Dutch comedy duo Dit Is Normaal have used a cheeky experiment to expose underlying prejudice against Islam.
The YouTube comedians, Sacha Harland and Alexander Spoor, wrapped a Bible in a cover labelled the Holy Quran (De Heilige Koran), and read passages to unsuspecting strangers.
The passages included: "If you reject my commands and abhor my laws you will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters" and "I do not allow for a woman to teach”.
The interviewees expressed their surprise at the violent and oppressive nature of the passages.
"Well I didn't know this kind of stuff was also in this book," said one woman.
"Cutting off people's hands - I mean, apparently that's just the way they are."
"How can anyone believe in this?" said another woman.
"That's unbelievable to me. To me this sounds like they want to oppress you and force you to believe what they believe."
A Bible recovered as a Quran. Source: YouTube
One man said: "If you've been raised with this book and these kinds of thoughts it's going to influence the way you think".
The comedians also asked people what they thought were the biggest differences between the Bible and the Quran.
"Hearing this, I would think the Quran is more aggressive, especially with things like cutting off people's hands," said one man.
"The story in the Bible is told very differently," said another.
"The world is changing and I think they should have to adapt to it," said one woman.
When the ruse was revealed, many of the interviewees laughed and reacted with surprise and embarrassment.
One man succinctly summed up the responses to the Bible passages disguised as Islamic teachings.
"It's all just prejudice really," he said.
"I always try not to be prejudiced myself, but apparently I already am. It's just something you do unconsciously."
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