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Worshipping the Book

November 3, 2005

Cathy Seipp writes an interesting piece on the Koran flushing incident and respect for holy books, and books in general.

I also generally agree with official U.S. policy that the holy books of other cultures should be treated with respect. Still, there's a limit as to how much respect any mere object - even a book - should command. When religious fanatics break out into murderous riots at the mere thought that their special book has been (as they say) "mistreated," I think that limit has been reached.

In my other blog I've been writing a lot about the Doctrine of the Word of God. Yes, we should have the highest respect and honor for the Word of God. But... notice I say the Word of God - the God-breathed holy Scripture,

It is not the paper, the binding, the gold-leaf we worship - it is God, revealed in holy Scriptures. God is living, the Holy Spirit quickens our hearts to understanding. We are people of the book. Not - people who worship the book.