Quote:
Originally posted by MysticCat81
A statement that requires some caveats, I think.
True that "Allah" is Arabic for God (kin to the Hebrew "El"/"Elohim"), so Christians who speak Arabic will use "Allah" where we would say "God."
But to say it is "the same entity" -- a la "Christians and Muslims worship the same God" is a different matter, I think. That falls more under "PC - can't we all get along" that accomplishes little. In my opinion, it actually hinders healthy dialogue that might lead to better relations because it minimizes honestly-held differences in the name of getting along.
Yes, the Christian and Muslim (and Jewish) understanding of God derive from the same sources -- all can be considered Abrahamic faiths. But, just to give one example (albeit a major one) -- Christians believe that Jesus Christ is God. Muslims, while they honor Jesus as a prophet, consider the Christian belief unacceptable. I worship Jesus Christ, along with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit -- one God in three persons, but all completely God. My Muslim neighbor, I do not believe, would consider that he worships the same God I do.
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Yes, that's right. I was referring to God the Father, creator of the Universe as being the Allah to which Muslims refer. However, my point wasn't about what "God" means, it was just to say that when Arab Christians worship, they say "Allah," not "God." So, in that sense, the entity that the poster to whom I replied could call her God by the name Allah, and it would not be wrong. I mean, I guess if she really felt like it, she could call her God "Joe-Bob" and it would still be the same thing as long as she personally knows who she is worshipping. But, in purely linguistic terms, "Allah" = "God."