In the spaceship lounge, the Martian Dissenter is reading, this time not the Bible but Milton. I read somewhere that, in English Puritan homes, the Bible and Milton's Paradise Lost were considered the only appropriate Sunday reading. PL can be regarded as a prequel and intervel to the Bible. On the street in Birmingham, a Muslim propagandist gave me a free copy of the Koran. While I was sitting looking at this, a guy walking past told me that I should be reading the Bible because that is the proper book. When I went to practise Zen meditation in a Youth Hostel quiet room, I was joined by a Japanese man who seemed to be reading his Bible. There is a Buddhist story that the true scriptures are written on blank pages but people do not realize this so they are given something to read. In the beginning was the Word or the Deed?
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Are there still people in the UK who call themselves Puritans?
I have nothing against PARADISE LOST except for finding it a hard, heavy slog to read. I vastly prefer Dante's DIVINE COMEDY, which was much more interesting to read. Now I'm wondering if some people read the COMEDY almost as they do the Bible. I even have three different translations of Dante's poem.
Most English speakers who take a look at the Koran seem to use the Yusuf Ali translation. But I've seen criticisms that YA watered down parts of what the Koran actually says, so I use the NJ Dawood version, which has been commended as being accurate. Who did the translation you have?
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I was referring to the time when there were Puritans.
I don't think I still have that copy. It was obviously one approved by Muslims. There is a Penguin Classics translation which I might still have among other Penguin Classics.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
You had me wondering, with that use of "Puritans."
The Dawood version of the Koran I have was pub. by Penguin Books, so the odds are that's the one you have.
Ad astra! Sean
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