On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 14:50:35 -0600, Susan Maneck <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > "It would appear that the Jews > of Medina, seeing the poverty of the Muslims, derided the latters' > conviction that they were struggling in God's cause and that the > Qur'an was divinely revealed. Thus, the "saying" of the Jews mentioned > in this verse, "God's hand is shackled", as well as the parallel one > in 3 : 181, "God is poor while we are rich", is an elliptical > description of their attitude towards Islam and the Muslims - an > attitude of disbelief and sarcasm which could be thus paraphrased: "If > it were true that you Muslims are doing God's will, He would have > bestowed upon you power and riches; but your poverty and your weakness > contradict your claim -" > In other words triumphalism. > > That is rather the lines along which Yassir has argued against the Faith, > isn't it? That if we were a true religion we would be running Iran or maybe > the rest of the world by now.
Is Yassir on the Bahai Studies list? I wouldn't want to speak for him. But personally I wouldn't want to make that sort of argument. I don't think that that kind of success is much of an indication of truth. In fact, I think in general the liberation theology perspective (where God is on the side of the poor and the oppressed) is much more compelling. Unfortunately I think they are popular in many different circles. On more than one occasion, I've seen Bahais make similar arguments by looking at Western economic power or technological success compared to the Muslim world and try to make some kind of implication about Islam. So all sorts of people in all sorts of religious communities make all sorts of arguments. Both good and bad. Peace Gilberto "My people are hydroponic" __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
