Can we celebrate Islam and/or Judaism?

[ialsop]

1-Is it OK to celebrate Jewish holidays to celebrate Moses’s covenant, which we still share in?
2-Is it OK to celebrate even Islamic holidays to celebrate Abraham’s covenant with the Father?
3-HOW should we celebrate Noah and his covenant?
4- Is it oK to ask the intercession of Moses or Abraham, Isaac, ect.? Can we pray to them?
5-Are YHWH and Allah acceptable names to use for God? Both, technically names for the Father? And how about Yeshua for Jesus?
Thanks!
Isaac

 

[Paleocon]

1-Is it OK to celebrate Jewish holidays to celebrate Moses’s covenant, which we still share in?
2-Is it OK to celebrate even Islamic holidays to celebrate Abraham’s covenant with the Father?
3-HOW should we celebrate Noah and his covenant?
4- Is it oK to ask the intercession of Moses or Abraham, Isaac, ect.? Can we pray to them?
5-Are YHWH and Allah acceptable names to use for God? Both, technically names for the Father? And how about Yeshua for Jesus?
Thanks!
Isaac

1. No
2. No.
3. I’m not sure what you mean.
4. Yes.
5. I’m not sure.

 

[Ignatius]

Why would those with the Fullness of Truth want to settle for less?

 

[AllSeasons]

Why would those with the Fullness of Truth want to settle for less?

Agreed. I’d like to be charitable to the original poster, but I think this is ecumenism run amok. There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church.

 

[Razanir]

1-Is it OK to celebrate Jewish holidays to celebrate Moses’s covenant, which we still share in?
2-Is it OK to celebrate even Islamic holidays to celebrate Abraham’s covenant with the Father?
3-HOW should we celebrate Noah and his covenant?
4- Is it oK to ask the intercession of Moses or Abraham, Isaac, ect.? Can we pray to them?
5-Are YHWH and Allah acceptable names to use for God? Both, technically names for the Father? And how about Yeshua for Jesus?
Thanks!
Isaac

1. Yes, insofar as Catholic celebrations fulfill them.
2. No.
3. shrugs
4. Yes.
5. YHWH- Yes, but know that we don’t use it liturgically.
   Allah- Technically Allah is just the Arabic word for God (or rather, “the God”). So it’s actually what Chaldean Catholics use liturgically. Although you run into issues in certain Muslim countries, where they may try to restrict the word’s use to Muslims only.
   Yeshua- Yes, but I don’t see why you would. Names can be translated. For instance, Jacob, James, Santiago, Tiago, Jacqueline, Diego, Jay, Jayme, and Seamus ALL come from the Hebrew name Yaakov. If we always went by the original names, we’d call it the Book of Jacob. (ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ) But again, that name in particular will get translated all over the place. In the English-speaking world, it’s the Book of James. In the Vulgate, it’s Liber Iacobus. In Spain, it’s el Libro de Santiago. In Portugal, he’s known as Tiago. So yes, Yeshua is technically an accurate transliteration of the name. But it’s already been borrowed into Jesus. (Or Joshua)

 

[L_Marshall]

1-Is it OK to celebrate Jewish holidays to celebrate Moses’s covenant, which we still share in?
2-Is it OK to celebrate even Islamic holidays to celebrate Abraham’s covenant with the Father?
3-HOW should we celebrate Noah and his covenant?
4- Is it oK to ask the intercession of Moses or Abraham, Isaac, ect.? Can we pray to them?
5-Are YHWH and Allah acceptable names to use for God? Both, technically names for the Father? And how about Yeshua for Jesus?
Thanks!
Isaac

1. 
   *]The Law of Moses has been fulfilled in the New Covenant brought about by Christ. Let us submit to this covenant, and not be caught up on what happened in the past.
   *]No. To accept the account of the Qur’an on these things would be foolish unless we accepted the entirity of the Qur’an — Including denying the divinity of Jesus.
   *]Why should we bother? We have a new and perfect covenant, that is celebrated with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. This is the summit of all human life: It is higher than any memorial.
   *]Certainly. Although this isn’t often done in the western Church, it’s common in eastern traditions. The patriarchs and prophets are in heaven, and therefore are counted among the saints. Their intercession should be sought.
   *]YHWH is part of God’s name. We do not use it out of respect — this is why we use “God,” or “Lord.” “Allah” is simply Arabic for ‘the God,’ why bother using the Arabic name, unless you’re praying entirely in Arabic.
   
   As another poster mentioned: Ecumenism can be good, but this is too far.
   
   There is but one God, who has revealed the fullness of the Truth through His holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Old or false covenants are not necessary for salvation. They cannot benefit us in the way that the new covenant of Christ can.

