"The Devil's Dictionary" by Ambrose Bierce offers a brilliant collection of twisted and satirical definitions of common words. While I have many favorites in this collection, one of the best is Bierce's definition of scripture: "Noun. The sacred book of our holy religion, as distinguished from the false and profane writings on which all other faiths are based."
I've written before about the dangers of blind faith, and to the extent that there's a humorous aspect to a deadly problem, I think Mr Bierce has hit it squarely on the head. When we speak of "moderates," "fundamentalists," and "extremists" in a religious context, we are speaking to a large degree about their attitude toward the holy text of their beliefs. Muslims believe the Koran is the absolute, literal word of God, valid only in Arabic (making it, of course, impenetrable to any non-Arabic speaker). Fundamentalist Christians, on the other hand, believe the Bible to be the absolute, literal word of God, valid in any language (making its lessons, good and bad, available to anyone anywhere in the world).
Both the Bible and the Koran are venerated by billions of people, many of whom have only the vaguest notion of their contents. Any Christian knows the Ten Commandments, The Golden Rule, The Sermon on the Mount, the Nativity story, and the major parables of Christ. Few Christians, however, know or act upon the more bloodthirsty parts of the Bible...the book of Deuteronomy, in particular, recommends terrible punishments for certain things (would you really kill your disobedient child?). Unfortunately, many Muslims appear unable or unwilling in the same way to divorce themselves from the more bloodthirsty parts of the Koran, the so-called "sword verses" which mandate the subjugation or death of nonbelievers.
If you absolutely, totally, unquestioningly believe that your holy scripture is the literal word of God, you open yourself up to the ability to commit monstrous crimes and injustices in the name of your religion. Christianity went through the terrors of the Inquisition, but in time repudiated its excesses. Muslims, on the other hand, appear unable to act in a similar fashion - witness the hundreds of believers willing to murder thousands of others as suicide terrorists on the basis of unreasoning belief in a literal reading of Koranic verses.
I keep writing about this, but I realize I'm preaching to the choir. Those who understand the dangers of blind faith will nod their heads and quietly agree with me (after all, saying negative things about the Koran can lead some cleric with a 7th-century education to condemn you to death), while those who blindly follow the literal word of the Bible or the Koran will view me at best as misguided, and at worst as a deadly threat to be eliminated.
I have said it before, and I will keep saying it: never, ever, let anyone else do your thinking for you. Look to your scriptures for comfort and moral guidance...but when they start telling you to kill those who don't believe as you do, it's time to start asking some hard questions.
Have a good day. The Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule are a good way to frame it.
More thoughts tomorrow.
Bilbo
3 comments:
Very true; we should always think for ourselves.
hey,interesting post but i kind of disagree on the quran being inaccessible to non-muslims or to non-arab speaking individuals.yes its true that we do say our prayers in arabic but im a non- arab muslim and i dont understand arabic just as most of us muslims who arent arabs dont.so we have something called translations.in every language.you can look it up anyodd time you want probably even from your local library.you have literal translations and even detailed explanations on the quran.thats how we learn the meaning of the quran.in fact reading the quran without understanding its text is meaningless!!!!!!!and that part about jihad i can see how you can get the wrong idea with taliban and al-quaeda running rampant.jihad means fighting for your country at times of war not blatantly attacking anyone who doesnt agree with your point of view.its about serving your country when its under seige and when your people and your home and religion face extinction.the quran does not teach people to go kill anyone whos a non muslim.if you remember i cited a verse in the quran where it said "unto you your religion unto me mine"(lakum deenukum valiya deen surah al-khafiroon) ohttp://www.itsislam.net/quran/surah.asp?sid=109.our prophet even after conquering arabia DIDNOT execute the jews of the region..the men after conquering were forbiden to rape women as spoils of war.this was 1400 years ago when even in recent times we see conquering armies going berserk.(example the treatment at the detention camp of the iraqis at the hand of the american army!!!!!).if you recall the invasion and conquer of constantinople the turks did not execute or enslave the local population .they rather assimilated them and those who would not embrace islam was still allowed to live alongside peacefullyrather they set up universities and so flourished in learning and knowledge that people from all over the world travelled there.its a sin in islam to eat heartily while your neighbour starves .how can such a benovelent religion preach its beleivers to execute all non beleeivers arbitarily?not all of us or even most us are fundamentalists .we donot go around killing people.we are normal ordinary who just want what everybody else wants-to be happy.irresppective of religion.there are good people and bad people in every religion.its about the person and not the religion itself.do you know the muslims greet each other with assalamu -alaikum?which literally means may peace be upon you.islam is a religion of peace.we just want to be left in peace not witheveryone labelling all of us as terrorists for the doings of certain fanatics.rather unfair on us dont you think?
hi.i appreciate the fact that you have taken some effort to understand my religion.but the thing is when you refer to the regimes in the middle east you have to understand that due to the governments brutality its not only you fall victims ,its us too.a normal lay-man muslim has not much say in the workings of the government.and MOST muslims are moderates.dont let the talibans fool you on that score.jordan and uae are democratic regimes.muslims,jews and christians live alongside in peace.while we are on that subject that you must acknowledge that the taliban was backed by the us in the first place!!!!!because of it millions of shia muslims lost their lives.the people were abused and basic rights given in islam were violated.i come from india -we are a land of many religions and languages.we are a secular land.i have non-muslims frnds equivalent or more than muslim frnds.at the end of the day we are all human beings irrespective of our religion,race , color .if you and i like each other what does religion has to do with it.religion does not make a person good or bad.i think you are a very nice person and im glad to have your friendship!!!!!!!!
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