one or another
belief in superstition or otherworldliness, being aware of what changes
they make in their own protocol is worth paying attention to. Regardless of
the fact that it is irrational, we must be aware of the entire world's, not
just our own corner of the globe.

The fact that the "church" is beginning to recognize that there is more
than one gender that is respected in their myths is at least a small step
in one aspect of a right direction, even though they are ultimately facing
backwards.

Cheers!

Natasha

__________________

I just read a report from Reuters about The Christian Church rethinking the
age-old reference to "Three Wise Men," in deference to gender neutrality.

Apparently there is a bit of discrepancy and the 17th Century King James
Bible (70 million readers) made a boo-boo.  "Three Wise Men" is now "Three
Wise Maji" just in case one was a woman.

"The revision committee said: 'While it seems very unlikely that these
Persian court officials were female, the possibility that one or more of
the Magi were female cannot be excluded completely.'

"There is no theological dispute about the gifts they brought -- gold,
frankincense and myrrh -- but the prayer has been changed to use the word
Magi on the grounds that "the visitors were not necessarily wise and not
necessarily men." 

"The decision was greeted by mocking newspaper headlines like 'The Three
Fairly Sagacious Persons' and "Is it unwise to call the Magi men?" 

"Anglicans are debating whether words like 'Chairman' can be replaced at
committee meetings by more neutral words like 'Chair.' (Synod)
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/02/10/uk.magi.reut/index.html

Natasha

Natasha Vita-More

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