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Netherlands Catholic bishop: Let’s ease religious tensions — by calling God “Allah”

posted at 12:57 pm on August 15, 2007 by Allahpundit
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1,000 comments or bust, baby!

A Roman Catholic Bishop in the Netherlands has proposed people of all faiths refer to God as Allah to foster understanding, stoking an already heated debate on religious tolerance in a country with one million Muslims.

Bishop Tiny Muskens, from the southern diocese of Breda, told Dutch television on Monday that God did not mind what he was named and that in Indonesia, where Muskens spent eight years, priests used the word “Allah” while celebrating Mass.

“Allah is a very beautiful word for God. Shouldn’t we all say that from now on we will name God Allah? … What does God care what we call him? It is our problem.”…

A survey in the Netherlands’ biggest-selling newspaper De Telegraaf on Wednesday found 92 percent of the more than 4,000 people polled disagreed with the bishop’s view, which also drew ridicule.

“Sure. Lets call God Allah. Lets then call a church a mosque and pray five times a day. Ramadan sounds like fun,” Welmoet Koppenhol wrote in a letter to the newspaper…

A spokesman from the union of Moroccan mosques in Amsterdam said Muslims had not asked for such a gesture.

Here’s background describing the latest twist in interfaith relations in Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s ex-homeland. In his own craven, dopey way, the bishop might have been trying to heal the rift. While succeeding in opening it further.

Update: More from Catholic News. It may take 100 years, says Bishop Tiny, but eventually Christians will come around.

Not the first time he’s said this, either, apparently. Nor is it the first time he’s commented on Islam:

In the past, Bishop Muskens has offended many Muslims. In 2005 he said Islam was a religion without a future because it had too many violent aspects.

If it has no future then why would Christians be calling God “Allah” in the future per his prediction?


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1,000 comments or bust, baby!

LOL let me be the first to say, NUKE THEM! (not the dutch)

/joke!

zane on August 15, 2007 at 12:58 PM

““Allah is a very beautiful word for God. Shouldn’t we all say that from now on we will name God Allah? … What does God care what we call him? It is our problem.”…”

I don’t know what to say other than, Unbelievable

RINO_Hunter on August 15, 2007 at 1:04 PM

Well, on the one hand, I agree with the priest that God probably doesn’t care about it.

My understanding is that Arabic speaking Christians & Jews called God “Allah” for hundreds of years before Islam entered the scene.

I also believe that many Arabic speaking Christians and Jews still call God “Allah” (as it’s the Arabic word for God).

My issue is more of a political strength issue. As the Dutch are not Arabic speakers, I don’t see how it could be construed as anything other than a gesture of ’submission’ or weakness for a Dutch-speaking person to use an Arabic word to refer to their God.

I don’t suppose the father has ever considered using the Hebrew word for God to foster understanding between Dutch Christians and Jewish immigrants? Or are we only supposed to foster understanding with people that have a tendency towards stabbing filmmakers in broad daylight?

JadeNYU on August 15, 2007 at 1:04 PM

And next we can call Christ, Mohammad.

Why hasn’t that Bishop been excommunicated?

MB4 on August 15, 2007 at 1:05 PM

Well, the Netherlands hasn’t been a hot bed of moral excellence lately. Why should a comment by this “gentleman” surprise anyone.

MNDavenotPC on August 15, 2007 at 1:05 PM

Tiny Muskens, Tiny Brains.

IreneFingIrene on August 15, 2007 at 1:09 PM

Bishop Tiny Muskens- doing more for the image of Catholics than pedophile priests. Where’s the outrage?

Valiant on August 15, 2007 at 1:09 PM

Sure there is nothing special about the word god, but why out of all the languages on Earth pick the one most associated currently with murder? I like Adonai myself.

pedestrian on August 15, 2007 at 1:10 PM

With a gun at my head, or a sword at my neck, I would still never refer to God as allah. (intentional use of lower-case a)

revolutionismyname on August 15, 2007 at 1:12 PM

I think the most logical response I can come up with is to just bang my head against my desk over and over and over again. Perhaps after I’m finished with that I’ll have something to say about this.

