AmazingDisgrace wrote:This doesn't have anything to do with the Koran. They're translating philosophical and medical writings from early Islamic scholars, just like (or maybe as part of) the Middle Eastern Texts Initiative at BYU, of which Dan Peterson is an editor. This is about as related to tearing down the Dome of the Rock as translating Plato would be to tearing down the Parthenon. Maybe if a religious group plotted to destroy the Salt Lake Temple, Mormons would be comforted by Chinese scholars doing a translation of John A. Widstoe's writings.
I'd put my faith in Jack Bauer saving the Temple in the space of a single day if the Chinese try anything. I think they'd be better off translating the Lectures on Faith instead.
"Surely he knows that DCP, The Nehor, Lamanite, and other key apologists..." -Scratch clarifying my status in apologetics "I admit it; I'm a petty, petty man." -Some Schmo
AmazingDisgrace wrote:I can see the Temple Recommend interview scene now.
"I'm asking the questions, here!"
It ends with Jack grabbing the Bishop and shouting, "Who do you work for?!"
And shooting out the Bishop's wife's kneecaps.
"Surely he knows that DCP, The Nehor, Lamanite, and other key apologists..." -Scratch clarifying my status in apologetics "I admit it; I'm a petty, petty man." -Some Schmo
"Whatever appears to be against the Book of Mormon is going to be overturned at some time in the future. So we can be pretty open minded."-charity 3/7/07
I haven't seen anything resembling reason coming from an Arab country. Having traveled to Morroco, Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey and Jordan, I wasn't impressed with anything that the Arabs were responsible for. All the greatness of these countries was from previous cultures that were eventually over-run by the Arabs in their fanatical obsession to spread their religion with the 'the point of the sword'. I irritates me to no end to see my tax money spent in pork barrel projects by so-called conservatives like Bobby Bennett (R. Utah). He runs his congressional seat about as poorly as he did his company Franklin Covey. Let the Arabs spend their money to translate the documents if they desire. Our country needs to conserve the tax dollars a wee bit better.
bodyfit wrote:I haven't seen anything resembling reason coming from an Arab country. Having traveled to Morroco, Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey and Jordan, I wasn't impressed with anything that the Arabs were responsible for. All the greatness of these countries was from previous cultures that were eventually over-run by the Arabs in their fanatical obsession to spread their religion with the 'the point of the sword'. I irritates me to no end to see my tax money spent in pork barrel projects by so-called conservatives like Bobby Bennett (R. Utah). He runs his congressional seat about as poorly as he did his company Franklin Covey. Let the Arabs spend their money to translate the documents if they desire. Our country needs to conserve the tax dollars a wee bit better.
You’re right. Individuals such as al-Farabi, Avicenna and Averroes just took greatness from other people and contributed absolutely nothing to philosophical ideals. Arab philosophers certainly didn’t influence medieval Scholasticism at all in Europe. And those worthless Arabs and their silly writings certainly didn’t have any influence upon Moses Maimonides.
Stupid Arabs. Translate your own texts, we prefer to spend our taxes on war.
"Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead." ~Charles Bukowski
Viewing all "Arab" culture, philosophy and history as the result of the fanatacism of a few Muslim sects is like judging "Western Civilization" on the basis of the beliefs of fundamentalist Christian groups, or, say, Mormons. Not to mention the cultural differences in the various histories of Morroco, Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey and Jordan.
Oh, and math.
From the Ernest L. Wilkinson Diaries: "ELW dreams he's spattered w/ grease. Hundreds steal his greasy pants."
It doesn't take much thought to go back over ancient history and find some scholars who had influence over their culture. We live in the present. Arabs have not produced much since then. They have invaded every middle eastern country to spread their religion. Maybe you don't know, but the Arabs are from Arabia, not every country that they now occupy. All middle eastern countries had indigenous people who were conquered by the Arabs, their cultures all but disappeared. The Arabs don't allow other religions and cultures to flourish when they invade, ie. Lebanon.
The UAE (that is the United Arab Republic) comprises 7 kingdoms, they are investing heavily in all parts of the world, because they have so much money. Pull up a a picture of Dubai, you might be surpursed. They can easily afford their own translation, we in the US can't.
It is a stupid comment because it is saying that the US would spend money only on war, therefore we would be better off spending it to translate some Arab ancient documents.
Firstly, the US has done more good in the world in the last 60 years than any other country. We used to have a surplus of funds that could be spent on literary translation of obscure texts. We don't have a surplus anymore, we are heavily in deficit and should curtail spending on foreign translations of ancient documents.
Secondly, private institutions such as BYU can take on such projects, there are plenty of rich foundations that fund such things. I think the translations would be wonderful, I only object to the funding. I have nothing against Arab history, just don't fund it with my tax money.