| Author | Message | ||
| Hallanvaara Registered user Username: Hallanvaara Post Number: 22 Registered: 1-2004 |
Have you read this Clear Word Bible, made, endorsed and sold by SDAs¥? Yesterday I printed Verle Streiflings artichle about it from LAM sites and read it whole night. I¥m absolutely horrified! How it is possible they twist and pervert God¥s word like this?! Are they losing their mind? Bible says clearly what happens to them who alters a slightest word in Scripture. And now they do it deliberately. And why? Just because they MUST get be people see that EGW was a prophet. I feel sick. Really, my friends. This is truly going too far... And they call themselves "only true remnant church" and blaming Catholic church because they altered two commandments of Decalogue. There are tens and tens of removals and additions of words and meanings. There is sabbath where it originally isn¥t, the man has no soul but only life, hades is just a grave.... Streiflings article is very informative and good. Read it yourself and beware of "false Bibles". Tuija | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 266 Registered: 7-2003 |
I remember early on asking B about this Bible. At first, he had never seen one, next time it was discussed he had only seen 2 or 3 and it was no different than any other paraphrase (such as a Children's Bible, he said). Next time, he insisted they weren't used in Bible studies... every time his story changed. Now, it could be that as I brought things to his attention, he started paying attention, but he is so programmed to defend everything SDA, even when I pointed out there are current SDAs who think this "Bible" is a sin and makes the religion look like a cult. (I read that in an SDA review of it somewhere) Anyway, when I was researching the CWBible, I looked at Amazon.com since they are a big online bookseller to see if they sold it. And indeed they did. As of that time, they had sold over half a million copies. Today, the paperback has sold over 90,000 and the leatherbound has sold 1,332,330. They do not sell the hardbound book. That's just sales off the internet. In reading some of the reviews, some glow and others call it heresy. One lady mentioned she had "discovered" it in the hospital where they had them ... another lady said she had never been able to read the "other" Bible through, but she was able to read the clear word through in 6 months. One of the reviews I pulled up to post the numbers here addressed your point, Tuija. QUOTE: " This is Not the Bible, nor is it Clear., December 29, 2003 Reviewer: Benjamin Lizarraga from Imperial, California United States After reading extensive portions of this bible, what becomes clear to the serious reader is the fact that the text of the Scriptures has been altered by the author. Mr. J.Blanco claims to have published a "paraphrase" of the Scriptures. However, an accurate paraphrase does not add nor take away from the original literary work, like it was done in the "Clear Word" Bible. I would ask Mr.Blanco to consider one text: Revelation 22:18. According to the King James version Rev.22:18 reads: "...If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book,etc..." According to Mr.J.Blanco Rev.22:18 reads: "...I, John, warn everyone who reads or hears the prophetic words in this book not to add anything CONTRARY TO WHAT IS WRITTEN (capitalization done by me). If they do, God's seven last plagues will certainly fall on them..." The capitalized words "CONTRARY TO WHAT IS WRITTEN" in the last quotation are clearly NOT in the King James version nor in any other respectable versions of the Bible. However, what those words do pretend, is to leave open for anybody to add to the Scriptures based on their own discretion as to whether what they add is "contrary" or "not" to what is written. In other words, according to Mr. Blanco, it is OK to add to the Bible as long as it is not "contrary" to what is written. In conlusion, it is my evaluation that "The Clear Word" Bible will go down as an infamous event in the history of the Review and Herald Publishing Association. ___________________________end of Quote I was wondering about his last statement about the publisher...it almost sounds as though he might be familiar with them? To be balanced, here's another point of view (abridged for space): QUOTE: Excellent "Devotional" --Better than the Message Bible!, March 19, 2003 Reviewer: Thomas Luttrell (see more about me) from Berrien Springs, MI United States ...Yes, Jack Blanco elaborates on some passages to explain what he thinks they mean--and that is why this is a "Devotional" Bible (its not meant for serious Bible study)--but I find that Blanco is far more faithful to what the text is saying than the Message Bible .... The Clear Word deserves five stars for *faithfully* communicating what the Bible is trying to say in modern, contemporary language and for its excellent readability. It has pretty much the same goal as the Message Bible, but I think the Clear Word is much better.--- End of QUOTE Both of those quotes are found on amazon.com, search for clear word bible. There are others, but I thought those two uniquely opposed. Anyway, I thought the information was interesting for a secular venue. | ||
| Chris Registered user Username: Chris Post Number: 271 Registered: 7-2003 |
My "favorite" passage in the CWB is Dan 8:14. CWB takes what is an 8 word text in Hebrew and turns it into a long paragraph explaining the SDA Investigative Judgement and Sanctuary doctrines. This particular example is pure commentary making no attempt to paraphrase the actual text at all. I'm not a very big fan of the Message either, but the Message stands head and shoulders above the CWB. While the Message may change some nuiances in a way I disagree with, it doesn't destroy or alter any of the essentials of the Christian faith or weave the writings of a 19th century false prophet into the text. The CWB is an abomination and I don't think that language is too strong in any way. Chris | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 152 Registered: 12-2003 |
