tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8191547503172128085.post1735350799617198948..comments2023-10-30T02:30:11.161-07:00Comments on THE HAMMER OF EVIL: 1:4 The nature of the war on evilAlan Macfarlanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193419366726528442noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8191547503172128085.post-80540359946133882932007-01-04T17:53:00.000-08:002007-01-04T17:53:00.000-08:00I just watched on CNN a major debate regarding a U...I just watched on CNN a major debate regarding a US Muslim Congressman who wishes to present his oath with his hand on the Qu'ran, and not on the Bible, as it has been done traditionally. Once again, this is a difficult matter. As someone who abhors religious intolerance, I grant he should be allowed to swear in on wahetever religious books he desires. But, if this man is really a Muslim, he believes the Qur'an is the non-created, eternal, atemporal word of God (this is a central tenet for Muslims as the Trinity or the Incarnation is for Christians). Thus, it is not just a text written for VII Cent. tribal Arabia, but for all of ages. If it says "beat women", "kill infildels", "torture prisoners", it is not just understandable in its context (precisely, so the belief goes, because there is NO CONTEXT, the Qur'an has always been, it exists before time); no, it is for all to follow. The Bible also says "kill infidels", "stone adulterers", etc., but Jews and Christians believe two things, as opposed to Muslims: 1) The Bible is a collection of books whose message God has renewed over and over again, modifying many times what He previously announced, thus, 2) judicial exhortations are indeed temporal (this is even more so in Pauline Christianity, where the Law is finally superseded by faith). Christians believe the Bible is INSPIRED by God, but not God itself; Muslims believe the Qur'an, since it was not created, is God himself.<br />So, this Muslim Congressman will inevitably be divided. If he is a Muslim, the Qur'an, in every sense, will be given absolute priority over any other book, including the US Constitution. When it comes to religious tolerance, individual liberties, women's rights,etc., what book will he choose? Can he choose a secular text and ignore a book that he believes is non-created, eternal, the example of utter-most perfection, free of doubts?<br />There is no Pope in Islam, so, yes, there is little established dogma. Bin Laden interprets the Qur'an as he wishes to, this US Congressman interprets the Qur'an in his own way. But, one belief that virtually all Muslims do share is the Qur'an's eternity. And, this being so, ultimately, Bin Laden's interpretation is the orthodox one, the US Muslim Congressman is a heterodox: the Qur'an places much more emphasis on persecuting religious minorities than in respecting them, etc.<br />It's hard to tell what % of Muslims in the world support terrorism. It's probably very low. But, if 99% of Muslims believe the Qur'an is uncreated and divine, word-by-word, letter-by-letter, then the minority that does indeed support terrorism, are better logicians: the Uncreated Holy Book defends violence much more than it forbids it; ergo, terrorism is legitimate. It is a matter of time before the peaceful majority comes to realize what their violent God really wants. Those Muslims who claim to have no conflict with the West must not so much predicate peace, but attempt to reform the belief in the Qur'an's eternity, from which violence is derived.Gabriel Andradehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15563119796817573637noreply@blogger.com