My only experience with KJV only types are in the South (not to say they don’t live other places in the U.S.) mostly among fundamentalist/independent Baptist churches. From the conversations I’ve had with them, it seems to be a reaction against perceived Modernist influence in newer translations. You may want to search the internet and find information documenting translation errors in the KJV and do some research to find out what are the best modern translations and do some comparing. I think it is very difficult to convince them because some almost perceive the translation itself to be divinely inspired and therefore free from error. One thing this issue can lead to is a discussion of how we got the Bible and why there are three different Bibles (Protestant, Catholic and Eastern Orthodox) used by Christians. If you are able to show how the Protestant Bible is not the original canon determined and used by Christians from the early days of the Church, that would certainly undermine the idea of the KJV being the only good, reliable Bible.I have heard a couple of times on this forum and one or two other websites of “KJV onliest”. Does anyone know where such people reside (Baptist, Evangelicals…)? What is there argumentation for such and what should one say if that ever comes up? Thanks and God bless.
Deb, I see you live in North Carolina – I used to live in South Carolina, where I attended a church that had many KJV-only people (but the pastor wasn’t and not everyone in the church was) and met others in that area who were KJV only. Our church would even give out KJV Bibles to children of Cambodian immigrants, and I marveled even then how they expected people who didn’t speak English very well to understand the KJV.I attended a church in Iowa that was KJV onliest. The pastor didn’t even want me to use a New King James Version.
Although I think that the KJV is a beautiful translation, I was a bit dense and needed a simplier translation.
KJV onliest though appears to be very common here in the south also. It is a bit annoying because this isn’t always simply a personal preference choice. There are some Christians who really believe that in order for a church to be a legitimate church then the pastor has to use a KJV bible.