Zetterson on August 15, 2007 at 1:13 PM

I also believe that many Arabic speaking Christians and Jews still call God “Allah” (as it’s the Arabic word for God).

this is true.

zane on August 15, 2007 at 1:14 PM

On further thought, why not pick one of the words that Hilter, Stalin, Mao, or Pol Pot used to name God? That would really reduce tensions.

pedestrian on August 15, 2007 at 1:14 PM

No wonder I abandoned the catholic church..

Viper1 on August 15, 2007 at 1:16 PM

One day while I was talking to god, and he said:
“You can call me anything, but late fer supper”

TheSitRep on August 15, 2007 at 1:17 PM

If the name doesn’t matter, what about “Bob”?

kiakjones on August 15, 2007 at 1:18 PM

We all pray. Why not just pray 5x a day at prescribed times? And what’s wrong with facing Mecca? Who’s it going to hurt? Not God, thats for sure!

p0s3r on August 15, 2007 at 1:19 PM

I don’t see the problem with it…Honestly!!! OK, OK, you caught me.

Seriousy though, let’s find the middle ground here. We’ll call God Allah if Muslims will call God …say…Jesus?

Yup, that’s my middle ground to shoot for. Sounds like a plan.

Sorry, can’t stop laughing at the stupidity of the Danes here.

HarryStar on August 15, 2007 at 1:19 PM

I’m with the 1000 comments. I mean why not? I made a jillion comments on the RedEye, Half Hour News Hour thread yesterday. If I can talk about Gutfeld, his Mom, and Levy that much, I should be able to hit this one a few times….

How about let’s call God “Dave” so that we can ease religious tensions? Or Bob, Bob is good too, klakjones.

It’ll be a very cold day in a very warm place before I start calling God Allah. Because I’m not Muslim and why should I? I’m a Christian so Jesus is good enough for me.

mjk on August 15, 2007 at 1:22 PM

What a tiny mind Bishop Tiny has….dumb idea.

yggdrasil on August 15, 2007 at 1:23 PM

And then call J.C. Allahpundit.

We’re garanteed to get either a retraction or clarification in 3…2…1…

Mazztek on August 15, 2007 at 1:24 PM

We can call Mother Teresa, Kalid Shek Muhammed while we’re at it.

Alden Pyle on August 15, 2007 at 1:25 PM

Me thinks the good bishop has been tipping the alter wine a little too much or smoking hashish from his huka pipe.

They took down the cross, put up a crescent wrench- Hmmm, A joni Mitchell song in there me thinks.

Kini on August 15, 2007 at 1:25 PM

I think “Hal” is kind of nice too….

“Open the Gates of Heaven Hal”.

“Open the Gates of Heaven Hal”. “HAL, OPEN THE GATES OF HEAVEN”.

HarryStar on August 15, 2007 at 1:26 PM

1,000 comments or bust, baby!

1,000 comments or bust, baby!

1,300 comments. If my memory is right, didn’t the Sham-nesty thread raise the benchmark for “most comments” to the highest ever?

ColtsFan on August 15, 2007 at 1:26 PM

allah is the arabic name for God not the Hebrew, English, Dutch, German or any other culture’s word for the All Mighty. Of course he is pandering to muslims, but why?

These days the arabic word for God does have great meaning. He is NOT the God of Christians, Hebrews etcetera. allah is the god of the muslims and the god of death and destruction. My Bible refers to that individual as the serpent, the deceiver of men, the Devil. I put it to you that indeed it was not the Arch Angel Gabriel that came to visit mohammad in that cave but was Satan himself whose mission on this Earth is to destroy humanity.

Muslims are good at destroying everything they come into contact with and they do these things in the name of their allah. Hey, 1 + 1 = 2 where I went to school.

