How ironic. It is Moslem theology which sees God as an impersonal and remote Master of the universe to whose inscrutable decrees we must simply “submit” (“islam”). They reject the Christian idea of a God who has a warm personal love for us.
What a fool.Priest like this make me go
rnw.nl/news/news.html#5392766
Dutch bishop urges faithful to call God Allah
[Breda#Breda, The Netherlands] The Dutch Roman Catholic bishop Tiny Muskens is urging the faithful of all religions to call God Allah in order to foster mutual understanding. He says God does not mind what he is called and points out that Allah is the Arabic word for God.
The bishop of Breda, who is retiring in a few weeks, added he did not anticipate his ideas would find immediate acceptance. He expects this could take 100 or 200 years. Bishop Muskens has previously defied the Vatican by calling for the acceptance of married priests and the use of condoms to combat AIDS. He has also said that it is acceptable for the poor to steal bread.
%between%
I am fluent in Arabic, having retrained into that language for my job in the '90s. My instructors were Jordanian and Lebanese Baptists, so I know that Arab Christians use the word “Allah” for God. So did I, when I was speaking Arabic with them and other Arab Christians.
Better yet, why (?) are our Catholic priests not recommending that we preach the Gospel by calling God by the name that saved us: Jesus Christ.Hmm…here’s another idea.
Why don’t people of all faiths call God “God?” After all, God doesn’t care what he is called, and ‘Allah’ is just Arabic for God.
I’m sure our Muslim brothers (religion of peace) won’t mind…
Well atleast someone understood why i thought this was odd…
Sure, but I am a little confused by your comment. Do you know of Catholic prists that are recommending that we not use the name of Jesus Christ?
We say it at every Mass “…Fully Human, Fully God…” Jesus Is God. God Is Jesus. All Powerful and All Mighty.
Or Heavenly Father or Holy Spirit. Three persons, one God.
Amin!I find it crucial to** focus on being the 1st to extend our hands to others** - :hug3:
Which is more important?
1- understand others rather than seek to be understood (Prayer of St Francis)
or
2- fuss over the concept of Language?? :banghead:uch:
well said.
Are you suggesting that we CHANGE our religion so that it is easier for us to convert others? This “lets change our beliefs and way we practice our faith to make us be more liked in society” is the wrong way to see religious discussion. This is Dutch bishop talking to the Dutch people. He is not addressing the Christians in the middle east or other areas that would use Allah in their native tongue. He is addressing his flock and telling them that they should change their native tongue and how they proclaim God to fit the ideas of a different religion. That is the issue that makes me go
It could be a stroke of genious, and brilliant ideas are not always accepted at first, like the invention of the computer mouse.
Catholicism has way more flexibility when it comes to terms, titles and language. We are more concerned with the truth, the heart of the matter. Arab Christians have been calling God “Alla” since St. Paul went there, so it’s not really a big deal.
How many would object to one diocese calling God “Alla” if it meant less false arrests, beatings, rapes, and thefts against Christians?
How many would object to one diocese calling God “Alla” if it meant more converts?
How many would object to one diocese calling God “Alla” if it is no threat to our true faith?
The bishop has no intention of Islamicizing Christianity, maybe Christianizing Islam, and at the very least:
Since in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Moslems, this sacred synod urges all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom.
The Church reproves, as foreign to the mind of Christ, any discrimination against men or harassment of them because of their race, color, condition of life, or religion. On the contrary, following in the footsteps of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, this sacred synod ardently implores the Christian faithful to** “maintain good fellowship among the nations” (1 Peter 2:12), and, if possible, to live for their part in peace with all men,(14) so that they may truly be sons of the Father who is in heaven.(15) **
NOSTRA AETATE
Islam is a religion of power, Christianity is a religion of self-sacrifice. How do you think the ancient Romans converted?
And the price?
. We should be standing up for our beliefs and proclaiming them from the roof tops not backing down and bending to appease others. I think the blood of the martyrs has bleed for standing up for the truth.As per usual, the Holy Father is spot on. Begin as you mean to go, a favorite saying of my mother. Be up front about what you believe, kind but unfailingly honest about what can’t be compromised and don’t “compassion” yourself into a corner where some manner of compromise is expected. Besides, what would your average Muslim think of a Catholic like me using the name Allah? Who likes to be pandered to in such a goofy and obvious way?
Your mother was a smart women. That’s a good point about what Muslims think. But not so much as pandering but would it show submittance to their views? Does our bending to them signify our acceptance of their faith as superior to ours? After all it is not always the intent that matters but how it is perceived.