I totally agree, Chris. "Abomination" is accurate. Melissa, that last quote identifies the writer as being from Berrien Springs, MI. That address suggests strongly that he is Adventist. I further agree that the first review left me wondering, also, whether the writer was familiar with the R&H Publishing Assoc. The numbers of CWB sold through Amazon are staggering. How many of those might be Adventist purchases is anybody's guess, I suppose--but we really do need to pray that people will be protected from the SDA deception. Colleen | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 269 Registered: 7-2003 |
I wondered about the amazon purchases if they would be SDAs...is there a "loyalty", if you will, to support SDA owned bookcenters, etc? But you're right, it is purely speculation. I also made the michigan connection. There are several of the reviews that make it obvious the people are SDAs trying to get the unsuspecting to jump at their bait. But there are some that warn people this is a disguised SDA document that is no different than the mormon or JW Bibles. I was trying to put the sales numbers in relation to how many SDAs supposedly exist in the US. Isn't the US count close to 1 million? (that may be outdated) But either way, it supports the idea that it is a very prolific book, comparatively speaking. | ||
| Dane Registered user Username: Dane Post Number: 2 Registered: 4-2004 |
I started hearing about the CWB about 18 mths ago and looked into it then. I was appalled. I see this as further evidence of retrenchment by the conservative wing of SDA. IMHO this should remove all doubt as to whether they should be classified as a cult. There is now little difference between conservative SDA, JW's and Mormons. Dane | ||
| Praisegod Registered user Username: Praisegod Post Number: 26 Registered: 3-2004 |
Back when I was still SDA I couldn't see what all the furor was about because in my church it had always been clearly labeled as a devotional that added EGW so you knew what you were getting. When I was teaching SS classes I was very careful to point out to people where the meaning of the Bible had been changed. Near the very beginning of moving out of the SDA church, I remember one time when I strongly felt convicted by the Holy Spirit to remove the Clear Word Bible from my house and destroy it. This was even before I had eliminated the EGW books. Perhaps God was trying to shock me with how seriously he viewed the amalgamation (good SDA word, right?) of truth and error. Praise God... | ||
| Jerry Registered user Username: Jerry Post Number: 416 Registered: 6-2002 |
Let us be very unambiguous about this book. Since its initial publication, there has been a constant effort to back-pedal and distance the official SDA organization from the Clear Word. As has been noted in various articles, the original title was ìThe Clear Word Bible.î Very soon after the first printing, it became apparent to the General Conference and its subsidiary organizations that the book was very vulnerable to attack. In light of this, the title was changed to ìThe Clear Wordî omitting the word ìBible.î In addition, there were several ìtalking pointsî used to ìspinî the subject away from controversy. First, people started deflecting responsibility to Dr. Blanco. Second, Adventists attempted to label it ìa paraphraseî and claim that this was different from a Bible. Third, Adventists took great care to deny that anyone uses this version as a primary Scriptural resource in any church activity. I may not have cited all of the tactics used. I will address these for now. As to who ìcommissionedî this work, I expect that it would be very difficult to find an official document or eye-witness stating that the General Conference directed the creation of this work. However, I find it hard to imagine that Pacific Press published the book without some sort of approval high up the church hierarchy. That is no proof of such approval, but it certainly raises an interesting question. As to the ìparaphraseî argument, I maintain that those books most Christians acknowledge as legitimate versions of the Bible nearly always contain some level of paraphrasing. The King James or ìAuthorized versionî contains many terms and phrases contemporary to the time when the version was constructed which do not match the original language in a very literal sense. In fact, due to the inherent grammatical differences between English and the original languages, some paraphrasing is unavoidable. Therefore, calling a book ìa paraphraseî does not automatically make it ìnot a Bible.î Finally, as to the ìwe donít really use itî argument, that is very hard to dispute. Other that the question as to who, other than SDAís or prospective SDAís, has purchased the hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of copies, we have no basis make any claims about its use. That is exactly the way the hierarchy would want it. However, as to how important Adventism thinks this book is, consider this, from the ABC official web site describing the book. The Book is prominently grouped in the ìBibleî section and contains this detailed description:
I rest my case. | ||
| Mary_jane Registered user Username: Mary_jane Post Number: 1 Registered: 3-2004 |
