Still from YouTube Video “The Quran Experiment“; the woman is responding to a Bible verse that she believes is Quranic
In the Netherlands, two YouTube hosts decided to engage other Dutch citizens with quotes from the Bible, which they claimed were actually Quranic verses. The two men run a popular YouTube channel–Dit Is Normaal–where they posted the responses from people who believed that they were hearing Quran verses instead of Bible verses.
The Telegraph reported on the prank, noting that one of the people in the video readily admitted to prejudice on his part; others seemed genuinely embarrassed.
What do you think this video would look like in America? Do you think people here would get this so wrong? Would they be quick to admit that they were prejudiced?
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While some Christians are Biblical literalists, most are not and read the Bible in the context of its many books written in many times under many circumstances by many people. However, the Quran is meant to be taken literally, every word dictated by Allah to Mohammad and written down by his secretary. Muslims don’t get to pick and choose their passages (though obviously some do) as do Jews and Christians. If a sin or violation of a purity code calls for stoning or cutting off a hand or head, that’s Allah’s order and it is to be obeyed. Fortunately, most Muslims tend to skirt these issues as do Jews and Christians Samuel’s orders to Saul to wipe out the Malakites down to their last chicken.
Paul:
your comment is a bit confusing & contradictory.
“some Christians are Biblical literalists”; “most Muslims tend to skirt these issues as do Jews and Christians”.
so, you’re saying that each religion has some literal words in their holy book (words that, followed literally, would undermine the fabric of society) and in each religion, most members chose to not follow the literal interpretation?
What do you base your theory on that the faiths differ in intention? Who said that Muslims must literally follow every word? What happens when some of those words contradict? Who said that Christians don’t have to literally follow every word? Who said that the Jews don’t?
I’m not sure that your argument holds up under it’s own weight as presented; can you elaborate?
The Dutch were good sports because they don’t take any religion particularly seriously. It does point out that we aren’t seeing the log in our own eyes in judging Islam.
We live in a very ugly time. It’s good to have this eye opener.
Very well put, Cynthia.
Re the video …I think it’s too soon after the Jihadist’s Christmas party massacre for a Christian blog site to post a bible-shaming video prank.
First, I don’t see any connection between the two, aside from the possible increased Islamaphobia that is a result of the terrorist attack. It has now emboldened the front-runner idiot for the Republican presidential nomination to go from the US government creating an official list of all of the Muslims in the country, to completely banning the entrance of all Muslims into the US, whether students, vacationers, immigrants or refugees.
Second, I don’t think it’s a Bible shaming prank. I think that it’s a social experiment. I think that it shows folks have an incorrect impression of Islam and the Quran, to the point that when told particular passages from the Bible are actually from the Quran that they jump on that idea based on their prejudices.
Ah, but there is still that great middle ground that needs to be motivated to think about assumptions. And those who already do, well maybe they need some affirmation.
Indeed. I pray it will be so.
Now we need some Quran verses to counter the impression that Islam is all about violence. Anybody out there familiar enough with the Quran to offer some? I would love to come up with some sort of an ID project that would challenge assumptions about both texts…
Here are a couple to get you started:
“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another.” (49:13)
“[W]hoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.” (5:32)
There are lots of sites on the internet that can help you in your search. http://www.studyquran.org/WordSearch.htm
Worthy idea, to compare and contrast, but for some it will always be the “Obamacare” death panels.