Perhaps many people who know me would assume this, but coming to this conclusion was no simple formality. I am, I believe by temperment, a person who hesistates at putting firm stakes in the ground. In most matters I get pulled in by the validity and limitations of various positions regarding the same issue and at the best of times can act as mediator between opposing sides. At the worst of times this can lead to a general sense of ambivalence. This can be frustrating for myself and others (eh, rudy).
Developing the character of Isaakii in August 1914, Alexander Solzhenitsyn writes,
He was confused by the plethora of contending truths and agonized at the fact that each of them seemed so convincing. [At university] he was given Lavrov and Mikhailovsky to read and - how true they seemed to be. Then he read Plekhanov, and there was truth again - and so beutifully consistent. Kropotkin also went straight to his heart and was no less true. And when he came to read Vekhi, he shuddered - it was the complete reverse of all he had read before, yet true, piercingly true!
For better or worse this is how I have responded to many varied and diverse texts and ideas.
In reading the Quran I carried much of this thinking with me. I found in the Quran many expressions which, as a Christian, I could offer full assent to. However, I came to a section which drove home the point about recognizing or denying God's revelation (see the section entitled "The Heights").
Who is more wicked than the man who invents falsehoods about God or denies his revelations?
However, as I mentioned in my old blog (http://www.angelfire.com/indie/faith/blog/) the Quran places firm restrictions on how I can understand the revelation of who Jesus is. I don't know enough about Islam to know the extent to which such texts can be and are interpreted however I feel that without denying those aspects which accord with the Christian Bible I must reject the Quran as authoritative revelation. Again, it may be that for many Christians this would seem a matter of course. And I must re-iterate that much in the Quran resonates with what I recognize as truth. However, I believe that in rejecting the Quran as a whole as divine revelation I hope that I am given it the respect that it is due. The question I would ask to anyone who may be reading this is whether I would be respecting the message of the Quran by saying that God is Three-in-One and that Allah is One and Muhammed is his prophet? I'd love some feedback.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
I Don't Believe It
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Oh Canada II
Perhaps this store front sign on Main St in Hamilton gives some clarification to Canadian identity. The sign reads
The Multicultural Friendship Centre Inc.
Members Only
That still makes me laugh out-loud.
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