Greetings! I signed up a while ago, but haven't posted up until now. When I read your thread, here, I really felt compelled to add my info. I have a "testimony", I guess they call it, on the Truth or Fables website, which tells most of my story. I'm a third-generation SDA (EX!!!!! Now), whose grandfather worked with Kellogg and others, and apparently was acquainted with Mrs. White. I have always been a questioning (doughtful) sort of person, I guess, and never really bought into Mrs. White and all that. Anyway...The Clear Word. Mr. Blanco...Professor Blanco, I believe, was head of the Religion or Theology Department if I'm correct, at Southern College of Seventh-Day Adventists, when I lived near there a few years ago. He started writing it as a "help" for himself and others, to try to avoid misunderstandings when people read the Bible and it wasn't clear (or didn't say exactly what the SDA church taught). He only completed the whole Bible when people (probably the GC, or at least other people in charge) prevailed upon him to complete it so they could use it for "devotionals" or such. I don't remember if I heard him personally, or others quoting him, but I do remember he staunchly maintained that he NEVER meant the Clear Word to be used IN PLACE of the Bible, or instead of it, or to prove any point. I can imagine he is horrified at what they've made of it. But, like the rest of the people in charge of the SDA church, I'm sure he can placate his conscience by thinking it's for the best in the long run. Best Wishes to all! MJ | ||
| Hallanvaara Registered user Username: Hallanvaara Post Number: 24 Registered: 1-2004 |
Welcome Mary jane. Reading this thread make one question more into my mind. So why at all they had to make such book?They almost deny it, say "it¥s not Bible" and "it shouldn¥t take instead of Bible". What the use is this book made for anyway? I see it only for supporting EGW. All the alterings are made because of her visions and writings. No matter what mr. Blanco or anybody else says. It destroys message of the Bible. Yes, it¥s true that when translated translations has to compromise what it said originally and some words can be translated many ways. I really consider to learn hebrew and greek and purchase original Scriptures.... Tuija | ||
| Mary_jane Registered user Username: Mary_jane Post Number: 3 Registered: 3-2004 |
Greetings, Tuija! I so enjoy reading your messages, and seeing things from the standpoint of another culture. I agree with you about destroying the message of the Bible, because anyone who reads the Clear Word without knowing what the Bible says won't realize that this is all from the standpoint of the SDA theology. Mr. Blanco originally did this for his own study, and nothing else. He took portions of the Bible and rewrote them from an SDA point of view, where originally they could (or would) be construed to mean something entirely different. He is an educator, a professor at a college, and to them being "published" is a very important part of their profession. When some other people found out about his paraphrases, they strongly encouraged him to complete the work, using all the Bible, and to get it published. I believe he did this reluctantly, perhaps seeing what could be done with it. Of course, we can now see that is what did happen, and the SDA church is passing this off as THE Bible, "just" a paraphrased edition, and not letting people know that it is truly and solely from the SDA point of view. I was discussing this with my daughter, and she personally heard Mr. Blanco say he never meant for this to be used other than for SDAs in their personal devotional study. She graduated from Southern College, and knew him. Also, the Mr. Lizarraga may be an Adventist, or at least related to some. I know SDAs by that name in AZ. This may be a relative of theirs. All in all, it's just another of their devious methods of getting into people's minds. Best wishes! MJ | ||
| Pheeki Registered user Username: Pheeki Post Number: 294 Registered: 1-2003 |
I know of a Shery Lizarraga who was in Arizona when my husband went to Thunderbird...she maybe (I am reaching into my memory bank) taught music. She recently tried to contact my husband (like last week) in fact I think I have her phone # in W. Virginia. I am reading back and cannot find where Lizarraga is mentioned. Please clarify...did he have dealings with the CWB? | ||
| Mary_jane Registered user Username: Mary_jane Post Number: 5 Registered: 3-2004 |
Greetings Pheeki! Melissa, near the beginning of this thread, quoted a Benjamin Lizarraga as commenting negatively on the Clear Word Bible. I also know Sherry Lizarraga, and her mother Mrs. Poulsen (I'm not sure that's the correct spelling) who taught my two stepsons at the Tempe Adventist School. I think her husband's name was Joshua, but I'm not sure. They had some adorable little girls. Years ago. Best Wishes! MJ | ||
| Pheeki Registered user Username: Pheeki Post Number: 296 Registered: 1-2003 |
Yes, that is his name. Do you know any of the Houghtons? | ||
| Mary_jane Registered user Username: Mary_jane Post Number: 6 Registered: 3-2004 |
Yes, Pheeki, Don Houghton was our pastor for a while, and baptized my son. He is a really nice person, and, for a pastor, seems pretty honest (can't you tell what I think of THEM?). They left and moved to Texas while we still lived in AZ. My husband tried to get in touch with him a while back. Someone said he was living in Tennessee, and we go there occasionally. I think they are still in Texas, though. I'm pretty sure my husband never did get in touch with him. When did you go to T-Bird? Both my stepsons went there. One (Les) for only a short time (around 1975). The second (Hank) almost graduated (1981). He was kicked out about six weeks before graduation. It was right before the youngest was to start school, and I was determined not to let that happen to another of our children, so he and the daughter both went to public school at that time. it was definitely a good thing for the son, as he had a learning disability, and needed what public school could offer. They both did very well in public school. In fact, about two weeks after the daughter started public school, she came home and asked "Why are the kids in public school more "Christian" than the kids in church school?" It was true. The kids in church school were clickish and looked down on anyone who couldn't afford the fancy clothes, etc. After paying for academy, and church school tuition, there was never much left over for clothes and accessories. (Old not-so-good memories.) Best Wishes! MJ | ||
