With Islamophobia on the rise, a couple of YouTube vloggers from the Netherlands decided to expose the extent to which the Western world is prejudiced against all Muslims for the brutal acts of violence being carried out by Islamic State. Alexander Spoor along with Sacha Harland, who host the popular channel Dit Is Normaal, concealed a copy of the Bible with the cover of the Koran before reading out certain passages to passersby on the street.
“Unbelievable,” “ridiculous” and “aggressive” were some of the words used by Dutch citizens to describe the verses being read out to them, as evident in the video posted by the duo on December 4.
Examining the tainted but prevailing notion that those following Islam have no place in Western culture, Spoor and Harland put Christianity to a similar test. Presenting their concealed Bible to locals, the duo filmed reactions while reading out Christian passages related to homosexuality, the penalty for disobedience and female submissiveness.
“If two men sleep with each other they will both have to be killed” (Leviticus 20:13), “If you reject my commands and abhor my laws, you will eat the flesh of your own sons and the flesh of your own daughters” (Leviticus 26:30) and “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission” (1 Timothy 2:11) were among the passages read out to the public.
“This sounds ridiculous,” one man said.
“How could anyone believe in this? That's unbelievable to me,” said a woman.
“I think the Bible mostly has a lot of positive things in it,” said another. “The Bible is a lot less harsh and a bit more peaceful.”
The video, which has received close to seven million views since being posted earlier this month, is thought provoking and seems to have exposed the Western world’s bias against Muslims. But most importantly, the video has succeeded in reinforcing an idea that has become increasingly popular in recent years – all religion is depraved. For example, the recently published report by the Commission on Religion and Belief in Public Life argues that Britain’s changing religious landscape should be reflected in her public life as well as educational institutions while also implying that the worst evils in the world possibly stem from religion. And this implication seems justified when one examines what both the Bible and Koran have to say about cutting off people’s hands, dominating women and persecuting homosexuals.
Photo Credits: de Stentor (the Netherlands)