Swinehound on August 15, 2007 at 1:29 PM

The tradtions of Islam (not the homocidal maniac sect) have always insisted that the Hebrew Jehovah and Christian God were all the same. Mohammed just had the good fortune to be the last prophet (Brigham Young and David Koresh notwithstanding). Unfortunately for us, the last prophet was REALLY a pissed off dude and decided that God’s earlier followers were apostate for not recognizing crazy Mo as the one true prophet. Hence the homocidal tendencies.

Anyway tha dumbass Netherlander is eat up with stupid if he beleives calling God Allah will help improve understanding. Now, killing a lot of Jews and subjugating our women; THAT will earn us some goodwill.

Alamo on August 15, 2007 at 1:29 PM

Religious Pluralism! Just another one of the services Europe offers.

nailinmyeye on August 15, 2007 at 1:29 PM

And Theo van Gogh spins furiously in his grave.

baldilocks on August 15, 2007 at 1:30 PM

This is just from my own personal experience. I have never met a catholic that was a bible reader. No wonder they don’t get it.

cjs1943 on August 15, 2007 at 1:31 PM

This is soooo dumb. Muslim acquaintances of mine, especially those born outside the US typically used the word “God” not Allah in conversation. Presumably because they were speaking English at the time! You say tsunami, I say tidal wave.

And just in case …

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
The term tidal wave can refer to:

A tidal bore, a large movement of water formed by the funneling of the incoming tide into a river or narrow bay. In many places, tidal bores are daily or twice daily occurrences.
A tsunami, a destructive, fast moving, inches-high ocean wave which is unrelated to the lunar tides, generally caused by an earthquake or underwater rock slide. When a tsunami reaches the shore it gets much higher and slower. The common, traditional English term tidal wave is avoided by oceanographers, seismologists and other scientists since they wish to avoid confusion between tidal bores and tsunamis.
The crest of a tide as it moves around the Earth. These are caused by the natural gravitational pull of the sun and moon as opposed to ocean surface waves which are caused by wind friction on the surface of the water.

doufree on August 15, 2007 at 1:31 PM

allah is not my god.

and yes, the name matters.

Heaven help western civilization.

dc84123 on August 15, 2007 at 1:32 PM

Sure, let’s all refer to the God who loves us by the same name the Jihadists who hate us and want to kill us use.

Bishop Tiny Muskens…..told Dutch television on Monday that God did not mind what he was named

He doesn’t mind? The Old Testament is rich with info on the multiple names for God and their meaning and significance. This ‘Bishop’(!?) is unbelievably ignorant of the Scriptures.

infidel4life on August 15, 2007 at 1:34 PM

You know, that might not be such as bad idea. I think the I wish the Bishop would suggest also Muslims could reciprocate by calling Jesus exactly what Thomas did in the book of John: “My Lord and my God.” We can then all join hands and sing KumBaYa. It’s important to hold hands to keep your throat from being slit during the chorus.

By the way, I can’t wait to read the new Dutch version of Hans Brinker and the Silver Scimitar. It’s the story of a boy who saves his country by heheading the infidels who would insult Mohammed.

Texas Mike on August 15, 2007 at 1:34 PM

Actually, I’d be OK it we called God Allah as long as everyone started calling the Muslim god Moonrock.

pedestrian on August 15, 2007 at 1:35 PM

Reverse assimilation mania!

Call it what it is: surrender. Or submission.

Take your pick, either way it’s essentially the same thing.

thirteen28 on August 15, 2007 at 1:35 PM

In other news, the Eucharist will no longer include the transubstantiation of wine in order to ease religious tension.

rw on August 15, 2007 at 1:37 PM

Bezelbub is a beautiful name too.

Alden Pyle on August 15, 2007 at 1:39 PM

I’m going to start calling him bishop jackass to ease relations with me.

thebrokenchair on August 15, 2007 at 1:39 PM

And next we can call Christ, Mohammad.

No, what we should do is call Christ, Isa. And then deny that he was the Son of God, our Savior, the second person of the Trinity, and that He died on the cross and rose from the dead. That’ll ease religious tensions.

