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Friday, May 2, 2008

The KJV is the best bible in the whole wide world

or not... depending on who you talk to. I covered that one last year when I covered the Samuel Gipp book. See my article there.
My Domestic Church: Chapter 6 Understandable History of the Bible





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4 comments:

Kelly said...

Did anyone think it was odd that Candy included on her KJV list that it was both at a lower reading level than other Bibles, and that it would increase your IQ? Wouldn't reading the NIV raise it more then, if it is at a higher reading level?

Tanya said...

That seems like a strange claim to me anyway. I wonder where in the world she comes up with this stuff.

ann nonymous said...

These claims of reading the Bible causing a twenty point increase in IQ are not credible. In order to substantiate that reading the Bible is the cause of a 20 point increase, one would have to take a test administered by a qualified individual, followed by an immediate reading of the Bible, followed by an immediate retest using the same instrument in order to rightly claim that reading of the Bible truly accounts for the increase in IQ. Even under these rigorous conditions, it is still virtually impossible to attribute any increase solely to the act of reading the Bible.

Generally speaking, adult IQ scores remain relatively constant. However, IQ scores can increase due to a number of factors. It would be difficult to attribute the increase to any one specific factor. It is just as likely that the first and lower score was not an accurate reflection of the person's true score due to any one of a number of factors. Or, that the first score was based on a child's measure and the second, an adult's measure.

Now, consider this. If one's IQ increases 20 points to a range that qualifies one for membership in Mensa, it is highly likely that one started out with an IQ somewhere in the neighborhood of 130 and 140, generally speaking. At 130 or 140, how likely is it that reading the Bible, which is written at a fifth or sixth grade reading level, will have a significant liklihood of causing a twenty point increase in IQ?

Additionally, Mensa doesn't just send out invitations to people who do well on IQ tests. One must submit either to their testing, which is administered under supervision OR one must submit evidence of qualifying scores on approved instruments administered by a qualified individual. One must score in the top 2% of the population to qualify.

So, it would seem to me that, in this instance, the case has been overstated. It's great to read the Bible. It certainly can't hurt you. I would encourage everyone to read the Bible. I don't think anyone needs to raise false hope of an increase in IQ score in encouraging others to read the Bible. In my opinion, the real benefits of reading the Bible far exceed increasing one's IQ.

I certainly hope this does not sound like a personal attack on anyone. My intent is simply to offer some information so people can consider the possibility of such a claim.

motherofmany said...

Faithful Catholic,

This is well researched and thoughtful and not at all a personal attack on anyone.