Allah Together Now

A Roman Catholic Bishop, Tiny Musken, in the Netherlands has proposed that people of all faiths begin using the term "allah" to refer to God.

This raises the obvious question of how someone named "Tiny" got to be Bishop.

The idea actually has some support including the Council on American-Islamic relations as a way of creating more unity.

Here's an idea that might also help build unity. Encourage Muslims to stop killing people in the name of Allah.

Just a thought.
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Comments

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  • After reading the section below, the idea using Allah makes some sense.


    In English, the only difference between "god", meaning a false god, and "God", meaning the One True God, is the capital "G". In the Arabic alphabet, since it does not have capital letters, the word for God (i.e. Allah) is formed by adding the equivalent to the English word "the" (Al-) to the Arabic word for "god/God" (ilah). So the Arabic word "Allah" literally it means "The God" - the "Al-" in Arabic basically serving the same function as the capital "G" in English. Due to the above mentioned facts, a more accurate translation of the word "Allah" into English might be "The One -and-Only God" or "The One True God".
  • Next will be head scarves and burqas.
  • The bishop you're talking about has a history of overreaching to find common ground and seems to like creating controversy. I find no need to adapt a name just because someone else likes it better or it is their common word for our common word. We can call God whatever we want to call Him as long as it is reverent and not offensive to others. Right now the word Allah, while not offensive in itself, conjures up negative images for too many people. Biblically God is originally referred to (in the English translations) as Yahweh. Regardless of what name we use it cannot come close to describing Him. Bottomline, we need no more reasons to separate our species; we need to find what is best for all of us.
    We will now sing hymn number.........
  • I agree with allsteaks...we're all talking about the same God, even though we may describe him using different names. But asking a culture who does not normally use the term Allah to change liturgy, speech, etc is WAY too overreaching for my tastes.

    Can't we all just get along??
  • I imagine this bishop is a fringe type person but often what is spoken on the fringes of society moves into the mainstream over time.

    Anyone who thinks all religions are essentially the same should do more study on the topic. I would suggest "So Whats The Difference" by Fritz Ridenour.

    The difference is important and startling.
  • The Muslims do recognize many of the prophets from the Jewish and Christian Bible, they even recognize the person of Jesus, though in a far different way than do Christians. But, the Muslim concept of God is far different than the Christian or even Jewish concept of God. I do not accept that we recognize the same God.
  • I agree, we define God/god differently, we have different concepts of a heaven and a hell, miracles on earth, holidays and holydays, on and on. Unfortunately religion has been the excuse (I won't say reason because it is not reasonable) for most wars, even into modern day Israeli/Palestinian wars, etc. Our war in Iraq started as a secular war but has taken on a subculture fight between elements of the same religion! Unfortunately we apparently aren't built to "just get along" and live together peacefully.
  • I will agree with you there Allsteaks. As human beings, we have a track record of "not getting along".

    Id say religion is often the excuse that nations use to go to war rather than the cause. Its an easy way to rally the faithful and create sides.


  • Paul, I agree, and this may be too simplistic, but I believe the base cause of any war is greed. I don't believe it is possible for us "all to get along" until we all learn how to share. "You are your brothers' keeper."
  • The basic problem of humanity (in my opinion) is selfishness. I say that as someone who see selfishness in my own personality to a degree that I would be emberassed to admit.

    I think "greed" and "selfishness" are pretty much interchangeable.
  • This all reminds me of a kindergarten report card:

    Runs with scissors...(or WMD, or weapon of choice)
    Does not play well with others...
    Needs to work on sharing...
    Has tendency to bully those who are weaker...

    There are many countries these things could apply to. It all comes down to treating your fellow man as a brother.



  • Treating your fellow man as a brother?

    You mean pulling his underwear up over his shoulders and hitting him in the shoulder whenever your parents aren't looking?


  • Is that what siblings do? I'm sure glad I'm an only child.
  • Crazy idea by a Catholic Bishop. I don't think God would ignore us by whatever name we call Him by. It has been told that the True Name is not utterable and that only a sacred few know the True Name. The rest of us are still trying to figure it out.
    In the Name of Allah, "God Bless America" as We go to war, pretty much the same. Killing in the Name of any God is an oxy-moron or however you spell it.
    A Rose by any other name...
  • >This all reminds me of a kindergarten report
    >card:
    >
    >Runs with scissors...(or WMD, or weapon of
    >choice)
    >Does not play well with others...
    >Needs to work on sharing...
    >Has tendency to bully those who are weaker...
    >
    >There are many countries these things could
    >apply to. It all comes down to treating your
    >fellow man as a brother.