Doing my part for 1,000 comments!!

crazy_legs on August 15, 2007 at 1:41 PM

Bishop Tiny Muskens doing his part for sharia creep.

michaelhenry on August 15, 2007 at 1:41 PM

Let’s ease religious tensions — by calling God “Allah

This is:
A) Blasphemy
B) Submission
C) Appeasement
D) All the above

KCtheKat on August 15, 2007 at 1:42 PM

As for me and my household, we shall worship… Hank.

Vatican II may have equated God and Allah — something Muslims should disagree with, since to them Allah has no son — but it also brought the liturgy into the vernacular. My God speaks English pretty good. I’ll address him accordingly.

raybury on August 15, 2007 at 1:42 PM

This is from the Onion, right?

Alden Pyle on August 15, 2007 at 1:42 PM

What does God care what we call him?

That makes a lot of sense. After all, when has God ever indicated He cares about anything we do?

Enrique on August 15, 2007 at 1:42 PM

Host: What is a common name for The Christian Diety?
*buzzer*
Contestant: Allah!
*turns and points to the big board*
Host: Show me Allah!

X X X ! ! !

Host: So sorry. Christians take control of the board.

natesnake on August 15, 2007 at 1:43 PM

Now why wouldn’t he suggest Muslims stop using Allah and use God. Maybe he knows he would be be dead by sundown.

Zaire67 on August 15, 2007 at 1:43 PM

Why stop there? Why don’t we voluntarily abolish Christianity entirely to really “ease religious tensions”.

That would keep the Islamists happy for about 10 minutes or so, in my estimation.

His namesake, “Tiny”, perfectly sums up the man, in terms of the brain and balls that he possesses.

awake on August 15, 2007 at 1:43 PM

Here’s my compromise:
I’ll call God Allah, if I can call Mohammed “Pedo.” You know what I mean??

mjk on August 15, 2007 at 1:47 PM

Of course it matters. It’s all about point of reference.

For non-Arabic Christians or Jews, or non-Muslim infidels to use that term, it’s sheer capitulation to a movement of jihad out to conquer the world.

Tiny Tim, the Netherlands nutroot, may be trying to pacify, but one cannot placate an enemy out to kill you.

Tennman on August 15, 2007 at 1:47 PM

Blasphemous. What is wrong with the Catholic church?

Dork B. on August 15, 2007 at 1:47 PM

This is just from my own personal experience. I have never met a catholic that was a bible reader. No wonder they don’t get it.

cjs1943 on August 15, 2007 at 1:31 PM

That’s because as a bigot against Catholics you probably have no experience with them.

Sydney Carton on August 15, 2007 at 1:48 PM

Excommunication

WisCon on August 15, 2007 at 1:50 PM

Update: More from Catholic News. It may take 100 years, says Bishop Tiny, but eventually Christians will come around.

Yes, Like radical Muslims likes to say “Islam will dominate the World”. At least this Bishop has the foresight to predict a time frame.

KCtheKat on August 15, 2007 at 1:50 PM

That makes a lot of sense. After all, when has God ever indicated He cares about anything we do?

Enrique on August 15, 2007 at 1:42 PM

Translation: “If there is a God who cares about me that would mean that I am accountable for my words and actions, so I’ll just avoid the issue by pretending He doesn’t care.”

infidel4life on August 15, 2007 at 1:51 PM

Well, Pope Benedict did PRAY TO ALLAH himself…and got more than a little flack from Catholics for it.

meh…It’s one bishop in one country…and as a Catholic myself, I’ll be damned if I’m going to call God “Allah”, for the purpose of appeasement. Ugh, the radical Islamists appear to be winning a little bit more every day.

JetBoy on August 15, 2007 at 1:51 PM

The Lord Jesus Christ warned His followers, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matt. 7:15).

dread pirate roberts on August 15, 2007 at 1:52 PM

A Roman Catholic Bishop in the Netherlands has proposed people of all faiths refer to God as Allah to foster understanding

Now that you glass-half-empty types have vented a bit, allow for the possibility that this fellow is smarter than the average dhimmi.

