Comments on: Faulks baulks

By: Fatpie42

Fatpie42 — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:49:40 +0000

I think the criticism that there aren’t enough stories in the Koran is a bit daft. Why the heck should it have stories in it?

It’s been said (in a phrase that applies to itself somewhat) that a translation is like a lover, either beautiful or true, but never both. (And since it’s a translation itself we can forgive the rather ugly analogy.)

Muslims naturally want a truthful translation, but they consider the beauty of the Qu’ran to be lost in translation. Many Muslims insist that it should only be in Arabic for this reason. I cannot judge the content in arabic, but some of the calligraphy of Qu’ranic phrases is beautiful.

By: D. R. Khashaba

D. R. Khashaba — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:45:18 +0000

The defects of the Koran (Quran) are obvious to any unprejudiced reader. The Koran in fact is not a book but a medley clumsily put together. The trouble is that Muslims have developed the most efficacious brainwashing system ever. The vast majority of even well-educated Muslims cannot bring themselves to think while reading or listening to the recital of the Koran. I know it is difficult to make Christians thinks objectively about the Bible, but in the case of Muslims the difficulty is far greater.

By: Ken Clark

Ken Clark — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:50:24 +0000

Love your remarks stonyground…if only the articles and comments on this site could be pinned to the walls of churches, synagogues, mosques etc. evrywhere!! : )

By: Stonyground

Stonyground — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:15:39 +0000

Excellent post Mr. MacDonald, I heartily agree.

I can’t say that I agree with Mr. Faulks about the bible though, The story of Joseph perhaps has merit but most Bible stories involve stupid anti-heroes whos bronze-age desert based antics have no relevance at all to anyone who is not a stupid bronze-age desert dwelling anti-hero.

By: Eric MacDonald

Eric MacDonald — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:01:45 +0000

Very unfortunate that Faulk took back his remarks and apologised without reservation. Whether Muslim sensibilities are or are not able to put up with the rough and tumble of real life is neither here nor there. It is necessary that they learn, and if they are not allowed to learn, because everyone blows criticism away with apology, then things will just get worse, not better. Time to tell the truth and just leave people to get on with life. If people are offended, good. Perhaps this is a necessary step towards growing thicker skin. On the other hand, they may just come to see that the ‘offensive’ criticisms were right after all, and change their minds. This is what public discussion is about and for.

By: Ophelia Benson

Ophelia Benson — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:41:02 +0000

Yeah – and all too familiar. Much the same thing happened to my co-author and me at the end of May – a reporter at the Times did a story about “concerns” (carefully attributed to no one at all) that our book would blah blah blah. The reporter very nearly created the situation she was speculating about – our publisher became nervous and sent the book to an “ecumenicist” for vetting.

It would be nice if reporters would stop trying to stir up new fusses by predicting them.