Dutch bishop suggests calling God "Allah" to ease tensions
 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20279326/?GT1=10252

Interesting article. Interesting bishop.

I think we should call God "Bob"

But spell it backwards?

Bob smokes a pipe

Now there's an idea sure to lead to religious tensions. Last time I checked, a number of Christian denominations do NOT believe that the Christian God and Muslim Allah are the same entity.

It's one thing to believe that the Christian God and Allah are not the same devine entity, but apparently most of the nimrods opposed to the Bishop's suggestion believe that "God" is God's name.


According to Judeo-Christian tradition (and perhaps doctrine), God's name is neither to be spoken nor written by the unclean masses. So why not called God "Allah" if it promotes some sort of compassion between Jews, Christians and Muslims?


(Just don't call him Jehovah, or god-forbid, Yaweh. Ooops, now I've done it. Straight to hell I go.)

Because calling God "Allah" would be using the name of a false god to describe the supreme God. I've had some experience with a version of this Christianity, and in that belief system Allah is a false god leading people astray and against whom the Christian God is doing battle. To them, it would be like calling God "Satan" to please devil-worshiping cults. It's not about compassion for them, it's about truth, and epic supernatural conflict.

By the same token, why don't the Muslims just start saying god instead of allah in the name of everyone just getting along.

If you're a Christian and you go to an Arabic speaking land and you talk about god you say "allah." Because that is the word for god. Saying "allah" in English is like going to Germany and refusing to say "gott" because that would be an insult.

Unless you believe that god only speaks in English and allah only in Arabic.

yeah, Im good with that. :D



and a rose, by any other name...etc

Is "Allah" just the word for "God," or is "Allah" more akin to God's name (i.e., Jehovah on his business cards; Yahweh to his close personal deity buddies)???

Both.

Arabic speaking Jews and Christians (and other religions) use "allah" where we'd use god. For Muslims, "allah" is one of the many names of god, each representing an attribute (allah being his divine singularity as I understand it).

But as I understand it, Jews and Christians use "God" as a name-substitute, not as a designation. So Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians using "Allah" where they would otherwise use "God" are, in fact, using it precisely as Muslims use it (i.e., as one of the many names of God).

That's my point (not sure if we're disagreeing). When speaking in Arabic, "western" religions already call their deity Allah. In fact, the use of the word "allah" to refer to god long predates the existence of Islam.

Doesn't seem to be easing any tensions anywhere.

I suppose that's one option. I believe the term for that is Appeasement.


I have a different plan. I'll use the term God. You can use the term Allah, Buddha or feng shui for all I care and we'll all be happy. If you can't live with that simple plan then bring it and I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the lord when I lay my vengeance upon you.

Now I want a Royale with cheese.

Levon calls his child Jesus. Because he likes the name.

And he sends him to the finest school in town

Which one is the pederast from The Big Lebowski?