    I can't let this go. I read that you are implying that we (our soldiers) are bullying Iraq. I can understand disagreeing with the decision, but to think that our troops are doing nothing more than good in that country is absolute horse crap. These men and women are there helping the people that are trying to kill them. And you imply that they are bullies. I interpret helping as the soldiers supporting them in building an infrastructure and government based on democracy.

    Sure there are a few bad apples that do terrible things, but they will be punished.

    If my "brother" was getting the crap beat out of him everyday, I wouldn't stand by and watch.

    If I misinterpreted your comments, I apologize that this was directed towards you.
  • Hey SMace, I have a real sensitivity to people badmouthing our troops too, especially since I'm a Vietnam vet. But I read it as more of a parody of justifying war and killing because of one's religious beliefs, more directed at the radical Islamics rather than our own. No offense, but I hope I'm right in this interpretation this time.

  • Shoot, I thought she was talking about Paul.
  • SMace -

    Yes, you did misinterpret my comments. It wasn't directed towards our troops, or even America for that matter. It was, as allsteaks suggested, a parody...more an allegory, really.

    As the daughter of a veteran and the sister of a man about to commission into the Air Force, I know a thing or two about people badmouthing the military, and I don't stand for it either.

    Evidently sarcasm, irony and humor no longer translate into print. Now we don't even get a courtesy clarification question before being lambasted! Oh well. At least it is Friday.


  • SMace:

    I read it more as a comment on extremists and not our troops too (and my hubby is a Vietnam Vet). I don't blame you for coming to your conclusions though, I am shocked by the number of people making strong statements about our troops mistreating the citizens there while still claiming they support our troops.

    A few weeks ago my hubby sent an email out to another group asking them to wear red on Fridays to support our troops. Note that my husband did not ask anyone to support the war, and nothing in his email implied any support of the war. Everyone has to come to their own conclusions about that. What he asked for was for people to wear red to support the troops. He got back an angry reply from a gal who left no doubt that she was against the war, our president, and all republicans (and implied they are all evil too). She stated she supported our troops but would wear blue on Fridays. I just wonder if people get that they can support our soldiers and show it without saying the war is right, without claiming that we should or should not be there, and without defending any of our political leaders.

    One thing I know for sure, my husband heard all about the protests going on here while he was in Vietnam. It only added to his misery. He did not believe that the general public was supporting him for doing what he believed was his duty. He was proved right when he came home and some tried to spit on him and called him a traitor.

    If you are going to support the troops, you need to do so in a very clear and verbal way. Not as an afterthought after you rage on and on about the war, etc. Whether you believe we are right or wrong, our troops deserve our respect and support.

    Ok. I'll get off my soapbox. Thanks for listening.

    Nae

  • Either way, its nice to see Smace posting again.
  • There's a word to describe what this Priest is suggesting, dhimmitude. That is the submission of all other religions to Islam.
  • OK Ray, it took you 7 days to come up with that word. Just how big is your thesaurus?
  • I was reading about this very subject on a blog and the blogger used the word and it triggered my memory.
  • That Joannie knows how to ask the right questions to put a guy in his place doesn't she>>>?

  • Wasn't Trigger Roy Rogers' horse?
  • Q! [b]Q!![/b]

    Help they're picking on me.
  • Be nice to ray. I've been really busy this week and he's been nice enough to leave me be for a while.

    Not too busy to look up dhimmitude, however.

    Merriam-Webster Online says;

    "The word you've entered isn't in the dictionary. Click on a spelling suggestion below or try again using the search bar above.

    Suggestions for dhimmitude:
    1. diatomite
    2. dehumidify
    3. diatomites
    4. diatomic
    5. die-hardism
    6. ditty box
    7. diatoms
    8. Doherty
    9. die-hardisms
    10. diatonic"

    For about half a second, I considered accusing Ray of making it up. Being that Ray is the resident word-master, however, I bet one dollar that dhimmitude really is a word, and Merriam-Webster just hasn't discovered it yet.

    Ray is smarter than the dictionary.
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