Catholics and ALLAH

[Oblio]

Do they? I was not aware that they lend their names to false religions.

You (an American) are suggesting that Arabs not use the term Allah for God because Muslims use the term.

This is analogous to an Arab Christian suggesting that American Christians refrain from our word God because American pagans use the term.

Arab != Muslim
Muslim != Arab

just as

American != Christian and
Christian != American

 

[mont974x4]

Can I call you Fred? I'm not sure what you're name really is, but Fred is more comfortable for me than Oblio or learning what your real name is.

 

[Oblio]

You can call me whatever Oblio is in your language

Or to be more relevant, when I was in Greece, they did not call me Chris but rather Christophoros. Didn't bother me a bit

 

[mont974x4]

He is generally more protective of His name than we are.

 

[Oblio]

He is generally more protective of His name than we are.

He doesn't mind if his name is changed to fit the culture and language of the people. Notice how He allowed the Greeks to call Him Iesous and He saw fit that the word of God speaks His name as such

Don't get me wrong, I am AGAINST the OP 100%, I simply am drawing a box around where the logic of it's opponents (such as myself) such stop.

 

[mont974x4]

I would suggest that when teaching other cultures truths that we teach them the whole truth.

I would agree that He is gracious and merciful and would deal as such when proper teaching isn't possible. For example, a person can come to Him, albeit with limited knowledge, simply because He calls them and nature itself testifies to Him..even without a missionary going to the person.


Sort of off topic, the "Fred" thing is a bit of a joke in my family because my kids think its funny to call eachother Fred but unbeknownst to them Fred is what my dad called God when he was in Vietnam. He was raised RC but didn't come to Christ until he was about 30 years old. He did however understand that he was a sinner and felt unworthy to call Him be His name.

 

[Oblio]

I would suggest that when teaching other cultures truths that we teach them the whole truth.

True but you can't claim that the American Christian culture has the whole truth any more than the Arabic Christian culture does.

IOW, if it is proper for American Christians to call God - God, then it is just as proper for Arabic Christians to call God (in English) - Allah. It is just as proper for Russians to call Him Bog, or Greeks to call Him Theos.

 

[mont974x4]

Do Theos or Bog have as dubious a past as allah?


Just curious, as I just started looking into this deeper due to the recent issue brought up in the OP.

 

[lionroar0]

Sabes que? De todos de los nombres de Dios en la Biblia, yo no me acuerdo aver visto God entre eyos.


Peace

 

[Oblio]

Allah predates Bog, as it does God.
God has a dubious past in the pagan world too

 

[SeraphimSarov]

for the sake of discussion, knowing that allah is the name used by a false religion, even if it IS an accurate translation, should we use it?

You have got to be kidding me. Go to an Antiochian Orthodox parish that uses Arabic during the liturgy (or any Arabic-speaking church, for that matter). Ask some of the immigrants why they're in the US. Posit your theory there. See what they have to say.

What you are saying is incredibly insulting. The word "God" can mean a multitude of things with no relation to the Trinitarian God. I can understand the desire to maintain distance between Christendom and Islam, but remember something - Arabic Christians were using the word Allah long before Islam existed.

 

[SeraphimSarov]

Sabes que? De todos de los nombres de Dios en la Biblia, yo no me acuerdo aver visto God entre eyos.


Peace

På den norske bibelen har jeg ikke sett ordene "God" eller "Dios" eller "Allah." Ordene må ikke brukes - det heter Gud og bare Gud!

 

[Oblio]

Arabic Christians were using the word Allah long before Islam existed.

And even longer before Protestantism existed

 

[mont974x4]

That's why were discussing it and exploring links etc.

You've got to be kidding me!! get over yourself.

 

[Apollo Celestio]

That's why were discussing it and exploring links etc.

You've got to be kidding me!! get over yourself.

Talk about a stumbling block.. ><;

 

[SeraphimSarov]

That's why were discussing it and exploring links etc.

You've got to be kidding me!! get over yourself.

Sorry, the very suggestion that Arabic Christians should change their vernacular is downright offensive. It's just as offensive as the idea that non-Arabic Christians should use the word Allah, mind you, but my point stands.

And I am in the process of getting over myself, thank you very much.

 

[mont974x4]

All I did was ask a question during the course of an honest discussion. If that's offensive to you, well, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[SeraphimSarov]

Take my offense as an answer to your question. Yeah, I'm probably overreacting, I'm sleep deprived, but still... you've got my answer.

 

[Thekla]

Since Allah has been used by Christians well before the coming of Islam, why should Islam be permitted to usurp/own the word ? I know it sounds silly, but why should this be an Islamic "victory' ?

 

[Oblio]

Islam also usurped fasting, daily hours of prayer, and church temple architecture, shall we throw those out also