RE: Why Atheism/Secular Humanism... Part II
December 1, 2011 at 10:36 am
(This post was last modified: December 1, 2011 at 10:48 am by The Grand Nudger.)
(December 1, 2011 at 1:05 am)Rayaan Wrote: The Quran is always open to interpretation. That's the only way we can understand it. At the same time, we should also try to refer to tafseers (or commentaries) of the Quran written by scholars and those who are knowledgeable about the book because they contain many information that we may not know such as the meaning of certain words, the circumstances in which a verse was revealed, the historical context, etc. Knowing those things will help us to better understand the meanings behind the verses. Indeed, the Quran says what it means and means what it says, but again, the extraction of meaning is always a matter of interpretation.
Then it can be made to say anything (just as you're doing now with "what I think the verse means"). Just how perfect is it's composition, requiring "experts" to "translate" it's "truth"? How about replacing those in quotes with "propagandist", "create", "agenda". Works just as well for me. Interpretation ftw!
The Quran only "means what it says and says what it means" in that it makes this claim. Since you've just annihilated that claim with the one immediately following it I find it a rough claim to swallow. I'm left with the feeling that the Quran does indeed say what it means and mean what it says, except when it doesn't and requires interpretation. You know I do a great Noah Sweat if you ever get in on a hangout, accent and all.
(in case you'd never heard the speech that spawned the phrase. This is what you're doing, lol)
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
