A couple of years ago we had an election for our representative to the state assembly. I didn’t know much about either candidate. I found the mailers they sent out to us relatively useful because I read them with discernment. One candidate made encouraging noises, and I liked what she had to say. The other candidate seem to be saying the right things, but there was an element of discordance in what he wrote. As I read what he had to say and considered it based on what I knew, I realize that he was lying through his teeth. That helped me decide who had the high ground and how to vote.
I relay that because I am in the process of examining a new translation of the Quran. In that Koran’s introduction, I find a number of statements that sounds really good, but they are totally inconsistent with the introduction to another translation of the Koran. They also fly in the face of what other authorities have said. What does one do?
One of the things I look for is statements that defy logic and go against everything I know about human nature and history. When a writer makes frequent use of “never” and “always” I tend to scratch my head and say, “Really?” The same goes for “all” and “none.” Extreme claims that are easily refuted are a red flag. Take this from the introduction,
“It claims to be the mother and source of all other languages.” QIII, p. 3aThere is a certain attitude of certainty that comes through with certain people. It is not exclusive to Muslims. I have a friend who is a King James Only man and one of the books he gave me to try to indoctrinate me has this referring to the King James Bible on the back of the title page,
“God’s perfectly preserved word.”My point here is not spiritual. It is logical. Extreme claims are usually in need of some qualifications. Our responsibility is to keep our minds plugged in and active. With a little bit of thinking we can cut through a lot of nonsense.
QIII, The Holy Qur’an, Based on explanation of ‘Allamah Nooruddin, First paperback edition, 2010.
McLean, Terence D. Basics of Mid Acts Dispensationalism. Alpha, Ohio: Discerning the Times Publishing Co., Inc., 2006.
homo unius libri
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Comments are welcome. Feel free to agree or disagree but keep it clean, courteous and short. I heard some shorthand on a podcast: TLDR, Too long, didn't read.