Question about Jews, Muslims, and God

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Yes, that applies to Abrahamic religions, like Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Baha’i Faith, Azeli Faith, Druze Faith. In my opinion it applies also to non-Abrahamic monotheistic religions, like Sikhism, Tenrikyo, Cao Dai, etc., that they too worship the same God.

Though I see one problem, with the Mormon churches, like LDS, FLDS, etc., they are Abrahamic too, but they believe that the God they pray to and worship is just one of many Gods. So the question would be, do they too worship the same God? It seems to me, they don’t, because they are not monotheist.

Another problem I see is with the Sacred Name groups, they are Abrahamic religions too, but they say they don’t worship God, because the word God is of pagan origin. So they can say they worship the Almighty, the Creator, but they don’t call him God. Most of these religions say his name is Yahweh. Some write the name a little differently. The largest one of these religions, and perhaps the best known one, is the Assemblies of Yahweh. So can they be said to worship the same God as Christians? At least they will tell you no, they don’t worship God.
 
meltzerboy2 said:
As good an explanation as I’ve ever heard (from a Christian perspective, of course).
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Q’s:
From a Jewish perspective, and this passage from Genesis

“Then God said Let us make man in our image, after our likeness;”
  1. Who is “us” & “our” in that passage? What’s the plural all about?
  2. Who else is there in the beginning, God’s creation process, in His words, “us” to create/make man in our image and our likeness ?
  3. We agree God is ONE. So where does Moses, the author of Genesis, get this plural understanding from, ? Who is US, OUR?
 
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From what I’ve heard, I believe it’s one/a combination of
  1. The royal ‘we’
  2. Ancient Jewish polytheism still poking through in some way
(@meltzerboy2 if I"m wrong, tell me so haha)
 
Ah. I mean it gets interesting when thinking of historical religions that no longer exist.
Were the heresies such as Marcionism, Arianism, Montanism, Docetism Abrahamic? What about contemporary Gnosticism?
And what about other major religions of the time of the early Church? Manichaeism was a very big competitor to the Church from around the 3rd-6th centuries in the west and even longer in the east and was what Saint Augustine converted from. Mani claimed to be the paraclete and an apostle Of Jesus Christ who came to fulfill his word and the word of Buddah and Zoroaster. Were they Abrahamic? What about Zoroastrianism? Although they have a dualistic view of God and are nowhere near as large as they were historically mainly because of Islam, many say a lot of Jewish thought was brought from Zoroastrianism during the Babylonian exile, and I would say it’s safe to say is just as similar to Abrahamic religions as Mormonism or these other quasi Christian groups.
 
Maximilian75 said:
From what I’ve heard, I believe it’s one/a combination of
  1. The royal ‘we’
  2. Ancient Jewish polytheism still poking through in some way
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Before (royal “we”) was invented as I understand approx 1100 a.d., then going back deep in time to actual creation,
If God is alone, in the beginning, before all that is in creation, came into existence, then why would God say, in the act of creating the first human being, ADAM,
“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness”

Who else is there when this occurred? Who is “us” at this time? Who is represented as “our” likeness before Adam, the first man, was created?

AND

Moses wasn’t a polytheist
 
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The Qur’an quite often uses we of God, like a royal we. For example sura 2, verses 34-35: And behold, We said to the angels “Bow down to Adam”, and they bowed down. Not so Iblis; he refused, and was naughty; he was of those who reject faith. We said: “O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things therein as (where and when) ye will, but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression”.

Iblis is the Arabic word for the Devil, we believe it comes from Greek Diabolos, though many Muslims believe that the Qur’an always existed, so the Arabic words in it are original, and not from another language, as languages such as Greek did not exist from eternity.

Anyway, the ‘we’ to refer to God in the Qur’an is much older than the European royal we that you date to approx. year 1100.
 
Arianism and Montanism were early forms of Christianity, later judged to be heresies by the Catholic church. Incidentally, the ancient Catholic writer Tertullian in his later years converted to Montanism. Both accepted the Old Testament. So they were very much Abrahamic.
Marcionism was a Docetic version of Christianity. It rejected the Old Testament. It had only a short version of the New Testament, we don’t have any copies, so we don’t know if on their pages of their short New Testament the name Abraham was mentioned.
I don’t know if Manichaeism believed in Abraham.
Zoroastrianism does not teach about Abraham. So it is not an Abrahamic religion. It also does not teach about Moses, David, or other Old Testament prophets, or about Jesus, Paul, Peter, Mary, etc. So Mormonism is much closer to for example the Catholic church than Zoroastrianism.
 
I would say they are. In fact many of the ancient apocryphal books were retained by them and why we have them today. If you scroll down to the section that says " it does appear they were an Abrahamic religion. In fact the life of Mani seems to very much resemble Muhammads claims.

"Jesus in Manichaeism possessed three separate identities: (1) Jesus the Luminous, (2) Jesus the Messiah and (3) Jesus patibilis (the suffering Jesus). "

Interestingly it seems to be rooted in Gnosticism but from what I’ve seen it more so is just viewed as a separate religion. It always reminded me of Islam because both Mani and Muhammad claimed to be the paraclete, although I think in both they meant something different.
In the end they were both false prophets.