 

[Celtic_Maiden]

There is but one God, who has revealed the fullness of the Truth through His holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Old or false covenants are not necessary for salvation. They cannot benefit us in the way that the new covenant of Christ can.

You have to be fish or fowl, not both. When you have the fullness why would you settle for something plastic. Maybe more reading on the Church Fathers, like St. Ignatius of Antioch, or lives of the Saints.

 

[bardegaulois]

To my mind, Islam is best classed not as a separate religion, but as the most widespread of heresies of Christendom. Needless to say, we wouldn’t want to be celebrating heresy. As for Judaism, its forms have been perfected and supplanted with the New Covenant, and the rabbinical attempt to divert Jews away from that fact, the Talmud, is but a pale impression of what it was before.

In Christ and His New Covenant, we have the fullness of revelation. Why would we ever wish to return to those imperfect forms when we have the perfect one?

 

[mh2007]

I can’t speak for others, but regarding these other religions, it wouldn’t be possible for me in view of a) Church teachings, b) my knowledge that Jesus was put to death by the heads of Judaism, and c) Islam seems to embrace an angry God, and a radical jihad against those who don’t share their views. Just couldn’t celebrate that, and wouldn’t even consider it. Here in America we tolerate all faiths in civility, but we don’t need to ‘celebrate’ any ‘faith’ other than our own. Yes, there are many parallels among the world religions, such as the Golden Rule, but I’ll stay focused on ours.

 

[meltzerboy]

To my mind, Islam is best classed not as a separate religion, but as the most widespread of heresies of Christendom. Needless to say, we wouldn’t want to be celebrating heresy. As for Judaism, its forms have been perfected and supplanted with the New Covenant, and the rabbinical attempt to divert Jews away from that fact, the Talmud, is but a pale impression of what it was before.

In Christ and His New Covenant, we have the fullness of revelation. Why would we ever wish to return to those imperfect forms when we have the perfect one?

The Talmud is NOT “the rabbinical attempt to divert Jews away from that fact,” nor is it “but a pale impression of what it was before.” It is the Oral Law of Judaism.

 

[Yago]

The Talmud is NOT “the rabbinical attempt to divert Jews away from that fact,” nor is it “but a pale impression of what it was before.” It is the Oral Law of Judaism.

Yes. Talmud practically corresponds to Sacred Tradition.

 

[Yago]

So, what does the op have to say about the responses? Does he have anything to explain further?

 

[ready]

1-Is it OK to celebrate Jewish holidays to celebrate Moses’s covenant, which we still share in?
2-Is it OK to celebrate even Islamic holidays to celebrate Abraham’s covenant with the Father?
3-HOW should we celebrate Noah and his covenant?
4- Is it oK to ask the intercession of Moses or Abraham, Isaac, ect.? Can we pray to them?
5-Are YHWH and Allah acceptable names to use for God? Both, technically names for the Father? And how about Yeshua for Jesus?
Thanks!
Isaac

Don’t give into Modernism; as a Catholic just celebrate Catholic feastdays – the other religions are false religions, it would be wrong to share in them, despite what Modernists think. You may pray to Moses, Abraham and Issac. Catholics refer to God as Father, Jesus or Holy Ghost/Spirit, not as Allah, who is NOT a Divine Trinity as the true God is. God bless you.

 

[Yago]

Don’t give into Modernism; as a Catholic just celebrate Catholic feastdays – the other religions are false religions, it would be wrong to share in them, despite what Modernists think. You may pray to Moses, Abraham and Issac. Catholics refer to God as Father, Jesus or Holy Ghost/Spirit, not as Allah, who is NOT a Divine Trinity as the true God is. God bless you.

I do find certain doctrinal errors in that.

 

[ialsop]

So, what does the op have to say about the responses? Does he have anything to explain further?

Yes, I want to explain the actual background for this question… Im actually quite traditional, so if this is “modernist” behavior, Ill be staying far away from it. Thank you guys for answering. However, I have another question. This all started because in my parish library we have a Koran. So I checked it out and have been reading. It’s fascinating,and reminds me of the psalms, spontaneous worship of God. I have not gotten very far into it, but it is beautiful literature and I just wanted to know if I could go further than enjoying it’s beauty, or if that was even too far. Should my parish even have one of these? It doesnt have a Talmud, though i do, and I cant understand a word of it. Its so legalistic and makes no sense to me.

Also, my friend used to be a Muslim with his father, but a few years ago the father left the family, and his Catholic mother got him into Catholicism. And he loved it, but then his mom’s boyfriend go them both into protestant anti-catholicism, and then his mom got into new agey stuff. And my friend saw the new agey stuff as stupid, but was still ant catholic, so he sought refuge in his islamic past. Now he reads the Koran and recites Islamic prayers on the ground to the East, but he still believes in Jesus. So I wasnt sure if that was OK.

