mayne@sun10.scri.fsu.edu (William (Bill) Mayne) (10/31/90)
As my subject line indicates I am not a Moslem, nor am I interested in being convinced or converted. But I have subscribed to this news group because I would like to understand more. I may therefore be posting more questions as time goes on. I hope this is appropriate. Here are some starters, one timely and one general: (1) How about some comments on the interview with Salmon Rushdie (sp?) on "60 Minutes" last Sunday? In particular, how do net.moslems feel about the death sentence passed on Rushdie? I have not read his book. Reviews didn't convince me it was the kind of thing I wanted to spend time reading. So I don't know first hand just how negative it was toward Islam. I note that Rushdie says one of the main charges, that he portrays the prophet Mohammed's wives as prostitutes, is not correct. Be that as it may, I confess compassion for a man who will have to spend the rest of his life in hiding and may well be killed for what he has written. I am apalled by the intolerance and violence shown by some segments of the Moslem world. There is no need to respond by pointing out that Judaism, when it had the temporal power in ancient and mythical times was guilty of brutality, nor the faults of the modern state of Israel, nor to point to Christian atrocities like the Crusades, the Inquisition, witch trials, etc. I don't subscribe to either of those religions. I do not defend them. Nor do I mean the above as an attack on Islam. I really want to hear the opinions of Moslems. If my questions appear argumentative consider them rather as a challenge to bring out your arguments. If I decide to get really argumentative I'll let you know :-). (2) I have a copy of the Quoran (sp?). The translation I have is the one published by Penquin Classics. I'd be interested in comments on various translations into English and suggestions on selected sections to read to get a good over view. I have read some, but not systematically. Bill Mayne | mayne@nu.cs.fsu.edu
goer@midway.uchicago.edu (Richard L. Goerwitz) (10/31/90)
In <1990Oct30.161211.7903@wpi.WPI.EDU> William (Bill) Mayne writes: > > ...I note that Rushdie says one of the main charges, that he portrays >the prophet Mohammed's wives as prostitutes, is not correct. Be that as >it may, I confess compassion for a man who will have to spend the rest >of his life in hiding and may well be killed for what he has written. >I am apalled by the intolerance and violence shown by some segments of >the Moslem world. I have to admit that I found myself agreeing with Rushdie, in the sense that I thought most Muslims would not overreact to his work. I was very, very shocked to see the informal street poll show this to be incorrect. I wonder if they somehow edited out the more level-headed replies, show- ing only the "death votes." Sometimes there is a feeling in the press that Muslims are all a bunch of irrational killers, and it is not unheard of that they would edit a segment to reflect this feeling. What do people in this newsgroup think? -Richard (goer@sophist.uchicago.edu)