Atheism as a teacher

[robvalue]

The other thing that bugs me is: why is it assumed that isis' interpretation of the Koran is deemed the wrong one, whilst the average muslim's interpretation is deemed correct simply because it's moral and "peaceful"?
Maybe the Isis interpretation is the correct one?

Moderate Muslim: "The Quran is the word of God. Every word. You should live your life according to what it says."

ISIS member: "OK, will do."

ISIS simply don't edit the book before applying the same principle as moderates (or at least edit it a whole lot less).

You're right, no interpretation is correct, because there is no standard by which to test any particular one. You can either read it literally, or interpret it yourself. If you interpret it, everything is fair game. You only have to justify it to yourself. Assuming that the correct interpretation must be peaceful is just arbitrary. You may as well say the correct interpretation must be angry, or confused. The book appears anything but peaceful to me.

You know, if I wrote a book, and then watched as people started killing each other over their "interpretation" of the book, I'd be very quick to let them know they were reading it wrongly. Unless of course I actually didn't mind them killing each other, or that was actually the purpose of the book, or I didn't exist and someone else wrote it.