Literal Truth in the Koran--and elsewhere

Submitted by Norman Levitt (United States), Dec 17, 2002 at 13:59

Of course it's foolish for the PBS producers to present legendary Koranic material about Mohamed's "aascent to heaven" as literal fact. But, mutatis mutandis, it would be equally objectionable to present the Christian legend of the Resurrection as literal fact. The same goes for the Old Testament "Exodus" of the Hebrews from Egypt.

Let's not pretend that orthodox Islam is any more absurd than any other dogmatic faith that clings to the idea that its scriptural tall-tales represent historical truth.


N. Levitt

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