Swearing in with the Koran

Facing criticism for his decision to be sworn into office by placing his hand on a Koran instead of a Bible, Senator-elect Keith Ellison has decided that the Koran in question should be
Thomas Jefferson's copy. That's mostly brilliant. I say "mostly" because, on reflection, the move does not place the Koran in the best theological light: remember how Thomas Jefferson, a Deist, edited the Bible by cutting out all of the supernatural and theological components, and imagine how he must have regarded the Koran as a cultural document rather than a holy book. Still, big points for Ellison's political agility.

technorati tags:keithellison, koran, thomasjefferson

Blogged with Flock