| Pheeki Registered user Username: Pheeki Post Number: 297 Registered: 1-2003 |
Don Houghton is my father in law. I married one of the kids they raised when their mother died. We all live in Texas. | ||
| Mary_jane Registered user Username: Mary_jane Post Number: 8 Registered: 3-2004 |
Pheeki, That is awesome! I really didn't know any of the kids too well, since I was older than all of them, as far as I know. How is Don? I think he had a pacemaker put in when he lived in AZ, because he had problems with his heart rate, or something like that. It was a pretty unusual, I think. I know they had children of their own and from a sister (of his?). I remember being at their home one evening, and them saying it was the first time in (30?) years that they had slept in the home all by themselves. A real lifechange for them. I think the two last sons had left at the same time, or some such thing. My husband would LOVE to talk with him. If you have a chance, please tell him to call Hank at (740) 845-0557. Hank will call him right back because we have unlimited long distance, and it will only cost Don for a minute. D'oh, what a dummy I am. Wow. It just sunk in that if you're not SDA anymore...it wouldn't be something he would like. Please forgive me for being so dense!!! I just don't have the experience that a lot of you have, since all the SDA relatives who would care are gone. Except my husband, who I don't even really talk with about it all that much. He asked for his membership to be dropped, too, but for different reasons. He doesn't approve of the church leadership, and they way they handle the finances and power; but he still believes most of the doctrines, especially the Sabbath. Most of his friends are SDA, although he doesn't say much to them about not being a member. He does, occasionally try to get them to see the truth about EGW. I guess that would really be hard, because he probably REALLY believes that if you're not SDA he REALLY needs to get you back. Unless we were really taken in by him, he's about as honest as they come. I don't usually care two cents worth about most SDA preachers, because I think they really don't believe what they teach, but don't want to risk losing the paycheck. But if I trusted any of them, it would be him. Wow, life has its wierd twists and turns, doesn't it? MJ | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 159 Registered: 12-2003 |
Whether or not Jack Blanco intended for people besides Adventist to use the Clear Word for devotional reading, writing it even for that purpose was dishonest and betrayed what even Adventists taught (although they couldn't live by it!): Ellen White is separate from scripture and is the "lesser light". Protestations don't change the fact that if one changes the intent of the original scripture passages while writing it in Bible format, carefully following chapters and verses, that person IS adding to and altering scripture--which is the word of God. Of course, Adventists don't believe the Bible is inerrant, and they explain various passages to be cultural in intent, so it is only a bit more of a stretch to go ahead and change the meanings right in the text! It's only a semantics game to claim one didn't intentd anyone other than those who have similar beliefs to read it. If Jack Blanco had written a commentary on the Bible, that would be excusable. But to write it as if it were scripture--that was deliberately deceptive. I've got a hunch that Blanco is probably troubled by some guilt over this thing, or he wouldn't be trying to distance himself from it. He knows what he did. He didn't become chair of the the theology department by being "in the dark", so to speak! He knows his work can be misleading and is deceptive. Perhaps that possible discomfort might drive him to the cross to lay his guilt there...? Colleen | ||
| Mary_jane Registered user Username: Mary_jane Post Number: 9 Registered: 3-2004 |
Colleen, I think you're right. I can only hope that people aren't deceived by the Clear Word, but... I'm sorry I have deviated so from the subject... Pheeki, you don't have to give Don the info...my husband did get in contact with him, but for some reason Don wasn't very friendly after all...hmm.. maybe the word has spread. If you want to contact me at my e-mail, you can at Maryjanelanglois@Yahoo.com. My daughter wonders which one you married. She had a crush on a couple of them... MJ | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 180 Registered: 12-2003 |
We just received an email with the following statement. I copied it to share with everyone, and I'd like to thank the person who sent it! >On the message board thread "Twisted Bible" there is a post with a rather significant error. It states that Amazon.com has sold over a million copies of The Clear Word Bible. The number referred to represents Sales Rank, not quantity sold. Big difference! This is how rumors are started and I feel this should be addressed as soon as possible rather than waiting for me to register to post.< While my feelings and beliefs about the Clear Word remain unchanged, I did want all of you to see this message. Praise God he has protected His word for centuries and will continue to do so! Colleen |