Maybe his idea is that by forcing encouraging Danes to replace all references to God with Allah, they will demand an explanation. That’s when he’ll refer them to Robert Spencer, who will school them in the fine art of creeping sharia.

One can hope, right?

kjspeedial on August 15, 2007 at 1:53 PM

And next we can call Christ, Mohammad.

No, we will call Christ “Isa”, the Arabic version of “Jesus”.

[sarcasm off]

I have heard of Arab Christians called God “Allah”, and Jesus “Ibn-Allah” (”Son of God”).

Bigfoot on August 15, 2007 at 1:53 PM

Hey look at the bright side. We might get treated to a major Scandi-rant from Ace.

BTW-I WILL NOT submit.

KelliD on August 15, 2007 at 1:53 PM

I always thought in order to make the “rank” of “Bishop” you would have had to show some allegiance to your faith, obviously that is not true. I wonder what the Pope will have to say about this.

Maxx on August 15, 2007 at 1:53 PM

Translation: “If there is a God who cares about me that would mean that I am accountable for my words and actions, so I’ll just avoid the issue by pretending He doesn’t care.”

Yes, Enrique and I are notorious reprobates, given to wanton sin and destruction with not a care in the world for the havoc we wreak. If only I had an imaginary friend to show me the way.

Stop being so snotty.

Allahpundit on August 15, 2007 at 1:55 PM

The New Testament was translated into English from the Greek. What is Greek word for “God”? What is the Hebrew word?

captivated_dem on August 15, 2007 at 1:56 PM

Allahpundit is God.

JammieWearingFool on August 15, 2007 at 1:57 PM

He doesn’t mind? The Old Testament is rich with info on the multiple names for God and their meaning and significance. This ‘Bishop’(!?) is unbelievably ignorant of the Scriptures.

infidel4life on August 15, 2007 at 1:34 PM

I have seen much liberal theology that is basically just a code word for “unbelief”, or “God is dead, and He has not spoken in His word at all”. I used to work at a liberal church four years ago.

I do not intellectually respect so-called professing “believers,” who, somehow, come to occupy administrative positions as church pastors or seminary professors, despite the fact that they are basically believers in “unbelief” and not in Christ and the Scriptures. Indeed, these “believers of unbelief” themselves deny the cardinal tenets of Jesus Christ and the power and authority of the Scriptures.

That is dishonest. If you believe in “the philosophy of unbelief,” then just come out and admit, “I am not a believer.”

However, I do intellectually respect atheists who admit, “I am a non-believer. I do not believe in God.” At least they are honest, unlike the “believer in unbelief” who basically is a non-believer for all practical and theoretical purposes. In spite of the outward, external religious garments and religious symbols, the internal heart of this “believer in unbelief” is not properly centered towards God, but rather towards man. And he is not being honest either. He does not believe in God at all.

ColtsFan on August 15, 2007 at 1:58 PM

If I post twice, do they both count towards 1000? It works for Democrats in counting votes, so why not here as well?

revolutionismyname on August 15, 2007 at 1:58 PM

God just told me that He prefers “Fred!”.

Pablo on August 15, 2007 at 1:59 PM

To enforce proper compliance, they’ll bring in the NYC Council to ban the G-word.

JammieWearingFool on August 15, 2007 at 2:00 PM

I have a better idea: All of the Netherlandsigans should change their first name to Allah and whenever people start screaming, “Allahu akbar!”, they should all yell back, “Thank you!

Plus, there is the added benefit that Europe’s Muslims would all pray to them five times a day.