 
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The ‘royal we’ I agree with. Polytheism poking through, probably not. Rather, Gd, in His humility, is thought to be consulting with His angels in the Creation of humankind. Note that the second explanation based on humility is the polar opposite of the royalty explanation and that Jews can accept both rather than taking sides.
 
Gd is speaking and consulting with His angels, which points to His humble character although He is the Creator of the universe, including angels. Further, since Gd is outside of time and space and the whole Creation up to its final point is already known to Him, we are not actually speaking in terms of ‘at this time’ when referring to the mind of Gd. Finally, Judaism believes that mankind is unique even compared to the angels since mankind alone has free will. This is why only when Gd created humanity did He call His creation “very good,” whereas up to that point, Gd called His creation merely “good.” The angels are thus consulted because Gd is about to create a being who surpasses even them.
 
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meltzerboy2 said:
Gd is speaking and consulting with His angels, … The angels are thus consulted because Gd is about to create a being who surpasses even them.
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Jn 1:3 “Through Him (Jesus) all things are made” (paraphrased)

AND

Re: “let us make man in our image and our likeness” Augustine references the Trinity (Father Son Holy Spirit)

From St Augustine, “Confessions” Bk XIII Ch XXII
  1. For behold, O Lord our God, our Creator, when our affections have been restrained from the love of the world, by which we died by living ill, and began to be a “living soul” by living well; and Your word which Thou spoke by Your apostle is made good in us, “Be not conformed to this world;” next also follows that which You presently subjoined, saying, “But be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” Romans 12:2 — not now after your kind, as if following your neighbour who went before you, nor as if living after the example of a better man (for You have not said, “Let man be made after his kind,” but, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness”), Genesis 1:26 that we may prove what Your will is. For to this purpose said that dispenser of Yours — begetting children by the gospel, 1 Corinthians 4:15 — that he might not always have them “babes,” whom he would feed on milk, and cherish as a nurse; 1 Thessalonians 2:7 “be transformed,” says He, “by the renewing of your mind, that he may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2 Therefore You say not, “Let man be made,” but, “Let us make man.” Nor sayest Thou, “after his kind,” but, after “our image” and “likeness.” Because, being renewed in his mind, and beholding and apprehending Your truth, man needs not man as his director Jeremiah 31:34 that he may imitate his kind; but by Your direction proves what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of Yours. And Thou teachest him, now made capable, to perceive the Trinity of the Unity, and the Unity of the Trinity. And therefore this being said in the plural, “Let us make man,” it is yet subjoined in the singular, “and God made man;” and this being said in the plural, “after our likeness,” is subjoined in the singular, “after the image of God.” Genesis 1:27 Thus is man renewed in the knowledge of God, after the image of Him that created him; Colossians 3:10 and being made spiritual, he judges all things — all things that are to be judged, — “yet he himself is judged of no man.” 1 Corinthians 2:15
 
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Yeah, but Mohammed claims to be speaking for his Allah, so we must take him at his word. The Koran is littered with violence towards others at every turn, violence, not love. My God Jesus speaks of love, therefore my God and Mohammed’s Allah are not the same and I cannot understand why the Catholic Church says they are.
 
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I’m not sure about the Christian perspective, but as a Muslim I believe that we’re worshiping the same God and I’m not sure the question actually matters that much in the grand scheme of things. God knows our intent and our hearts. He also knows that we’re fallible creatures and we don’t always see or understand the truth in full. I believe that God is merciful to anyone whose true intent is to serve him and attempts to do so to the best of their knowledge and ability, even if they may not have all of their theology completely correct.
 
Edy said:
Jesus talked to the same God as the Jews?
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Jesus WAS Jewish. He was born a Jew and he died a Jew. He prayed as every other Jewish man prayed. Is this something people don’t know?
 
shazirah said:
’m not sure about the Christian perspective, but as a Muslim I believe that we’re worshiping the same God and I’m not sure the question actually matters that much in the grand scheme of things. God knows our intent and our hearts. He also knows that we’re fallible creatures and we don’t always see or understand the truth in full. I believe that God is merciful to anyone whose true intent is to serve him and attempts to do so to the best of their knowledge and ability, even if they may not have all of their theology completely correct.
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Excellent!
 
Odilon said:
Yeah, but Mohammed claims to be speaking for his Allah, so we must take him at his word. The Koran is littered with violence towards others at every turn, violence, not love. My God Jesus speaks of love, therefore my God and Mohammed’s Allah are not the same and I cannot understand why the Catholic Church says they are.
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That might be because there is only one God!
 
steve-b said:
Moses wasn’t a polytheist
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Moses did not worship any God but Yahweh, however at that time Jews did not necessarily deny the existence of other gods. In fact his wife was a Midian, who were in fact polytheists. It would be more accurate to say Moses, lke most Jews of his time, practiced monolatry - the worship of one god without denying the existence of other gods. they believed Yahweh was the best god.
 
The way I see it my Name is Logan B. I have 3 kids. If you say to a stranger i know Logan B, he has 3 kids. The stranger says I Know Logan, he has no kids and he can’t even have kids. Clearly y’all are talking about two different Logan B.
 
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