A few days ago MSNBC carried a discussion between Time Magazine’s World Editor, Bobby Ghosh and MSNBC show host Chuck Todd.
Ghosh, who was apparently being presented as some type of expert on the matter, was quoted as saying that the Koran is held by Muslims to be more sacred than Christians regard their Bible to be. Note the dialogue:
GHOSH: The thing to keep in mind that’s very important here is that the Koran to Muslims, it is not — it is not the same as the Bible to Christians.
The Bible is a book written by men. It is acknowledged by Christians that it is written by men. It’s the story of Jesus.
TODD: Yes.
GHOSH: But the Koran, if you are a believer, if you’re a Muslim, the Koran is directly the word of God, not written by man. It is transcribed, is directly the word of God.
That makes it sacred in a way that it’s hard to understand if you’re not Muslim. So the act of burning a Koran is much more — potentially much, much more inflammatory than –
TODD: Directly attacking — directly attacking God.
GHOSH: — than if you were to burn a — burn a Bible.
TODD: Directly attacking God.
It may be that Ghosh is entirely accurate in his assessment of the prevalent views held toward the Bible by individuals who call themselves Christians. However, let it be plainly said that no true Christian believes the Bible to be merely the words of men.
First, the Bible is much more than simply the “story of Jesus.” The text of the Bible contains a concise early history of man’s existence on earth, God’s covenant with Israel, prophetic utterances regarding the Messiah and His Kingdom, the record of Jesus’ fulfillment of those prophecies, and the history of God’s people in the first century (among many other things). It is rightly revered, and held in as high esteem by true Christians as the Koran is by Muslims.
The Bible itself, in many places, professes to be the words of God. Peter wrote, “for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).
So, why the difference in the reaction of Christians when the Bible is burned VS Muslims when the Koran is burned? First, as Ghosh mentioned, many who call themselves Christians are not devoted to the Bible as the Word of God. But even true Christians react differently than Muslims. They heed the words of their Lord, “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (Matthew 5:39). Where the Muslim is told to make war and kill the infidel, the Christian is told to live a life which contrasts markedly with the ungodly. Paul quoted the Psalmist, saying that in so doing, “you will heap coals of fire on his head” (Romans 12:20).
The Christian faith is one of peace and love. In contrast, the Muslim faith is full of hate and vitriol toward those they perceive to be their enemies. And that is the difference.