You’re right, bad joke…

FloatingRock on August 15, 2007 at 2:03 PM

I think this bishop is looking forward to easing some other tensions by taking 4 wives. That’s assuming he doesn’t lose it first and go for the whole 72 enchiladas.

pedestrian on August 15, 2007 at 2:04 PM

Allahpundit on August 15, 2007 at 1:55 PM

Made you comment!

infidel4life on August 15, 2007 at 2:06 PM

What’s Greek/Hewbrew for “I am that I am”?

captivated_dem on August 15, 2007 at 2:09 PM

1. Words have power.
2. Allah is god only in Islam.
3. If you don’t understand my objections then go back to 1.

TunaTalon on August 15, 2007 at 2:09 PM

I think we should call God “Satan” while we’re at it.

jjjen on August 15, 2007 at 2:10 PM

What’s Greek/HewbrewHebrew for “I am that I am”?

captivated_dem on August 15, 2007 at 2:10 PM

The hierarchy should suspend the jackass till he apologizes…and no that isn’t an Inquisition joke.

Bad Candy on August 15, 2007 at 2:11 PM

Can we call Mohammed “pedophile” to foster understanding with child raping molesters worldwide?

Allah and Islam do not stem from the same God that Judaism and Christianity do. If someone told you otherwise they are ignorant or lying to you.

Tim Burton on August 15, 2007 at 2:17 PM

What’s Greek/HewbrewHebrew for “I am that I am”?

captivated_dem on August 15, 2007 at 2:10 PM

YHWH=Yahweh

baldilocks on August 15, 2007 at 2:18 PM

“Let’s call ‘God’ Allah.”

Sure. And while we’re at it, why don’t we call ourselves “slaves?”

Bishop Muskens reminds me of the foolish old scientist in the 1950s Sci-Fi movies, who pleads with those around him as the 100-foot tall monster destroys all in its path: “Wait! Maybe we can reason with it!”

Spurius Ligustinus on August 15, 2007 at 2:18 PM

Isn’t marijuana legal in the netherlands?

Maybe our catholic friend has been smokin’ doobies.

dc84123 on August 15, 2007 at 2:18 PM

I’ll stick with “Abba Father.” “Heavenly Father” is good. “Jesus, King of Kings, Lord of Lords,” works well. “Almighty God,” perhaps.

“Bob” is an FM radio format I kinda like.

Followers of allah, well, a lot of them want me to submit or die. They don’t care what I call God. As long as I believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father, to them I am an infidel. Sorry Bishop Tiny. Your attempt at world ap-peace-ment is failing miserably… as it should.

Ordinary1 on August 15, 2007 at 2:19 PM

(No disrespect to our observant Jewish friends who don’t believe in naming the Deity.)

baldilocks on August 15, 2007 at 2:19 PM

When I was getting my B.A.(in Religion)almost all the clergy involved in my program were getting materials from Saudi Arabia as were the academics who ran the program. It was for the most part liberal Christians who were at the college and as you would suspect they often expressed solidarity with Muslims even claiming that Islam is just an extention of Judeo-Christianity. It took years for for me to realize that Islam and even the most conservative Christian sect was as different from each other as Buddhism.

Christians, including their secularized offshoot liberals, always reach out to their enemies and seek accomedation which is a mistake. Anton La Vey was right, and we need to start treating Muslims like he would, and let all these “well meaning” Chrisitians move to Gaza.

Rob Taylor on August 15, 2007 at 2:20 PM

Well I can’t pass on the challenge of 1000 hoots-n-hollers…

What the hell kind of panty-waists has the West become?

So much for the ‘enlightenment’ and the ‘age of reason’.

Digging the bunker deeper………

Limerick on August 15, 2007 at 2:20 PM

baldilocks on August 15, 2007 at 2:18 PM

I remember now. Thanks.
Sorry for the Hewbrew.

captivated_dem on August 15, 2007 at 2:22 PM

Blasphemous. What is wrong with the Catholic church?

Dork B. on August 15, 2007 at 1:47 PM

He doesn’t mind? The Old Testament is rich with info on the multiple names for God and their meaning and significance. This ‘Bishop’(!?) is unbelievably ignorant of the Scriptures.

infidel4life on August 15, 2007 at 1:34 PM

1. Words have power.
2. Allah is god only in Islam.
3. If you don’t understand my objections then go back to 1.

TunaTalon on August 15, 2007 at 2:09 PM

1. Allah is not god only in Islam. Allah is the word Arabic speaking people use to say God, which is our English way of saying Yahweh, the original name given to God before English was ever spoken.

