KJV Only. Valid or hoax?

It is Sunday evening July 29 and I am feeling the best I have felt since beginning my chemo treatments. And for that I am very thankful. I am thankful to everyone who has encouraged me in so many ways and for everyone who has held me in their thoughts and prayers.

As I said in the preceding blog I am venturing back into putting out for public scrutiny some of my thoughts and thought processes on issues that I find meaningful to me. I have decided to explore a little while the issue that has been gaining a lot of attention and is known as the “King James Only” movement. I want to look at what has been published and what is being advocated by Christians on both sides of this issue. I have personal relationships with people on both sides of this issue and as I look into the issues and motives I am hoping that some of them will be able to speak with me about their position. I do not want to create conflict or bad feelings so I am hoping those I approach can speak beyond personal feelings and speak logic and reason into their position rather than emotion.

There is a lot of information both pro and con on this issue on the Internet, and as we know one has to be very careful in assigning credence to information found there. I am sure of one thing and that is this will not be an issue I find a resolution for quickly. I have found one book I want to order and read as I research this topic and I know in speaking with some of the people on both sides of the issue there will be some time involved in setting up interviews and then sorting through the information I get in a way that won’t taint or misrepresent their viewpoints. So this may take some time. I am already sure this is a serious topic than needs to be handled carefully and thoughtfully.

First I want to speak into why I believe this is an important topic.

The label Christian is used to describe peoples of many different thought processes and beliefs. I realize that Christian means different things to different people. There are nearly as many different opinions on lifestyles and scriptural interpretation as there are different kinds of places we call our homes. And while most Christians believe they are following standards of behavior and activities that is pleasing unto the Christ they claim as their namesake, to put them side by side one would never guess they have anything in common.

There are the extremist groups when it comes to dress such as the Amish and Hutterites. There are groups that eschew certain things that can be proven to be damaging to the body. There are groups who hold to certain hair styles as being acceptable or not. Some Christian groups forbid modernization or the use of technology. Many Christian groups forbid the use of man mad medicine or heath aids. One group or another has codes or traditions or “beliefs” that cover pretty much everything one could eat, wear, use, attend, speak about or participate in.

So when we examine the source of their rules we most often in the Christian community find ourselves being referred to an interpretation or version of the Bible. So it is with serious intent that we examine what version of the Bible is being referenced so as to understand the temperament and intent of the rules and covenants of different Christian groups. And that is one of the reasons this issue of the King James Only movement has my attention.

If you want to weigh in please do. I am still not completely up to speed on attention and comprehension with the side effects of the treatments I am going through. I am having minor vision problems and I seem to have trouble with making logical thought associations when I read. I am hoping all of this is temporary, but for now I have to take things slow so as not to muddy the waters.

Back to blogging

Several who have followed my blogs in the past and continue to hear from me on a regular basis concerning my battle with cancer have asked me to consider revisiting my blog again. For some time after being let go at a job I had come to loathe I was still disappointed in being let go in the fashion I was, and just begin to have a diminished opinion of my worth. That was exacerbated with a long look for employment with no positive results. I came to the point of seriously doubting my employability and hence my self worth. I know from reading on the topic that this is pretty typical especially in men. The image many to perhaps most is that man is the primary breadwinner in the family and he should always have the where with all to be and stay employed.

I knew the reason I was released from my last two jobs was in many ways an inability to stand up for what I felt was right and do it in a positive and effective manner. So I was beginning to believe I did not have the fortitude to stand up for myself and defend my position properly.

Regardless of right or wrong, I went through a long spell of feeling like I had nothing to say in the form of a blog, so I went into a regressive mode where I not only did not write or talk about issues that concerned me, I even tried to not think too much about issues. I retreated into a shell of sorts in which I begin to close down communication with others. Several know very well I was withdrawing because the topics I mused about I became silent on. I apologize to those who read my blogs and especially to those who not only read them but responded to them with comments and advice.

In the mean time, I found a job. I found a job I thoroughly enjoyed. But the job keep me from getting home until 12 am for several months and then my hours changed but I still did not get home until 9 pm. But the time I had worked 8 hours and driven an hour in the dark I wasn’t feeling much like blogging. And even more than that, I wasn’t back to thinking, reading or researching about any issues that might raise my attention.

Then the cancer came to light. As you can well imagine, cancer seems to get ALL of one’s attention. Especially when the first estimate of how severe the cancer is returns the very scary “Stage 4” phrase. So for the last 8 to 10 weeks my attention has been pretty much focused on how bad am I, how much time do I have, what will the end of my days be like, what will my wife do, and how will my children and grandchildren do? As of yet, I still do not have answers, or at least good answers to these questions. It is under those burdens one finds it tough to refocus on obscure and insignificant issues of theology when wondering if they will live to see the next birthday in the family.

Even beginning to blog again I find my entire mind set has changed about so many things I believe some will realize right away it is not the same Bruce who is blogging. But hopefully you will see a Bruce that has shifted position on a number of issues, completely dropped some issues that no longer seem important, and is now more focused on issues that seem much more to the point. That point being the brevity of time we have, no matter how long we have.

I hope to explain some shifts in my thought process especially concerning ongoing issues I have with peoples who’s faith tradition don’t correspond to mine. I certainly do not want to hurt or wound any one, but I would hope to open clearer lines of communication to some who see spiritual matters in different light than I do. There has been a time when I wanted to convince others of “their” errors in light of “my” truth. But I am past that now and looking for conciliation and understanding of the insignificance of some differences and the amazing similarities in what appears to be other differences. I do not want to put down but to raise all of us up to a higher plane of understanding and fellowship.

It is to that end that I believe I am going to venture back into blogging. As I always maintained, blogging is first and foremost an exercise for me to force me to write succinctly and clearly so that my thought process moves from flashes of neurons in my brain to printed words on paper or on your screen. And move in such a way that I don’t do injustice to the processes.

Stay tuned if you like. Let me know if you are following. Unlike before I hope to present only material that I am willing to have others comment on. I know at one time I blocked that possibility because I didn’t wish to be berated or upbraided for my thoughts. I won’t venture there in a public forum any more. So comment if you will. I would enjoy hearing from you.