Is This Gen Z Translation of the Bible Blasphemous?
By Movieguide® Contributor
Gen Z is putting its spin on the Bible.
A TikTok account called Gen Z Bible Stories rewrites scripture in today’s slang, but it landed in controversy.
In a recent Christmas post, the account shared its version of when the angel appears to Mary and tells her she will give birth to Jesus.
The Gen Z version reads, “Angel Gabriel appeared to her and said, ‘Ayo, you’re a real one and the Top G is feelin you,’ but she thought his compliment was low key sus and gave him the side eye. So he said, ‘babygirl chill, God sent me to tell you you’ve passed his vibe check. And low key, he wants you to be the mother of the main character…the son of the top G.’”
The account has stirred controversy; some believe it is a unique way to spread the gospel to Gen Z, while others claim it is blasphemous.
READ MORE: WHY THIS TIKTOKER TRANSLATES THE BIBLE INTO GEN Z SLANG
Gabriel Gessler, the manager of Strategic Partnerships at Damascus, shared his thoughts with Fox News Digital.
“Gen Z Bible Stories should be taken as a very basic entry or awareness point for the Christian life,” he said. “While certain contemporary references for Sacred Scripture are sometimes fun and touching, it also shows that Scripture is always relevant and applicable to every generation, even Gen-Z. However, it’s worth noting this translation is not inspired and runs the risk of diluting the holiness and depth of Sacred Scripture.”
But one young woman, Lydia Bates, who’s a member of Gen Z, has a different take.
“As a member of Gen Z myself, I find this Gen Z theology trend grossly disrespectful and incredibly insulting to the intelligence of my generation,” Bates said. “Moreover, these distorted interpretations of God and his biblical truths pose a grave danger because its crude descriptions could easily dissuade those who are actually curious to learn about God. If the attempt is to appeal to Gen Z, this approach seriously deviates from offering any moral uplift and leaves no room to contemplate the transcendent.”
The creator of the page is choosing to remain anonymous due to the controversy of the content. “Many think my book is extremely evil and blasphemous,” the person told CNN in an email. “I have a very young daughter. I don’t want her to get hated on because of me.”
The account has now over 350,000 followers. Viewers of such content should take note that this is not an accurate representation or translation of the Bible and should not be treated as such.
READ MORE: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT GEN Z’S INTEREST IN FAITH
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