That may well be, by some metrics. But it is premature to let it at that. The two texts are actually difficult to directly compare.
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Comparing the Bible to the Qur'an.
- Thread starter stevecanuck
- Start date
It was compared by computer text analysis. So no bias in the comparison
That may well color one's perception and bias and it may be worth keeping in mind. Fair is fair.
But it does not follow that it is pointless nor wrong to develop that interest. And in all fairness, it is not even difficult to understand. For good or worse, 9/11 was indeed a powerful motivator for people to learn more about Islam.
Speaking as an IT worker, I have to say that the later does not follow at all from the former.
stevecanuck
Well-Known Member
True. Bias can easily be included by the way the code is written. If it was written to look for direct commands for believers to kill, the Qur'an would win by a mile.
Btw, I addressed the study in post #12 in case you missed it.
I only reported on the news article and gave the link.
Fair enough. I just feel duty-bound to point out that it is not ours to expect computers to have so much discernment.
I see it as no discernment. The program looks for certain words and flags them
Indeed. That is not reassuring.
It's all I've got
Quite on the contrary. Conforting as it may be to hope that simple word counts might be fair and impartial, they just aren't.
And we really ought not to refuse the responsibility of using our discernment that comes from having it in the first place. It is a headache, but that is actually all that we have got.
Have you read both books? I have read the bible (3 different ones actually) but only short translated passages of the Qur'an so i cannot judge. Hence the reason i accept a published work that is unbiased and accurate in what it eas designed to do.
However personal interpretations of those books differs greatly.
It will and it must.
There are simply way too many factors to consider beyond the frequency of words. For starters, there are cultural environments and the stances towards both texts.
By that perspective the Qur'an pretty much has to be, well, about as perfect a book and a religious scripture as one could possibly conceive, if not much better still.
The reality is quite, quite different.
But let's limit ourselves to the books themselves for a moment.
The Bible somewhat benefits from having so many authors; there is no compelling argument for an unified vision there, and in fact it is something of a mainstream view that the New Testament largely overrules the Old Testament. That alone provides significant protection against blind, fanact literalism. That is not true of the Qur'an, despite the existence of a more formalized and widely accepted doctrine of abrogation ("Naskh") in Islam.
Perhaps more significant still are the messages themselves. There is no lack of worrisome messages in the Bible, but quite a few are ignored by most Christians for being in the OT or other reasons. Meanwhile, the Qur'an and the environment built around it go out of their ways to insist that the text is not only literal instruction from the sole creator god, but also immutable, perfect and a source of duty to everyone who learns of it. In so many words, it teaches that fanatic theocracy is a virtue that ought to be pursued and demanded relentlessly.
A mere count of words can't acknowledge that. But human beings can and must.
As i said, i reported on the experiment, nothing more. How the books are interpreted was not in question.
I personally find the OT rather horrific and it explains to me so much of Christian behaviour, but hey, that's just me looking for why the christians i knew from church treated me as they did.
YmirGF
Bodhisattva in Recovery
Better late than never. My understanding of Islam is, by no means, perfect, but it is fairly extensive and accurate.
I'm actually a bit shocked at how ignorant the general population is regarding Islam - even today.
Admittedly, I did get a chuckle out of an American group a few years back called "Gays for Palestine" or something. I get that they wanted to be supportive of Palestinians, but it is somewhat hilarious that they could be so disconnected from Palestinian culture.
YmirGF
Bodhisattva in Recovery
This is an outstanding post, @LuisDantas An excellent analysis, especially highlighting the fragility of Islamic thought. Well done.
stevecanuck
Well-Known Member
Simply claiming that an error has been made as opposed to demonstrating it by quoting scripture are two very different things.
I pointed out your bias a post or two later than this one you e responded to.
stevecanuck
Well-Known Member
A major part of the problem is that it's a willfully, self-imposed ignorance. People don't want to deal with the fact that verses of the Qur'an tell Muslims to "kill and be killed" "in the cause of Allah". It just doesn't matter that those verses can be easily found and quoted.
And of course there's terrorism or merely the threat of it. Why would, for example, any Western-based news paper want to expose the 'Islam-means-peace' lie if it sets them up to be the next Charlie Hebdo?
stevecanuck
Well-Known Member
'Pointed out' as opposed to 'gratuitously accused' are two very different things.