University of North Carolina Summer Reading Program - Quran

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[FR_addict]

"The Carolina Summer Reading Program is designed as part of new students' orientation to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. All incoming First Year and Transfer Students are required to participate this year by reading Approaching the Qur'án: The Early Revelations, translated and introduced by Michael Sells, and by participating in discussion sessions on August 19. The program is designed to prepare students for some of their first-year courses and to stimulate conversation inside and outside the classroom about social issues facing all of us today as we enter the new millennium. It is important to note that this assignment will be incorporated into many first year courses.

Approaching the Qur'án: The Early Revelations, translated and introduced by Michael Sells, consists of thirty-five suras, or short passages from the chief holy book of Islam, that largely focus on the experience of the divine in the natural world and the principle of moral accountability in human life. Easily accessible to any college-level reader, these suras are poetic and intensely evocative, beautiful meditations, comparable in many ways to the Psalms of David and other classics of world literature. This book includes a CD with recitations in Arabic from the reading.

Michael Sells, the editor and translator of Approaching the Qur'án, is a distinguished professor of religion at Haverford College. A widely published author and highly regarded expert on Islamic literature, Sells provides clear translations of the original Arabic, brief commentaries on each sura, and a concise introduction to the Qur'án's literary and historical context. Relying on this material, students and discussion leaders from all backgrounds will need no additional preparation for discussing this edition.

Westerners for centuries have been alternately puzzled, attracted, concerned, and curious about the great religious traditions of Islam. These feelings have been especially intense since the tragic events of September 11. Approaching the Qur'án is not a political document in any sense, and its evocation of moral "reckoning" raises questions that will be timely for college students and reflective adults under any circumstances. The Carolina Summer Reading program is especially happy to offer a book of enduring interest this year that also offers the Carolina community an appropriate introduction to the literature and culture of a profound moral and spiritual tradition that many of us now wish to learn more about."

[FR_addict]

Why is a book on the Quran required reading for this university, but not the Bible or Torah?

[Ukiapah Heep]

Because both leftists and Muslims share the rhetoric of felony "murder in the name of the downtrodden"! Both groups should meet the same fate.

[JCG]

Approaching the Qur'án: The Early Revelations, translated and introduced by Michael Sells, consists of thirty-five suras, or short passages from the chief holy book of Islam, that largely focus on the experience of the divine in the natural world and the principle of moral accountability in human life.

Like the one that instructs Muslims to 'kill the Jew hiding behind the tree?'

America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
Download 8 Mb zip file here (60 minute video)

[JeepInMazar]

This is a joke. First, the early suras of the Quran is where the tolerant verses are contained, but the later, Medina suras have abrigated the earlier suras. They should assign the reading of the entire Quran, but they dare not because anyone who studies the Quran using a consistant approach to it's interpretation will plainly see what the teaching of Mohammed are on it's face value.

[RippleFire]

All incoming First Year and Transfer Students are required to participate this year by reading Approaching the Qur'án: The Early Revelations, translated and introduced by Michael Sells, and by participating in discussion sessions on August 19.

Maybe they can get a note excusing attendance because they aren't sick.

[Howlin]

Lookie here.

[kayak]

Brit Hume mentioned this on his program tonight. I hope it inspires a huge outcry. This is totally scandalous!!! The ACLU is aware but at this point is choosing to do nothing ..... GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

[ValerieUSA]

Chapel Hill.... don't they mean Mosque Hill?

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

My children and my money will NOT be going to University of North Carolina!

[FR_addict]

Brit Hume mentioned this on his program tonight.

My husband mentioned it to me yesterday and I heard Brit tonight. That's why I searched UNC's web site to find out the details of their required reading program.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

I believe that a student enrolled at this school could challenge this school on Constitutional grounds in court because this is a public university.

It would be one issue if the school required a freshman religion course and then offered a variety of different religion courses that could fit this general education requirement, but it is a completely different issue to require a freshman religion course and then only offer one specific religion course for which to fill this needed requirement.

If it is unconstitutional for a public school to require even a generic prayer in the public schools Engle v. Vitale (1962) and if it is also unconstitutional for a public school to require Bible reading and the saying of the Lord's Prayer during school Abington School District v. Schnepp (1967), then I do not understand how a public school (university) can manadate all freshman students to take a religion course without a number of religion course choices being offered to fit this general education requirement.

We all know that the government is not supposed to be an adversary of religion, but nor are they to favor one religion over another. Lynch v. Donnelly (1984).

This may really be grounds for a lawsuit of Constitutional question. If the school officials are wise, they should offer more variety of religion courses to fit their general education requirements.

[Fred Mertz]

I wonder if Duke University requires the same?

[FreedominJesusChrist]

If Duke University required this, that would be Constitutionally okay, because they are a private institution of education, and not public.

At the private university that I attend, I have to take 9 religion credits, which include 2 credits in Biblical areas.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

Did you have a nice little vacation? : )

[FreedominJesusChrist]

In correction to my statement above, I actually have to take 6 credits in Biblical areas, which comes to 2 one semester long classes. I got a little mixed up there.

[opinionator]

Why is a book on the Quran required reading for this university, but not the Bible or Torah?

So that they can know the mindset of the enemy. Same reason why we read Karl Marx or Moreen Dowd.

[Carolina]

also offers the Carolina community an appropriate introduction to the literature and culture of a profound moral and spiritual tradition that many of us now wish to learn more about."

What? So we can learn to strap bombs on our children?

[Constitution Day]

Thanks Howlin.
This makes me want to spit bullets!

[Constitution Day]

"The Carolina Summer Reading Program is designed as part of new students' orientation to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
All incoming First Year and Transfer Students are required to participate this year by reading Approaching the Qur'án: The Early Revelations, translated and introduced by Michael Sells, and by participating in discussion sessions on August 19.

Please Freepmail me if:

1) You want to be added to my North Carolina ping-list.
2) You no longer want to be included in this North Carolina ping-list.

FRegards,
Constitution Day

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[billbears]

I believe that a student enrolled at this school could challenge this school on Constitutional grounds in court because this is a public university

HA!! At Carolina? That place has long belonged to the subversive culture. These wackos are still wondering why the rest of us are still somewhat following the Constitution while they live in a commune. No, this might be the first light the public has seen of this nationwide, but it has been going on far longer than just this. Carolina is the Berkley of the East. I can honestly say, I could count on one hand the number of Carolina graduates I've met that aren't raving leftists