Freethought & Rationalism Archive

douglas · 12-01-2006, 01:34 PM

I'm discussing a Psalm 137:6-9 on a Catholic forum, and they keep quoting "Douay Rheims" translations and interpretations. The interpretation seems bizarre to me...

Quote:

Psalm 136:6 Let my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I do not remember thee: If I make not Jerusalem the beginning of my joy. 7 Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom, in the day of Jerusalem: Who say: Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof. 8 O daughter of Babylon, miserable: blessed shall he be who shall repay thee thy payment which thou hast paid us. 9 Blessed be he that shall take and dash thy little ones against the rock.

Interpretation:
9 "Dash thy little ones"... In the spiritual sense, we dash the little ones of Babylon against the rock, when we mortify our passions, and stifle the first motions of them, by a speedy recourse to the rock which is Christ.

I have very little objective information about this translation other than what I've read on wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douay-Rheims

I guess I don't really have a point behind this thread, other than just to vent my frustration

at humans who can read a verse and accept such a ridiculous interpretation. They refuse to consider any alternative interpretations other than the friggin Douay-Rheims.Argh!

I'd "vent" on the Catholic forum, but they're already looking for an excuse to ban me.

Splarnst · 12-01-2006, 07:45 PM

Even though you may not have any point, I sympathize with your frustration. People who can accept such an obviously absurd interpretation are not amenable to reason and simply desire for the difficulty to be magically resolved by a relatively authoritative source.

If anything, I would point out that such a violent and vile metaphor would never be appropriate for a supposedly loving deity.

Markoff Chaney · 12-01-2006, 08:17 PM

Rocko: You can't chuck bowling balls at us!
Schnitzel Cult Leader: Yes, we can. Says so in the Great Book of Bratwurst.
[reads]
Schnitzel Cult Leader: "And if there is one among you who does not follow the ways of the Schnitzel, let that one go, and do not throw bowling balls at them."
Rocko: You see? It says let us go.
Schnitzel Cult Leader: It's a matter of interpretation.

Tangent · 12-01-2006, 08:18 PM

I like that explanation, interesting metaphor.

Too bad it's not what it meant.

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12-01-2006, 07:45 PM	#2
Splarnst Contributor Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 13,161	Even though you may not have any point, I sympathize with your frustration. People who can accept such an obviously absurd interpretation are not amenable to reason and simply desire for the difficulty to be magically resolved by a relatively authoritative source. If anything, I would point out that such a violent and vile metaphor would never be appropriate for a supposedly loving deity.

12-01-2006, 08:17 PM	#3
Markoff Chaney Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 58	Rocko: You can't chuck bowling balls at us! Schnitzel Cult Leader: Yes, we can. Says so in the Great Book of Bratwurst. [reads] Schnitzel Cult Leader: "And if there is one among you who does not follow the ways of the Schnitzel, let that one go, and do not throw bowling balls at them." Rocko: You see? It says let us go. Schnitzel Cult Leader: It's a matter of interpretation.

12-01-2006, 08:18 PM	#4
Tangent Regular Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NY Posts: 188	I like that explanation, interesting metaphor. Too bad it's not what it meant.

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