As the Pope visits Turkey, Irshad Manji says this is a good moment to re-enter the debate raised by his comments on Islam and violence.
Irshad Manji:
What does it mean to be a “moderate” Muslim today? As Pope Benedict treks to the secular Muslim state of Turkey, this is a good week to ask the question.
The Pope raised this question – unintentionally – in September. He delivered a speech emphasizing the need to reconcile religion with reason. Along the way, Benedict quoted an obscure Christian emperor who linked Islam to violence. As if on cue, Muslims around the world reacted angrily, some resorting to the very violence that they denied plays any role in our faith.
Smoothingplane: She continues with some emails from Muslim 'fans' questioning her patriotism. And makes this remark, "All Muslims are taught that because the Quran comes after the Torah and the Bible, we must regard it as the final and perfect manifesto of the Divine. It is, we’re told, free of ambiguities, contradictions and human editing; in other words, free of the corruption that contaminates Jewish and Christian scriptures.
This provoked my questions. Why are they taught this? A cynic might say the Quran is late to the party. Does the Quran say this about itself, it is free of mistakes? Somewhere, in Revelation I believe, are warnings not to mess with these words. Does this mean God makes or made mistakes? Are followers of the Quran admitting to that? Are they saying that nothing, not one single phrase or word from the Torah or Bible is accurate? Correct? How would anyone know? Does the Quran say so? What is permieee.styx aieee! Excuse me, I had to duck, someone is throwing rocks at my windows... If whoever is teaching Muslims the Quran is free of error is someone besides God, well I rest my case.
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