Lost in translation?

I was thinking. So many people who call themselves Christians, and pretty much all who don’t, do not believe that the Bible is 100% the word of God. This is how they justify not doing everything the Bible commands, or not believing everything in the Bible mentioned as a sin is in fact a sin. The biggest argument for the Bible not being totally inspired by the Holy Spirit is that it’s been translated so many times into so many languages, that there is no way that it could have retained it’s original text and connotations.

I disagree with that. Of course, every language is different and doesn’t always have translations for every word—word for word—but that doesn’t mean that the essence of what is being said is lost.

For example, the novel Gone with the Wind has probably been translated into multiple languages. I’m sure in the Thai language there is probably not a direct translation for many of the Southern slang words that are used in the dialogue, yet something tells me that the Thai reader still understands that the story is about a spoiled, flirtatious young woman who, through war and desperation, becomes a shrewd, man-stealing business woman to ensure that she “never [goes] hungry again.” The Thai version of Gone with the Wind may not be a word-for-word translation, but more than a hundred years after the original was published, the essence and the message I guarantee you is still there.

So why is it that you and I can believe that easily, but we can’t believe that the Bible, even after so many translations, wouldn’t still retain it’s message and the essence of what it originally said. Especially when so many of the messages are cut and dry: Do not steal. Do not kill. Do not lie. Do not commit adultery. Love your nieghbor as yourself. Treat others the way you want to be treate. Etc.

God is the most powerful being in the universe—in space and time even. If He wants to inspire mere mortal men through His Holy Spirit to write His very words down in multiple chapters in one book, He will, and He will make sure they are correct… in any language. Nothing and no one will stop Him from giving us the message He wants us to receive.

So, do you really believe that the Bible isn’t totally accurate and correct, or is it that you just want a reason to only follow the parts that YOU like and which make you comfortable or are "Politically Correct?" Or maybe you need to re-consider whether you really even believe in the God of the Bible. Please, however, don’t give me this flawed argument that somehow the Bible just got lost in translation somewhere down the line…