Not the case for the Bible, either

Submitted by Joseph (United States), Jan 17, 2006 at 12:49

I don't know which Bible Pope Benedict is talking about, or which Jews, but according to Orthodox Judaism, the Torah (the Five Books of Moses) is similarly the "Word of G-d" and as such, cannot be altered. Yes, people have claimed that adaptation and development has happened, but only in small ways, leaving fundamental things - including the hundreds and commandments and thousands of laws and minutiae - intact.

The few "militaristic" aspects of Judaism, in fact, HAVE been reinterpreted over the years, in fact, reducing their current applicability.

The example the Pope used was the Book of Isaiah - yes, *his* book is a Divinely inspired, yet human written work that can be reinterpreted. But the Torah cannot be.

But this does not change the essential point that Mr. Pipes makes - that the Koran can and should be reevaluated and reinterpreted for the current era. Or at least the militaristic aspects. And the misogynistic aspects. And the misanthropic aspects, for that matter...

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