"The parable of those who take protectors apart from God is that of the spider that makes a house. Truly the frailest of houses is the spider's house, if they but knew."
Quran 29:41
This passage, drawn from al-Ankabut, the 29th surah, here rendered as "The Spider" is one of the most famous passages in the entire Quran. Obviously there are passages in other religious traditions that contain the same reminder, the line from Psalms about God being the rock of my refuge (if I remember correctly) being a prime example. Actually, if I were not so insanely buried at the moment I should really do some research and track down similar messages. I guess the question would be, why? Is it because we actually expect God to take sides and look after us, and if we choose the wrong side we'll be destroyed? Again, I think there's a real danger in anthropomorphizing God, and assume that he'll pop in when we ask or that He/She/It will take sides. To me, what this means is leading a life based on the teachings of God, so that if we lead a life based on compassion and toleration and forgiveness and kindness then that is a, to stick with the metaphor, a solidly constructed house. To lead a life based on nothing but self-interest and cruelty and intolerance is to build the spider's house.
Quran 29:41
This passage, drawn from al-Ankabut, the 29th surah, here rendered as "The Spider" is one of the most famous passages in the entire Quran. Obviously there are passages in other religious traditions that contain the same reminder, the line from Psalms about God being the rock of my refuge (if I remember correctly) being a prime example. Actually, if I were not so insanely buried at the moment I should really do some research and track down similar messages. I guess the question would be, why? Is it because we actually expect God to take sides and look after us, and if we choose the wrong side we'll be destroyed? Again, I think there's a real danger in anthropomorphizing God, and assume that he'll pop in when we ask or that He/She/It will take sides. To me, what this means is leading a life based on the teachings of God, so that if we lead a life based on compassion and toleration and forgiveness and kindness then that is a, to stick with the metaphor, a solidly constructed house. To lead a life based on nothing but self-interest and cruelty and intolerance is to build the spider's house.
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