2. Words do have power, but it’s mostly the power that we give them, not powers they have innately.

3. For any who have studied the Old Testament, it’s clear that the word “God” was not even one of the words that was then used to describe God, so outrage on that level is rather disingenuous.

4. I do agree though, calling on Christians to change their behavior in order to appease Muslims is completely disgusting. There is nothing wrong with a Christian choosing to call God Allah, but if anyone does it for the purpose of appeasement, it’s completely revolting.

Esthier on August 15, 2007 at 2:22 PM

From wiki:

Etymologically, Allāh is derived from a contraction of the Arabic article al- and ʾilāh “deity, god” to al-lāh meaning “the [sole] deity, God” (ho theos monos)[4]. Cognates of the name “Allāh” exist in other Semitic languages, including Hebrew and Aramaic.[8] The corresponding Aramaic form is ’Ĕlāh, in Biblical Aramaic, and ’Allāhā, in Syriac.

The word ‘allah’ isn’t just a Muslim thing — but it is an Arab thing. This is very much a kind of reverse cultural imperialism where a local culture imports a foreign one to replace it. Frankly, I can’t think of a less desirable culture to import. Pre-conquest Aztec culture may have been more savage, perhaps making that a harder sell. But whether on a stone pyramid or an Israeli schoolbus, human sacrifice is human sacrifice either way, and hardly a cultural milestone to be proud of.
Note that Arab Christians use the word ‘allah’ to refer to the Creator, as well. They have always done so. All Arabs used the word ‘allah’ for the supreme deity, even the pagans, long before Muhammad — that was where he got the name from.
The Chick tract story about ‘allah’ being a lesser moon god is confusing an unrelated word with ‘allah.’ ‘Allah’ refers to a male diety, ‘allat’ is the female version. Allat was, in fact, worshipped as the pagan moon goddess (and consort/wife/sister/daughter to the pagan Allah — pagan mythology has a lot of that kind of convoluted incestous geneological nonsense where someone ends up being their own father/uncle/brother/son) in Mecca generations before Muhammad was born. The Arab speaking Jews and Christians, of course, rejected the existance of the numerous lesser gods but still used ‘allah’ in their own prayers when speaking Arabic.

TABoLK on August 15, 2007 at 2:25 PM

Let’s ease religious tensions by not blowing up people with car bombs.

TunaTalon on August 15, 2007 at 2:26 PM

Word to the wise:

Danes live in Denmark. Dutch live in the Netherlands/Holland.

ConstantSorrow on August 15, 2007 at 2:32 PM

Maybe next month the Bishop will be singing this:

Allah hates you this I know
For the Koran tells me so
Infidels Christians and Jews we bomb
They are weak but we are strong

Yes Allah hates you! Yes, Allah hates you! Yes, Allah hates you,
The Koran tells me so.

Allah hates you, you will die
Blow your plane up in the sky
Say the salat, chop off head,
Eat falafel, go to bed.

Yes, Allah hates you! Yes, Allah hates you! Yes, Allah hates you!

The Koran tells me so.
- unknown

MB4 on August 15, 2007 at 2:32 PM

It’s
happening…

angryoldfatman on August 15, 2007 at 2:33 PM

Revelationmania.

- The Cat

MirCat on August 15, 2007 at 2:34 PM

Allah is not the name of God. Period. What you call him (mispronunciations from scripture) may not be important, but first let’s conclude there are things we will NOT call him.

We would not call God “Satan”, or “Hitler”, or “Frankenstein” – would we?

Allah is the name of one of the pagan idol gods in the Caba at Mecca (before Muhammad – the one he worshiped). He started out trying to elevate this pagan god. The name did not come “out of nowhere”.

Also Allah “resides” in hell to torchure unbelievers (re. the Koran) – who does that sound like?

Agrippa2k on August 15, 2007 at 2:35 PM

That makes a lot of sense. After all, when has God ever indicated He cares about anything we do?

