Why the lie?

Kcnorwood · #1 08-07-2008, 09:52 PM

We all know about why the Christians placed thier holidays around Pagan holidays.

We also know that when the bible talked about Witchcraft & that a Witch should not live.

In both these stories it was a lie. The word Witch was a mis-translation which was never corrected so if the bible & Christianty is supposed to be a moral compass of sorts. So why the lies? Which makes me wonder what else was a lie?

UltraViolet · #2 08-07-2008, 09:55 PM

What was Witch a mistranslation of Kcnorwood?

I believe I have heard this before,
but can't remember.

Guitar's Cry · #3 08-07-2008, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kcnorwood

We all know about why the Christians placed thier holidays around Pagan holidays.

I rather enjoy the mix that I've grown up with, though.

Crosses and evergreen wreathes work well together.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kcnorwood

We also know that when the bible talked about Witchcraft & that a Witch should not live.

In both these stories it was a lie. The word Witch was a mis-translation which was never corrected so if the bible & Christianty is supposed to be a moral compass of sorts. So why the lies? Which makes me wonder what else was a lie?

As with any moral system, it is designed to uphold the mores of the culture that adopts it. Unfortunately, that often leaves a lot of people marginalized and dehumanized in the name of a "greater good" which is the dominate social structure.

Gentoo · #4 08-07-2008, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UltraViolet

What was Witch a mistranslation of Kcnorwood?

I believe I have heard this before,
but can't remember.

I've heard that it was a mistranslation of a mistranslation of a well-poisoner. Which makes sense for the time period, a desert people needed their water wells, and those who poisoned them were not looked kindly upon, to put it lightly.

UltraViolet · #5 08-07-2008, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gentoo

I've heard that it was a mistranslation of a mistranslation of a well-poisoner. Which makes sense for the time period, a desert people needed their water wells, and those who poisoned them were not looked kindly upon, to put it lightly.

Nope. I definately had not heard that before. LOL! thanks.

That's quite a mistranslation! hehe

UltraViolet · #6 08-07-2008, 10:08 PM

Perhaps "well-poisoner" was switched with "well-finder"?

(as in one who dowses for water?-- a "diviner")

Change the meaning of "well" and it gets interesting.

Gentoo · #7 08-07-2008, 10:11 PM

I don't know if it's true or not, just something I picked up on along the grapevine..

Dunemeister · #8 08-07-2008, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kcnorwood

We all know about why the Christians placed thier holidays around Pagan holidays.

We also know that when the bible talked about Witchcraft & that a Witch should not live.

In both these stories it was a lie. The word Witch was a mis-translation which was never corrected so if the bible & Christianty is supposed to be a moral compass of sorts. So why the lies? Which makes me wonder what else was a lie?

Which stories are you talking about? In the case of holiday timing, the church never taught that Jesus was really born on December 25. That was rather the day the birth was commemorated. Nobody actually knows the date of Jesus' birth. Even the year is disputed.

Easter, same thing. Nobody knows exactly what day he died. All we know is that it was on the eve of a Sabbath.

In both cases, the dates were set in order to subvert pagan worship and to provide alternative celebrations for those Christians who were still tempted by the pagan rites. The church, as far as I know, has never pretended otherwise. So where's the lie?

As for the translation issue, again, where's the lie? If it was a mistranslation (I'm not convinced it was, but I'm open to the possibility), why assume it was nefarious and not simply an honest mistake? Or perhaps a mistake produced by cultural assumptions when the word was translated? Or.....?