Are the people here really free minded?
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There is no chronological order of events, and there is so much repetition that it is enough to make the reader lose track.
Well, that's your own opinion. The more I read it, the more interesting it gets for me. I also believe the repetition is needed, to keep remembering important issues, because humans tend to forget very quickly. Maybe you're not as openminded or patient as you believe yourself to be. Many Quran alone followers would disagree with you on this matter.
If you look at a footnote from the 'Quran a Reformist Translation' on verse 3953 for example, it states the following
The pronoun in "my
servant" refers to God, since according to numerous
verses only God can be the master. This sudden shift
in pronouns is called iltifat (conversion, turning one's
face to someone) in Arabic literature, which is
defined as "the change of speech from one mode to
another, for the sake of freshness and variety for
the listener, to renew his interest, and to keep his
mind from boredom and frustration, through
having the one mode continuously at his ear." On
this and other literary aspects of the Quran, I
recommend Neal Robinson's book Discovering The
Qur'n A Contemporary Approach To A Veiled Text
(1996, SCM Press Ltd.). For other examples of iltifat,
see 359; 6941-47; 161-2; 3915-16; 8925-30;
20113-114; 6718-19; 544; 20124; 751-3; 238;
1137; 5045; 12-5; 1988; 5217-19; 1672; 4535;
3038; and 7039-4; 171-3; 1795; 3953; 1022.We often miss little but important details like this when reading a translation.
Everytime I read the Quran myself and look at its explanation of pure monotheism, it sounds logical to me and strengthens my faith (as the Quran says it will do), especially when I hear the so-called scholars of organized religion's explanation of monotheism - which has a lot of hidden polytheism in it which also doesn't make any sense.
?And whenever there comes down a Soorah, some of them (hypocrites) say ?Which of you has had his Faith increased by it?? As for those who believe, it has increased their Faith, and they rejoice. But as for those in whose hearts is a disease (of doubt, disbelief and hypocrisy), it will add suspicion and doubt to their suspicion, disbelief and doubt; and they die while they are disbelievers?
Some are also wondering 'How do we know God is not lying?', but I believe God has placed a natural instinct within us that can recognize truth or falsehood, if we would use our reasoning.
As verse 3030 of the Quran implies, recognizing God ALONE as our Lord and Master is a natural instinct. We are born into this world with such an instinct
"Therefore, you shall devote yourself to the religion of strict monotheism. Such is the natural instinct placed into the people by God. Such creation of God will never change. This is the perfect religion/system, but most people do not know."