In my last post, I talked about the “Lost Books of the Bible“. I briefly mentioned that there were many theories regarding why these books were left out of the accepted Bible. Most of these theories seem to point out to a specific agenda of the early Christians to make the bible say what they want it to say. This may or may not be the case, but some of those same critics are doing the same thing today.

I am fascinated by these lost books and the history behind them. I recently purchased a book titled “A New New Testament” edited by Hal Taussig. In a nutshell, it is the accepted new testament with some of these lost books included. There was a process involved in choosing these books and

certain criteria needed to be met. There were ten books added and at least twice as many rejected. Reading about the process used, I completely agree that it was done fairly and it makes sense – except for one thing.

 

The last section of the book is titled “A Companion to a New New Testament” which explains the process in great detail including the scholars, religious and historians that were selected. There were even three Catholics on the panel. Everything went well while reading this until I came to the next to the last paragraph of Chapter 3 of the companion. This paragraph talks about one of the books that was left out and the reason why.

On the other hand, the debate was strongest among like-minded members in whether The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles was important enough to choose it despite its ban on abortion (emphasis mine).

This document was – in two close votes – kept out of A New New Testament on these grounds.

So because this book doesn’t agree with the obvious pro-choice agenda of the editor and some of the council it was kept out? Basically, they are committing the same sins they are accusing others of having made in the past, censoring the beliefs of others based upon their own agenda. The book claims that this is a chance to broaden people’s minds as to what should be in the New Testament unless of course the writings don’t agree with what they want your mind to be. Maybe I am mistaken but doesn’t it say somewhere in the accepted bible something about “Thou shall not kill?”

You shall not kill. – EX 20:13

You shall not kill. – DT 5:17

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors ‘You shall not kill;  and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.’ – MT 5:21

Now unless I am wrong but isn’t killing a baby even in the womb, when it has been shown to be able to sustain life, murder?

Here is the second chapter from the Didache:

But the second commandment of the teaching is this. Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not corrupt youth; thou shalt not commit fornication; thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not use soothsaying; thou shalt not practise sorcery; thou shalt not kill a child by abortion, neither shalt thou slay it when born; thou shalt not covet the goods of thy neighbour; thou shalt not commit perjury; thou shalt not bear false witness; thou shalt not speak evil; thou shalt not bear malice; thou shalt not be double-minded or double-tongued, for to be double-tongued is the snare of death. Thy speech shall not be false or empty, but concerned with action. Thou shalt not be covetous, or rapacious, or hypocritical, or malicious, or proud; thou shalt not take up an evil design against thy neighbour; thou shalt not hate any man, but some thou shalt confute, concerning some thou shalt pray, and some thou shalt love beyond thine own soul.

This is just another reason why I believe the Catholic faith is the one religion handed down from Jesus. Its teachings haven’t changed in 2,000 years, nor should they. What was true 2,000 years ago is still true today.