 

[Yago]

Yes, I want to explain the actual background for this question… Im actually quite traditional, so if this is “modernist” behavior, Ill be staying far away from it. Thank you guys for answering. However, I have another question. This all started because in my parish library we have a Koran. So I checked it out and have been reading. It’s fascinating,and reminds me of the psalms, spontaneous worship of God. I have not gotten very far into it, but it is beautiful literature and I just wanted to know if I could go further than enjoying it’s beauty, or if that was even too far. Should my parish even have one of these? It doesnt have a Talmud, though i do, and I cant understand a word of it. Its so legalistic and makes no sense to me.

Also, my friend used to be a Muslim with his father, but a few years ago the father left the family, and his Catholic mother got him into Catholicism. And he loved it, but then his mom’s boyfriend go them both into protestant anti-catholicism, and then his mom got into new agey stuff. And my friend saw the new agey stuff as stupid, but was still ant catholic, so he sought refuge in his islamic past. Now he reads the Koran and recites Islamic prayers on the ground to the East, but he still believes in Jesus. So I wasnt sure if that was OK.

Isaac, reading the Quran is fine as long as you are not participating in Islam or believing in Islamic doctrine.
a parish should not have it in my opinion, as certain sheep will be led astray with wrong teaching by reading it.

 

[Razanir]

Catholics refer to God as Father, Jesus or Holy Ghost/Spirit, not as Allah, who is NOT a Divine Trinity as the true God is. God bless you.

Well I guess the Chaldean Catholic parish that bought my grandparents’ church’s building isn’t Catholic then. Seeing as they call him Allah. Allah is just Arabic for “the God”. It’s no different than calling God God in English. People just associate it much more strongly with Islam than any religion speaking Arabic, because Muslims seem much less likely to translate it, instead preferring to call him Allah in any language. Whereas I’ll call him God, Gott, Deus, Deo… all depending on what language I’m speaking at that particular moment.

 

[Ethernet]

I am no linguistics expert. But if Allah is “The God” in Arabic… is there a term in Arabic for “The Trinity”? which is God? Islam acknowledges Jesus as a prophet - and a lesser one than Mohammed. And Islam rejects the divinity of Christ. So to them, Allah is the singular God, and Mohammed is his prophet. So I don’t think Catholics use Allah interchangeably with God, or we shouldn’t any way.

 

[StGerardMajella]

1-Is it OK to celebrate Jewish holidays to celebrate Moses’s covenant, which we still share in?

It depends on the background of the individual. If you’re a Hebrew Catholic, for example, then yes, the Church permits you to celebrate the Jewish holidays and other traditions.

Is it ok to ask the intercession of Moses or Abraham, Isaac, etc.? Can we pray to them?

Yes, asking for the intercession of saints is acceptable.

Are YHWH and Allah acceptable names to use for God? Both, technically names for the Father? And how about Yeshua for Jesus?

In what context? If you are a Muslim, then their name used for God is Allah, yes. If you are Jewish, you might use the names Hashem or Adonai. Christians generally refer to Christ as Jesus Christ.

 

[Razanir]

I am no linguistics expert. But if Allah is “The God” in Arabic… is there a term in Arabic for “The Trinity”? which is God? Islam acknowledges Jesus as a prophet - and a lesser one than Mohammed. And Islam rejects the divinity of Christ. So to them, Allah is the singular God, and Mohammed is his prophet. So I don’t think Catholics use Allah interchangeably with God, or we shouldn’t any way.

Let me try this logic. El/Elohim is “the God” in Hebrew. Judaism doesn’t even acknowledge Jesus as a prophet. And they reject the divinity of Christ. So to them, Elohim is the singular God. So I don’t think Catholics use El or Elohim interchangeably with God, or we shouldn’t any way.

Well… That causes a BIT of a problem. Our holy book uses El and Elohim plenty of times in its original language. And even translated, plenty of names praise that “foreign” God. MichaEL, DaniEL, MishaEL, GabriEL, ImmanuEL, RaphaEL…

Even though the Muslim understanding of Allah isn’t a Trinity, the word Allah still just means “the God”. Where the “the” means it’s a particular God, whom we all agree on the identity of. It’s not even that weird. Greek, I know, uses the definite article with names. For instance, IIRC, I’d be “ο Ραζανιρ” (barring any case endings). Allah is just a word. It’s just that it happens to be a word associated in English with Islam, even if it’s used by all Abrahamic religions when referring to God in Arabic.