Enrique on August 15, 2007 at 1:42 PM

Translation: “If there is a God who cares about me that would mean that I am accountable for my words and actions, so I’ll just avoid the issue by pretending He doesn’t care.”
infidel4life on August 15, 2007 at 1:51 PM

Translation: “If there is a God who cares about me that would mean that I am accountable for my words and actions, so I’ll just avoid the issue by pretending He doesn’t care.”

Yes, Enrique and I are notorious reprobates, given to wanton sin and destruction with not a care in the world for the havoc we wreak. If only I had an imaginary friend to show me the way.

Stop being so snotty.
Allahpundit on August 15, 2007 at 1:55 PM

Epistemology and Metaphysics are logically prior to ethics and psychology. After all, ethics and psychology (properly construed) rest on, and depend upon prior metaphysical assumptions. If one says, “you are really D because psychologically your mental thought processes are Q,” then one is in effect really placing psychology above and logically prior to metaphysics. That would not be a good idea. That would be unfair to many.

I think discussions in complex metaphysical questions should be handled in the domain of metaphysics. If one wants to discuss the psychology of atheism, then that topic must be dealt with “as a topic in psychology” after the hard work in metaphysics has already been done.

After all, atheists have pointed out “the psychology of religious belief” in the past. Just look at the mega churches nowadays and their “false gospel,” and one immediately thinks of an atheist named Karl Marx….

Lesson: it is wise to do the metaphysics first, instead of putting psychological generalizations ahead of everything.

ColtsFan on August 15, 2007 at 2:36 PM

You have no clout
You better not try
You better watch out, I’m telling you why.
Twelfth Imam is coming to town

A-Bomb is on list
I’ll use more than twice
Good Muslims who die
Will go to paradise
Twelfth Imam is coming to town

He knows if you’re a Christian
He knows if you’re a Jew
He knows if you’re an in-fi-del
He’s told me what to do

So….You have no clout
You better not try, I’m telling you why.
Twelfth Imam is coming to town
Twelfth Imam is coming to town
- Mahmoud

MB4 on August 15, 2007 at 2:36 PM

Silly humans, God is a girl, that’s why there’s so many dyke’s in the Netherlands. My deity is a cow, ground and cooked medium rare with cheese on toasted buns.

Kini on August 15, 2007 at 2:37 PM

3. For any who have studied the Old Testament, it’s clear that the word “God” was not even one of the words that was then used to describe God, so outrage on that level is rather disingenuous.

Esthier on August 15, 2007 at 2:22 PM

You missed my point completely. I was responding to Bishop Tiny Brain’s assertion that God doesn’t mind what we call Him by pointing out all of the info on the multiple names for Him in the OT. Obviously, He is interested in us knowing who He is, and knowing what to call Him.

infidel4life on August 15, 2007 at 2:39 PM

Hmm, maybe Tiny here is one of the Catholics B16 thinks the church can do without.

Iblis on August 15, 2007 at 2:40 PM

1. Allah is not god only in Islam. Allah is the word Arabic speaking people use to say God, which is our English way of saying Yahweh, the original name given to God before English was ever spoken.
2. Words do have power, but it’s mostly the power that we give them, not powers they have innately.
Esthier on August 15, 2007 at 2:22 PM

Now we’re getting somewhere. Words have no innate power and the meaning that counts is only what is understood. The historical meaning of words is interesting but when used to the public, words fairly mean exactly what the public think they mean.

When the ‘Allah’ is used to the general public it means the God of Islam. That scholars know better is relevant only to other scholars.

If the pace of comments to this thread is any measure then the words ‘God’ and Allah are powerful words indeed.

TunaTalon on August 15, 2007 at 2:42 PM

How about they refer to God as Jehovah, Yahweh, Yeshua, Abba, El Shaddai, or Adonai as a sign of good will towards us.

raz0r on August 15, 2007 at 2:43 PM

In the future let’s refer to Danish Roman Catholic Priests as “Sellouts to Islam”.

fogw on August 15, 2007 at 2:43 PM

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