Wednesday, October 10, 2007

lolcat Bible - Review

So umm... Kat posted a link to the lolcat translation of the Bible. Link
Basically, it translates scripture into web-onics. Just for a refernce, here is The first part of Job 1: (by the way, if you are over 30, you will have MAJOR problems understanding this... you have been warned)

1. In teh land of Uz wuz a man calded Job. Teh man was goodz, afraid of teh Ceiling Cat and evilz. 2. Teh man hadz seven sunz and tree doters, 3. And lots of sheepz and camlez and rinoceruseses and servnts, srsly. 4. His sunz tok turns mading cookies, and they all eated them. 5. And Job wuz liek "Oh noes! Wut if cookies were sin? Gota prey, just in cased."

6. Teh ayngles wented to seez Ceiling Cat, and Saitin wented 2. 7. Ceiling Cat axt Saitin, "Wher u wuz?" Saitin saied "Oh, hai. I'z wuz in ur earth, woking up and down uponz it."8. Teh Ceiling Cat sayd "Has u seen mai servnt Job? He can has cheezburger cuz he laiks me."

9. "No wai!" sed Saitin. 10. "U just plyin favrits. 11. If u take his cheezburgers, he no laiks u no moar."



So umm... here is my review, which may surprise you).


A seminary student’s perspective on the lolcat translation of scripture:


Well, I think I will share my thoughts in the order in which they came…

Thought 1: Umm… this sounds kinda funny, but could have serious problems…I think I will check it out. However, they thought did pop into my head that they probably weren’t taking God and scripture very seriously… hmm… are they really treating him as holy?... we shall see.

Score: 0 (still neutral, with reservations)

Thought 2: (as I am reading Job 1).Umm…wow… this is actually pretty entertaining. However, they do refer to God as the Ceiling Cat… um…. I think that falls short of God Almighty, Creator and Sustainer of the universe… but I guess I can get past that (-1 point)

Score: -1

Thought 3: Job 1:2-3 “Teh man hadz seven sunz and tree doters, And lots of sheepz and camlez and rinoceruseses and servnts, srsly.” That’s pretty funny… especially the rinoceruseses. Srsly. (+2)

Score: +1

Thought 4: (Now reading John 1) John 1:1 “In teh beginz is teh cat macro, and teh cat macro sez "Oh hai Ceiling Cat" and teh cat macro iz teh Ceiling Cat.” Well…. at least they are theologically sound… Christ = God. They may have bad grammar, but they have good theology. (+3)

Score: +4

Thought 5: (reading on in John 1) John 1:5 “Teh lite iz pwns teh darks, but teh darks iz liek ‘Wtf.’” So umm… I don’t think it’s a fabulous idea to have ‘WTF’ in the Bible, which by the way for those of you who don’t speak web-onics, is short for “What the F***.” Umm… yah.. that seems like not a fabulous idea. In fact, it seems like a TERRIBLE idea. Yah… (-5)

Then I read on, John 1:7 “He tellz teh ppl dat teh lites is tehre, so dat teh doodz sez ‘OMG’.” Umm… again, good intentions, but taking the Lord’s name in vain (which is breaking one of the top 10) is not a fabulous idea either (OMG = Oh My God). (-2)

Score: -3

Overall…. I give it a -3. Its not heretical. Its not like this is an assault on God or anything. But it doesn’t really give the honor and reverence to Christ and the Creator of the Universe that it should (but that comes from the guy who is struggling with the fact that most of my generation and younger treats God as their homie that they stick in their pocket and take out during the day when they have a problem instead of falling on their faces in reverence, awe, and holy fear.)

Second, if it were really going to get people to read scripture when they would not have before, maybe it would get some bonus points. But I highly doubt that would happen. Even if it did, they would have to move to some other translation quickly because they couldn’t really get good solid understanding of if out of this translation (HA!! Even The Message translation would be a step up in depth and accuracy!!)


So overall, funny and good for a laugh (with reservations in certain places). However, its not worth translating the whole thing. Srsly.

6 comments:

Katanna said...

Ya, I did notice that they did use actual curse words, not just anagrams, later in Job.

Matthew

Valerie said...

Needz moar macros!

Unknown said...

so people over 30 either.........

1. do not have a sense of humor

2. can't read it caz it isn't "English"

3. are just stupid?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

hhhhhhuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmm

people UNDER 30 SHOULD NOT make nasty judgements caz they will too, be OLD one day

Unknown said...

Second, if it were really going to get people to read scripture when they would not have before, maybe it would get some bonus points.

that is what they said about Jesus Christ Superstar - it would at least get people "interested" even tho there are MAJOR mistakes in it........

don't think it had that effect - but I still like some of the songs :>)

spartacus976 said...

ummm.... take a chill pill!! i'm saying that people over 30 USUALLY get confused when reading this type of thing....

I said nothing about a sense of humor or about their stupidity

*hugz* you just need a hug today *hug* your wonderful children love you very much

Unknown said...

by the way, if you are over 30, you will have MAJOR problems understanding this... you have been warned


don't think I see the word USUALLY there?!?!?!?

maybe it is caz I am OLD and can't see as well............... :>)