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Like many I have a bit of a problem with a Congressman swearing an oath on the Koran. On the surface, when looking at it simplistically, it seems an innocent gesture. Swearing an oath to our Country on one’s Holy……

P.S. If quoting him here like this is bad form I apologize.

“This is allegedly a political masterstroke by Ellison, but it really just begs the question. Thomas Jefferson, obviously, was not a Muslim. In his famous statement on religious freedom he wrote about whether one’s neighbor believed in one god or twelve “neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.” But what no one is willing to discuss here is whether the Qur’an and Islam really fit into that framework. When I have mentioned that it sanctions lying to unbelievers (3:28 and 16:106, in the mainstream understanding of those verses by Islamic theologians and schools of jurisprudence; cf. Ibn Kathir and many others), people have responded that the Bible is full of nasty stuff as well. But people aren’t swearing on the Bible because it is full of nasty stuff, or endorsing any of it that might actually be there. The idea of swearing on the Bible arises from Christian belief and is buttressed by Christian theology — Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant — that requires honesty and eschews all dishonesty as coming from the “Father of Lies.” The permissions to be dishonest in the Qur’an are not mitigated by Islamic belief, tradition, and theology, but are in fact reinforced — by Muhammad’s statements that “war is deceit” and that lying is permissible in wartime, and more.”

yep, he’s already condemned muslim extremists as criminals so there ya go

He now must be stoned to death by his fellow muslims.

Problem solved.

Not swearing on the bible is not the main issue. He’s swearing on a book calling for our destruction that umm….is.

The Koran, as a document, scorns all earthly governments and man-made laws, thus to use it as part of a swearing-in process “to uphold the Constitution” is to implode the entire meaning of the event.

No one ever said the pedophile warlord and his tribe weren’t Machiavellian as well as Mohammedan.

Not to mention Jefferson’s Sally Hemmings episode.

Jefferson didn’t father Sally’s baby.

He will speak out against domestic and foreign violence against the U.S. and it’s allies?

yep, he’s already condemned muslim extremists as criminals so there ya go

So Ellison will swear to defend the U.S. against his brethern? He will speak out against domestic and foreign violence against the U.S. and it’s allies? He will vote for legislation designed to fight against islam and his fellow muslims? Somehow I doubt it.

 
Allah thinks Ellison’s shrewd political move of taking his private oath on a Thomas Jefferson owned copy of the ……

People advocating for swearing on a Bible have missed the point as well. When you say the following you should have your hand on a copy of the constitution, that thing you are swearing to uphold.

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.”

honora on January 3, 2007 at 2:13 PM

Doesn’t change the fact that we should all be vigilant against the fascist tendencies of librarians. Those people are crazy.

don’t know if that’s dhimmitude. Sounds more like the actions of a finicky librarian to me.

Slublog on January 3, 2007 at 6:42 PM

I was joking about his name being Mark “Dimunation”

To use a slave owners bible or religious text would be unthinkable a few years ago. Did anyone think that the Jefferson interest in the Koran was because the Koran supports slavery?

right2bright on January 3, 2007 at 6:34 PM

Not to mention Jefferson’s Sally Hemmings episode. Of course, your argument presumes that Muslims can or should somehow respect “the principle of the thing.” Others would probably make a pretty good argument that true Muslims don’t really HAVE any principles, just religious rituals.

The chief of the Library of Congress’ rare book and special
collections division, Mark Dimunation,em> will walk the Quran across the street to the Capitol and then walk it back after the ceremony.

Dhiminitude anyone ?

Tantor hits the nail on the head. It is not so much that Ellison is clever, but that he and his handlers have determined that the best defense in this debate is to get the media to carry their water for him. How many people on television or in print will actually think to question Ellison’s use of Jefferson’s Koran as nothing more than a simplistic stunt to deflect criticism of his use of the Koran in the first place? Very few, if any. What they will do, now and in the future, will be to rush to Ellison’s defense any time he comes under criticism or question by pointing out his conciliatory gesture of using a Koran that was owned by Thomas Jefferson. And so the Koran and Ellison’s use of it will no longer be the issue; the issue will be the unfairness, racism, and dismissal of anyone who questions Ellison on any grounds.

As an aside to my fellow Hot Air commentators who would demand that Ellison come out in public and refute any belief he might have that the Koran supersedes the Constitution; if indeed Ellison is what you fear he is, then how could you believe any such thing he says on the subject?

Allahpundit is polite and takes a lot of crap in better stride that would many people, well, than me anyway. It strikes me as rather ridiculous that people feel free to hurl all manner of invective and then get their little feelings hurt over something like this. Grow up for heaven’s sake. This is a blog, it’s entertainment. If you’re not being entertained, take a hike.

honora on January 3, 2007 at 4:23 PM

Finally something we agree on.
And may I add, if you can’t be civil (I don’t mean fun little name calling like pompous *ss); get off the internet, then curl up in a corner with pillow you little wimp. Mommy still loves her little man…maybe.