worldviews matter

Submitted by Darren (United States), Jun 21, 2006 at 11:18

Daniel

I think what this article highlights is that our belief systems matter because they affect how we'll behave. If Palestinian officials make up history to support a claim on Jerusalem, this will affect the way the behave, likely, a disinclination to make nice about its control and heritage. If these claims are untrue (as they patently are), it should also make them quite shy about exposing their claims to analysis/rigorous review, lest the house of cards come falling down.

The challenge for Muslims is to rise above self-exultation and open the door to reason and truth. I remember recently reading an op-ed by a young Muslim journo who said America was well designed because Thomas Jefferson owned a Quran and must have read it a lot for inspiration. Ignoring such obvious inconveniences to this thesis, such as Mr. Jefferson's familiarity with the New Testament and the Judeo-Christian inspiration in the nations founding, what it really points out is that Muslims see the world through an extremely one-eyed and forced worldview, which doesn't bode well for plain speaking and good neighbourly relations.

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