The bible has violence too, you know?

After a good discussion in which I list the thousands of people whose lives in the past week have been snuffed out due to Islam inspired violence, people will inform me that the bible has violence too, you know. Apparently, this is to cause me to reassess my belief (or rather, my observation) regarding “Islam-inspired violence”. For if the Bible contains violence, and the Qur’an contains violence, then it can’t be Islam that is the source of all this violence. It has to be something else.

[caption id=”” align=”alignnone” width=”295”] Copyright: Dailymail UK[/caption]

Christians on the receiving end of violence

This is not only faulty logic at its best but it also shows a profound desire to prevent Islam from being scrutinized. At first when I hear this comment, my immediate reaction is to defend the violence contained within the bible, but the truth is, I shouldn’t have to. While Christians are being butchered across dozens of countries and face constant discrimination and persecution in dozens more, why would we bother addressing their doctrinal texts. The adherents have acted in a way that does not cause any concern for me. The adherents of Islam have not.

A violent comparison

And yet, I will indulge this comparison, as it comes up so frequently. History is full of violence and the Bible and the Qur’an are also historical texts. If they were not to contain any violence, they would be completely unreliable. How strange would it be to have a text that follows a group of people over centuries and yet contains no violence? It would be absurd. For one thing we can always rely upon, is mankind’s fondness for killing each other.

Also this does not mean that reporting on violence is the same as condoning violence. If that was the case than every war-time reporter would also double up as a warmonger. Thus, we have to look at how the violence is portrayed in the Bible and the Qur’an. For instance, as Jesus is considered the best example for Christians, and Muhammed the best example for Muslims, did either of these personalities carry out violence? Alternatively, when there was violence done, was it prescriptive or descriptive? Another issue to address is the wider theological framework of each religion. Do they allow room to discard certain commands? Or would doing so implicitly acknowledge the fallibility of the doctrine? Is that even allowed?

Violence in the Bible is irrelevant

There are so many unnecessary questions that arise from this comparison. For the truth of the matter is, it is irrelevant what the Bible says when addressing whether Islam-inspired violence is indeed Islam-inspired. The only thing that is relevant is the statements of the adherents and the Qur’an.