DAR AL HARB - U.S.A.: COMMENTARY ON THE USE OF THE QUR'AN OWNED BY THOMAS JEFFERSON & ITS USE BY ELLISON

Using Jefferson's Koran for ceremony was highly ironic
by Dave Hoover

On Jan. 4, Keith Ellison of Minnesota was sworn in as the first Muslim congressman. He swore on a Koran from Thomas Jefferson's personal library rather than on a Bible. People are celebrating this as symbolic of the progress of religious tolerance in our country. It is that, but doesn't anyone see the irony?

Thomas Jefferson is one of the authors of "... Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ..." (Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution). This is the cornerstone of American tolerance and the separation of church and state.

However, the Koran -- even though Jefferson possessed this copy of it -- is the book of a religion notable for its intolerance. Islamic countries far transcend others in the persecution of people of minority faiths.

I am not pointing this at Muslim people, but about how the philosophies of Islam normally play out in a society when this religion gains power.

Understand that Islam is holistic. It is all-encompassing. Islam is a political and social system every bit as much as it is a religion. The idea of "separation of church and state" is nonsense in Islam. Don't believe this? The proof is in the pudding. Of about 50 Islamic countries, no more than five have a semblance of freedom of religion. (It remains to be seen what will happen in Afghanistan and Iraq).

In the majority of Islamic countries, if someone of another religion does anything more than keep a low profile, the person is either abused, killed or escapes. People of minority faiths in these countries live with fear -- fear for themselves and their families. Beatings, torture, prison, and/or death awaits someone who attempts to change to another religion from Islam -- unless he or she flees. There are almost no exceptions.

This persecution might come from family or the community while the government looks the other way, or it might be from the government itself. To even question the truth or accuracy of the Koran is to risk your life.

And what is called freedom of religion even in the five "freer" countries would cause Jefferson to roll over in his grave.

One of our American ideals is to lead the world in freedom of conscience and freedom of religion. So we should see it as a victory of our ideals that we have a Muslim congressman. However, as the influence of Islam grows here, there are a couple of questions we will have to wrestle with.

How can we learn from the failure in Europe and integrate Islam into our society? And if this is not possible, then which ideal -- tolerance or intolerance -- will overcome the other?


It is time to start asking those questions people, otherwise it will be ugly when they are finally answered...

Pertinent Links:

1) Using Jefferson's Koran for ceremony was highly ironic

2) Christopher Hitchens on the use of the Jefferson Qur'an