The Bible vs. The Quran

Islam Review.com ^ | 08-30-02 | Abdullah Al Araby

[SaudiDuck]

I would also recommend "Why I Am Not a Muslim" by Ibn Warraq (currently in print and available through bookstores in the U.S.). Among other things, he reveals that there are no fewer than 14 different "readings" of the Koran, that all of the existing "schools" of thought originated in Persia, that all moderates and philosophers have been murdered for years, and (best of all) that the "uncreated word of G-d" as expressed in the Koran isn't even grammatically correct in many places, let alone a stellar example of Arabic literature.

What is troubling is not just that there are inconsistencies (i.e., in one Surah it says that drinking to excess is sinful...while another forbids drinking alcoholic beverages), but that there are really two voices: those portions which were written while Mohammed was still in Mecca are more moderate and conciliatory regarding Jews and Christians than those which were written in Medina, after he had gained military strength and broken his treaty with the Jewish tribes who resided in Mecca.

The extremists have all latched onto the most strident and war-like portions of this book, which justifies murder, deceit, slavery, etc.

[alisasny]

Why does the Koran need a million footnotes?

[Seti 1]

Every religion has its big-eyed True Beleivers, including the author of this childish diatribe.

[SaudiDuck]

Oh, and I nearly forgot...that silly prophet labored under the delusion that Merriam, the sister of Moses, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, were one and the same person. Thus Jesus is Moses' cousin in their teaching...quite the feat, given the hundreds of years between the two figures.

[wotan]

The Quran says Abraham had two sons, the Bible says they were eight.

If you have eight sons, you must also have two sons, right?

... Mr Logic

[Consort]

The Quran says Abraham had two sons, the Bible says they were eight.

Who was Abraham's 7th son? And who was the 7th son of Abraham's 7th son?

[Vast Buffalo Wing Conspiracy]

The Bible, on the other hand, has stood the test of time. To suggest that the Bible has been altered is against both reason and historic findings.

Okay, this is where I stopped reading. This statement is absolutely false. Next contestant please.

[joesnuffy]

Johnny Rivers?

[marbren]

In your future you will acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, If you don't do so before you leave the earth it will be too late.

[VOA]

...the Koran isn't even grammatically correct in many places, let alone a stellar
example of Arabic literature.

Now there's a press shocker.
Especially after that recent report (even done by Arab scholars) revealed the very
small number of books published in the Arab world each year (compared to the tsunami of
books in the Western world).

Of course, there's plenty of dreck published in the West, but that's a whole other story.

[VOA]

The extremists have all latched onto the most strident and war-like portions of this book,
which justifies murder, deceit, slavery, etc.

I'll give them a break on this angle.
It's not the first or last time some yahoos have selectively latched onto
portions of a good book/philosophy/religion in order to "go for the gusto" and grab
anything they lust after.

[RaceBannon]

bump

[muawiyah]

In ancient times it was the common practice for folks throughout the Arab speaking world to send copies of their gods (usually as an idol) as well as their sacred scriptures to Mecca for both display and safe storage around the Kaaba.

Eventually Mohammad had all the idols burned.

To Moslems that is very important. To Westerners, and to more than one Turkish sultan, it was much more important to know that acient texts were buried in the earth, and in caves near Mecca.

Mohammad himself said he was in a cave in the area and reached down to pick up a text to read (allegedly at the command of an angel.)

Forget about the angel for a moment, we have Mohammad's own testimony that there were texts in a cave to read. Whether he or a close confederate read them, Mohammad recited the words to other people.

None of this is difficult to believe, and we do, in fact, have the testimony of hundreds of people concerning how Mohammad recited Holy Writ.

Jews and pre-Judaic Hebrews had followed the trade routes that run through Arabia for centuries. Abraham himself followed those routes. As far as I have learned anything about the matter it has always been the custom of the Jews to bury a worn-out Torah in the earth, the same as the Jews bury their dead in the earth.

The probability of having a Torah buried in and around Mecca is very good. The probability of having even more ancient Hebraic texts buried there is also very good, and we might even be able to find buried texts containing the disposition of property owned by various persons found in the Bible.

Mohammad said changes had been made in the texts attriuted to God. He could say that if and only if he had more than one copy, At the same time he seems to have never obtained a full copy of any of the Gospels or the Letters.

On the other hand, Mohammad probably had more and better access to ancient documents than anyone else in the world at that time since this was the worst part of the Dark Ages. No doubt he made mistakes. No doubt there was no one around to correct them!

[muir_redwoods]

I don't want to offend anybody and I speak only for myself but they're both just books written by people. The only versions most of us can read are translations of translations of translations. Maybe they were inspired maybe they weren't. There is wisdom and nonsense in both. To think that all one has to do or know in life is contained in one book is hopeful at best.

The Sermon on the Mount and the Ten Commandments are possibly the best the Bible has to offer, the detailed rules and practices laid down in Leviticus are just strange. The Koran is similarly detailed in it's rulings reminding one of the FASB rules for accounting.

Flame away if you feel threatened but it seems to me that there is more one has to do for spiritual development than read one book, IMHO.

[AmishDude]

Interesting theory, but I think Mohammed claimed to be illiterate (it was "divine inspiration" that allowed him to read the text) and even if he could read, I doubt he could read Hebrew.

[RJCogburn]

The Bible vs. The Quran

Each requires faith, not reason, to be accepted by the respective believers. Arguing over which one is 'right' seems difficult.

[July 4th]

I much prefer Quorn to the Quran.

[Ahban]

Are you a true believer in the idea that intelligent life exists around other stars? Compare our evidence for this to our evidence that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

As easy as it is to believe other stars host aliens every bit of evidence we have so far supports the idea that we are alone (lets leave off extra-dimensional beings), . As hard as it is to believe Jesus is who he claimed he was, hundreds of eyewitnesses gave their lives rather than recant their testamony of the resurrection.\

It seems there is more actual evidence for the position of the Christian than for the position you espouse in your screen name. I urge you to study the most important question in life for the last 2,000 years....Who is Jesus?

[Seti 1]

Get lost, you twit.