RE: Book-burning (was Re: [asa] The Science = Atheism Meme)

Hi Murray,

Perhaps I convoluted my message too much to show the relevance of the book-burning saying, "Any book worth burning is a book worth reading." Christians need to mind if you speak against Jesus the Christ (Matt. 12:32), why would they mind if you burn the Bible? The logic of Christians is that paper burns but the truth in the Bible survives the flames. However, the reaction of Muslims of criticisms of Mohammed is often quite violent. Similarly, a Muslim by reacting violently to someone burning the Koran is tacitly admitting that there is not truth in it and so the Koran is not worth reading.

Hope this clarifies my post,

Moorad

________________________________

From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu on behalf of Murray Hogg
Sent: Fri 8/1/2008 4:53 PM
To: ASA
Subject: Book-burning (was Re: [asa] The Science = Atheism Meme)

Hi Moorad,

I'm not sure where your remark fits in relation to the book-burning saying.

The point, as I understand it, is that the issue centers on the response
invoked by the contents of the book, not by the burning thereof.

So the question ought to be not "how does a Muslim respond to the
burning of the Koran?", the question ought to be "why is one burning the
Koran in the first place?"

The first speaks to the attitude of Muslims toward the behavior of
others and raises the question of just how tolerant the reacting Muslims
are.

The second speaks to the book-burner's attitude toward Islam and raises
the question of just how tolerant the book-burner's are.

And the reason I found the saying offered by Pim to be delightful is
that it encapsulates, albeit in the typically overstated form of
proverbial wisdom, the fact that when one is driven to burn a book, then
that book is obviously raising issues one needs to learn how to deal
with in more mature fashion.

This doesn't mean agreeing with everything which has ever been written,
but rather finding ways of opposing a point-of-view with which one
doesn't agree in ways that don't involve arson or other forms of violence.

Blessings,
Murray Hogg
Pastor, East Camberwell Baptist Church, Victoria, Australia
Post-Grad Student (MTh), Australian College of Theology

Alexanian, Moorad wrote:
> Try burning the Koran in front of a Muslim. Does the Muslim understand the implications of his reaction? There is so much evidence for the truth of the Christian faith. For instance, "Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come." Matt. 12:32.
>
>
>
> Moorad
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu on behalf of Murray Hogg
> Sent: Fri 8/1/2008 2:03 AM
> To: ASA
> Subject: Re: [asa] The Science = Atheism Meme
>
>
>
> Hi Pim,
>
> As respects the below, I can only say "I like it"! :)
>
> -Murray
>
> PvM wrote:
>> There's a say, "Any book worth burning
>> is a book worth reading."
>
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