IIA – Teaching Islam

CNN is reporting that al-Zarqawi has released an audio tape that justifies the killing of Muslim civilians based on the teachings of so-called Islamic scholars. Here is the intro from CNN: “A chilling, rambling audio file thought to be from the most-wanted man in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, says religious doctrine justifies the killing of innocent Muslims by insurgents. On the audio, the speaker says in Arabic: ‘The shedding of Muslim blood … is allowed in order to avoid the greater evil of disrupting jihad.’ The speaker defends suicide attacks, saying, ‘killing of infidels by any method including martyrdom operations…

I was recently reading this article from the Boston Globe about the historicity of the New Testament, and it got me thinking, not so much about the historicity of the Qur’an, but about literal reading. Two verses of the Qur’an come to mind: We sent not an apostle except (to teach) in the language of his (own) people, in order to make (things) clear to them. Now God leaves straying those whom He pleases and guides whom He pleases: and He is Exalted in power, full of Wisdom. (14:4) He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book:…

Suicide bombings are becoming a daily occurance in Iraq. So much so, that when I scan the paper in the morning I quickly glance over the morning report of Iraqi violence. I can say the same for Darfur. I have become de-sensitized to it. Shame on me. Today they got 47 in Mosul. Last week it was a much higher figure. The total will continue to rise like a pinball machine. High score goes to the insurgents. A few days ago, it was the mass shooting of civilians including women and children. The insurgents or terrorists no longer attempt to…