King James Bible Advice for Writers from an Interesting Source

[bookslover]

An excellent habit to cultivate is the analytical study of the King James Bible. For simple, yet rich and forceful, English, this masterly production is hard to equal. And, even though its Saxon vocabulary and poetic rhythm be unsuited to general composition, it is an invaluable model for writers on quaint or imaginative themes. - H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937)

 

[jambo]

My former neighbour was the professor of English at the university. He was a complete atheist and had no time whatsoever for Christianity. Yet he always taught his students to read the prologue to John's gospel in the AV which he described as the finest piece of literature in the English language.

 

[JoannaV]

Yup, my English teacher was very much an atheist with no regard for Christianity but read the KJV because of the language. Still praying she will truly hear!

 

[Pergamum]

The OT and Lovecraft both mention seas monsters. In a sea monster smackdown wonder if Cthulu or Leviathan would win.

 

[Pergamum]

The OT and Lovecraft both mention sea monsters. In a sea monster smackdown wonder if Cthulu or Leviathan would win.

 

[Free Christian]

That's really interesting to hear that those people who did not believe read the KJV for those reasons. Complete atheist's too! Amazing, especially getting the students to read it! Wonder how many people have been led to God through that? A couple of the best short stories I have heard in a long time!
Hey Pergamum, sea monster smackdown, that's funny. I back Leviathan, no contest. 1st minute 1st round. Like Muhammad Ali vs Sonny Liston 1965.

 

[Tim]

I also note that appreciation of this poetic rhythm may be enhanced by reading the text out loud.

 

[jambo]

Amazing, especially getting the students to read it! Wonder how many people have been led to God through that?

I have often wondered this myself. I often marvel at those who are opposed to Christianity can be unwittingly used to spread it.

 

[sevenzedek]

The OT and Lovecraft both mention seas monsters. In a sea monster smackdown wonder if Cthulu or Leviathan would win.

You can say that again.

 

[Cymro]

Don't know about leviathan, but KJV v other Bibles is no contest! I remember reading
about one of the leading English Professors, who stated ," And God said, Let there
be light: and there was light," was the greatest sentence in the English language.

 

[MW]

Amazing, especially getting the students to read it! Wonder how many people have been led to God through that?

I have often wondered this myself. I often marvel at those who are opposed to Christianity can be unwittingly used to spread it.

If I remember correctly, the BBC documentary on the occasion of the AV's anniversary was hosted by a gentleman who confessed he was not a church-goer but had received great benefit from the simple majesty of the AV.

 

[Free Christian]

I have to admit that for a while, and just recently also, I was looking for perhaps a version that was like the King James with just updated words. Not word changes and omissions that are totally unnecessary like you do see, just hard to understand words or words that once meant one thing but now mean another.
After searching and searching all I could see were alarming omissions, blatantly unnecessary words changes, disharmony of the scripture and overall weakening of the Word of God. I got onto a site where you could select a verse and have it compared to others. It was a shocker to see some of the others and the changes made. If it were of any other writing you could say it was a joke, all the differences, but given that it is the Holy Word of God it is anything but a joke.
It was in some instances, outrageous! I am now back reading from the KJV. To Jeff - I have read the sentence "And God said, let there be light, and there was light" in the past and had it send a chill down my spine, the good type, sort of exhilaration. The living Word!

 

[bookslover]

I should add that I have no idea whether Lovecraft was a believer or not, and was not trying to imply, by the use of the phrase "interesting source," that he was an unbeliever.

There was a time, back in the Olden Times, when one was not considered to be an educated person unless one had read the KJV all the way through, at least once.

 

[Jerusalem Blade]

Hello Richard,

Thanks for the interesting thread. Just from reading many of his works earlier in my life, I do not think Lovecraft was a believer in Christ. Plus his perception of certain types of evil entities gave me to think he had some experience with sorcerous drugs – though this is but a surmise.

From a Wiki article on him comes this,

​

Lovecraft himself adopted the stance of atheism early in his life. In 1932 he wrote in a letter to Robert E. Howard: "All I say is that I think it is damned unlikely that anything like a central cosmic will, a spirit world, or an eternal survival of personality exist. They are the most preposterous and unjustified of all the guesses which can be made about the universe, and I am not enough of a hairsplitter to pretend that I don't regard them as arrant and negligible moonshine. In theory I am an agnostic, but pending the appearance of radical evidence I must be classed, practically and provisionally, as an atheist."[SUP][36]
[/SUP]​

One of the genres I myself write in is horror; in fact, there is no equal to the horror that may be discerned in the spiritual vision / understanding of a disciple of Jesus Christ, seeing as we may – if we can see it – comprehend the depths of the human condition, which ontologically is the true source of the zombie (the living dead, the undying damned – except one turn to Christ for life), and his progenies vampire and werewolf. Please note I am speaking spiritually and psychically, the true images beneath the mirage fictions which project out there what are actually unregenerate human states within.

The unending duration of Hell is also a horror beyond telling, though one may try.

But yes, the language of the King James Bible is classic English infused with richness, depth, and living reality, and the writer or poet who is immersed in it has an edge over most other writers.