tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327348657265652781.post516057366320221381..comments2023-10-03T11:41:21.191+01:00Comments on The Truth About Lies: The Good MuslimJim Murdochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786388638146471193noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327348657265652781.post-27085603510988741602011-08-27T13:16:02.225+01:002011-08-27T13:16:02.225+01:00I think basically my problem, Dave, is, if people ...I think basically my problem, <b>Dave</b>, is, if people are going to believe in something I’d like them to do it right. In that respect the Bible’s quite a good user manual. It tells you that all scripture is inspired of God and that interpretations belongs to him too and, as a writer, I get that: I was ‘inspired’ to write five books and I’m the only one who knows what I meant when I wrote them. It bothers me when other people come along and tell me what I was thinking and it even bothers me a little (even if I say it doesn’t) when they come along and tell me what they’re thinking and it’s not what I’m thinking. <br /><br />I knew a woman once, a married woman, who was a Christian and was having an affair. She felt she had justifiable reasons for having the affair and that, and I quote, “God will understand.” “No, he won’t,” I told her, “if, by ‘understand’, you mean will relax his views on adultery because of what you think are extenuating circumstances. Have the affair by all means but don’t look to God to excuse you. Own the sin.” We fell out over this and I only talked to her a couple of times afterwards. It bothers me too when people learn what the Bible says in a certain subject – homosexuality would be a good example – and then leave the church they’re in and go and find a more tolerant place where they can kid themselves that it’s now okay. It’s no different to the English priests blessing our soldiers and the German priests blessing their soldiers and forgetting about God mentioning something in passing about not killing. <br /><br />And, you’re quite right, it doesn’t matter a jot if it was a grape, an apple or a banana. It was the principle that was the issue here. <br /><br />I’m the same with games. What’s the point in cheating? There are rules set down for a reason. My last wife used to cheat all the time. She didn’t take games seriously. Games were supposed to be fun and she couldn’t see the fun in playing by the rules. I couldn’t see the fun in <i>not</i> playing by the rules and that’s one of the reasons I’m no longer a practicing Christian. I quit. I didn’t drift away and am still on some register somewhere. That doesn’t mean I behave in a manner that most Christians would disapprove of because most ‘Christian’ guidelines are common sense. You may be able to rationalise your actions but no matter what you do there will be consequences.<br /><br>Jim Murdochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12786388638146471193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327348657265652781.post-74262475084786555082011-08-27T11:59:30.439+01:002011-08-27T11:59:30.439+01:00Well, yes Jim, there is only one truth and then th...Well, yes Jim, there is only one truth and then there are many versions of it. A murders B, which can be established beyond all doubt. But then there are various versions as to how he did it and why. There is both truth and doubt. In some language versions of the Bible it is a grape, not an apple that is eaten. Or rather it is grapes, I suppose. Doesn't seem to me to matter to the story. <br />I suppose I don't need to explain that I am not a fundamentalist. I don't believe that all this happened - in any form - in the real world, but it expresses what you and I might call a poetic truth - some aspects of which might change with the story details, maybe the main one would not.Dave Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08430484174826768488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327348657265652781.post-67781340205944732042011-08-24T14:06:59.348+01:002011-08-24T14:06:59.348+01:00Ah, yes, Dave. There is no such thing as only reli...Ah, yes, <b>Dave</b>. There is no such thing as <i>only</i> religion in fact I just resisted going off on one in response to your latest poem but I deleted my comment. Indoctrination is a hard thing to shake. As soon as I see anyone promoting something that I ‘know’ to be wrong I want to jump in with chapter and verse. I know everyone talks about Eve offering Adam an apple but if you check Genesis 2 all that they say is it was a ‘fruit’ which is why in one of my books I have Truth say it was actually a banana. And don’t get me started on the origins of evil and the nature of free will. There was a lot in this book that I related to and in that respect I suppose all religions <i>are</i> much the same. There’s no denying that my general attitude towards what truth is or might be has been stained by being brought up to believe not so much that there is only one truth – I fully accept that there can only be one truth – but that we’re capable of connecting with it.<br /><br>Jim Murdochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12786388638146471193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327348657265652781.post-12527412966809690872011-08-24T11:30:05.917+01:002011-08-24T11:30:05.917+01:00I think this would be a book for me. I would not a...I think this would be a book for me. I would not always have thought so, but late in the day I read "Midnight's Children" and "The Moor's Last Sigh" and have a taste for such books now. The one phrase that stood out for me in your review was Rehana's, "It's only religion". Such a short phrase, but so much packed into it! As usual, an excellent review.Dave Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08430484174826768488noreply@blogger.com