[sword-devel] Copyright Scripture distribution

[Joel Mawhorter]

On Fri, 10 Dec 1999, you wrote:
> Joel Mawhorter wrote:
> 
> > ...
> > Anyone want to start a "Free the Bible" campaign?
> > ...
> 
> Ooh!  Do, do, let's!
> 
> (For those of you who never read Enid Blyton as a child, the above means i think
> this is a good idea.  :-)

Wow, flashback! For some reason I just had this vision of British
school-children (grin).

> Here's what we should free it from:
> - commercialism: Making money at the expense of wider distribution.

This is essentially what I meant by free, so I obviously agree with you on this
point.

> - ethnocentricism/linguacentricism: Concentration on Western European
> languages. 

I don't think that this is the case. If you look at the great work that
organizations like Wycliffe/SIL are doing, you will see that almost all of
their translation efforts are on non-European languages.

> - egotism/parochialism/translation theory centricism (?): "My
> translation is better than yours" syndrome.

I have to agree 100% with Michael's comment on this one. Besides, what would
the end result be if we accomplished this? 
By the way, Parochialism?! I learned my new word for the day (grin).

> I'd be happy to host a web page on my less-than-high-bandwidth site.  :-)
> 
> 1 Cor 9:18 for the theme verse?  :-)

That is a great verse but it needs to be used carefully. Look closely at what
Paul (not you, the other one :-) is really saying. The whole point of this
passage is that despite Paul's right to receive payment for his work, he chose
to waive those rights so that he did not "hinder the gospel of Christ"
[1Cor9:12]. Note his point about not muzzling the ox. This passage suggests an
approach for dealing with the Bible societies. We could tell them that despite
their right (real or perceived) to not give away their translations, we are
asking them to do as Paul did in order that the sharing of the gospel could be
done more effectively. I think that the people in charge of Bible societies are
sincerely trying to further God's kingdom. Maybe they just need enough people
to show them how they could do that most effectively.

Joel

> Paul
> ---------
> "He must become greater; i must become less." - John 3:30\

The significance of your capitilization would not be lost on e.e. cummings.

> http://www.bigfoot.com/~paulgear