Thursday, December 14
"Earl". That was my dad's name. He was a jerk, too.
Earl, guess what: that stuff in Deuteronomy? That's in the Old Testament. Therefore everything in it comes under two categories: the time bound and the eternal. There is stuff in it that applies to us always. Then there is stuff that was intended for the Jews 5,000 years ago when they were in various states of disarray and sinfulness. Jesus brought the New Dispensation.
The difference should be obvious. Muslims don't believe you can interpret the Koran or put it in context. And in the Koran, due to the doctrine of abrogation, certain verses take precedence over others. And the part about how "if you kill one you kill all of mankind" is cancelled out (in their theological understanding -- I'm just telling you what they believe) by such verses as the one quoted.
The problem isn't your or my interpretation of the Koran. It is the interpretation of the Koran on the part of people who will kill us. You may have noticed that no Christian or Jew in the last 2000 years has actually carried out the capital punishment verses of Leviticus, but every day, Muslims around the world carry out violent injunctions in the Koran. That is why we have to be more worried about them.
The problem with hearing the word 'Allah' just before you get on an airplane is that that is the last word hundreds of innocent people heard just before the plane they were on smashed into a very tall building. So, oddly enough, "fearful, ignorant" passengers (i.e., normal, unbrainwashed people with functioning congnitive abilities, not to mention the airline's experts in terrorist behaviour) decided hey, that's a red flag.
Americans know more about Islam now than they ever did before 9/11. And you know what: the more they learn, the less lots of 'em like it. "Education" doesn't always go your way Earl.
I've never said every Muslim is a terrorist. But again, someone with normal cognitive abilities and a functioning television set, internet connection and newspaper subscription is obliged to conclude that most terrorists happen to be Muslims.
Only an incurious dolt wouldn't wonder why. Again, the problem isn't RightGirl and I taking the Koran out of context -- it is the way radical Muslims "take" the Koran that worries me, and should worry you, but you are too busy worrying about the coming to life of The Handmaid's Tale or global warming to see the threat right in front of your face.
Oh and that GG. Yeah, Michael Ondaatje and I both lost to the same chick that year. I doubt I'll ever get nominated again, because I am pretty much persona non grata in CanLit circles for obvious reasons now. But I'll always have the nomination, and have been taught at U of T, and have written what Lynn Crosbie called "one of the best poems in the English language."
Who are you again?
PS: chew on this.
(And here I'll add my usual challenge: if you were on a plane with 6 imams acting exactly like they were on that flight, would you allow your child to stay on that plane? If your answer is "yes", you are probably better off dead anyway because you are a) a terrible parent and b) a delusional dupe and a drag on the war effort. But I feel awful bad for your kid, going up in flames and all.)
(And another thing: if that flight had taken off then been hijacked and flown into the Sears Tower or something, Earl & Co. would be the first to yell: "Chimpy McHitlerburton! Why didn't someone arrest those suspicious looking characters before they boarded the plane?! Impeach Bush gurgle gurgle...")
See also: Flanders, you owe me a Coke..."
The difference should be obvious. Muslims don't believe you can interpret the Koran or put it in context. And in the Koran, due to the doctrine of abrogation, certain verses take precedence over others. And the part about how "if you kill one you kill all of mankind" is cancelled out (in their theological understanding -- I'm just telling you what they believe) by such verses as the one quoted.
The problem isn't your or my interpretation of the Koran. It is the interpretation of the Koran on the part of people who will kill us. You may have noticed that no Christian or Jew in the last 2000 years has actually carried out the capital punishment verses of Leviticus, but every day, Muslims around the world carry out violent injunctions in the Koran. That is why we have to be more worried about them.
The problem with hearing the word 'Allah' just before you get on an airplane is that that is the last word hundreds of innocent people heard just before the plane they were on smashed into a very tall building. So, oddly enough, "fearful, ignorant" passengers (i.e., normal, unbrainwashed people with functioning congnitive abilities, not to mention the airline's experts in terrorist behaviour) decided hey, that's a red flag.
Americans know more about Islam now than they ever did before 9/11. And you know what: the more they learn, the less lots of 'em like it. "Education" doesn't always go your way Earl.
I've never said every Muslim is a terrorist. But again, someone with normal cognitive abilities and a functioning television set, internet connection and newspaper subscription is obliged to conclude that most terrorists happen to be Muslims.
Only an incurious dolt wouldn't wonder why. Again, the problem isn't RightGirl and I taking the Koran out of context -- it is the way radical Muslims "take" the Koran that worries me, and should worry you, but you are too busy worrying about the coming to life of The Handmaid's Tale or global warming to see the threat right in front of your face.
Oh and that GG. Yeah, Michael Ondaatje and I both lost to the same chick that year. I doubt I'll ever get nominated again, because I am pretty much persona non grata in CanLit circles for obvious reasons now. But I'll always have the nomination, and have been taught at U of T, and have written what Lynn Crosbie called "one of the best poems in the English language."
Who are you again?
PS: chew on this.
(And here I'll add my usual challenge: if you were on a plane with 6 imams acting exactly like they were on that flight, would you allow your child to stay on that plane? If your answer is "yes", you are probably better off dead anyway because you are a) a terrible parent and b) a delusional dupe and a drag on the war effort. But I feel awful bad for your kid, going up in flames and all.)
(And another thing: if that flight had taken off then been hijacked and flown into the Sears Tower or something, Earl & Co. would be the first to yell: "Chimpy McHitlerburton! Why didn't someone arrest those suspicious looking characters before they boarded the plane?! Impeach Bush gurgle gurgle...")
See also: Flanders, you owe me a Coke..."
