Comments on: Allah vs. God http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796 Feel Smart Again Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:01:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: Sabrina http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796/comment-page-1#comment-6937 Sabrina Fri, 26 Jan 2007 16:18:57 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796#comment-6937 (Preface: I have a strong Muslim upbringing, completely juxtaposed to the American Christian lifestyle I witness/experience simultaneously). For Muslims, we are emphatically taught that "Allah" is the more deferential term for God. In English, 'god' is just another monosyllabic noun diluted by--and I hate to say this--secularism. Thus, as Muslims and Anglophones, we prefer "Allah" to convey a deeper, richer respect for the God we worship. Also, I've noticed that God is rarely uncapitalized in Arabic, but in English, it commonly is.. (Preface: I have a strong Muslim upbringing, completely juxtaposed to the American Christian lifestyle I witness/experience simultaneously).

For Muslims, we are emphatically taught that “Allah” is the more deferential term for God. In English, ‘god’ is just another monosyllabic noun diluted by–and I hate to say this–secularism. Thus, as Muslims and Anglophones, we prefer “Allah” to convey a deeper, richer respect for the God we worship. Also, I’ve noticed that God is rarely uncapitalized in Arabic, but in English, it commonly is..

]]> By: Jarred Hanson http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796/comment-page-1#comment-6906 Jarred Hanson Fri, 26 Jan 2007 01:20:25 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796#comment-6906 Easy way to decide if the religions and the God of those religions are the are the same in one question (One Muslim, Jew and Christian to answer it yes or no)"Do you believe that Jesus the Christ is the son of God?" We should have 2 No's and 1 yes. Point made. I think that we could all agree that God does not contradict himself so to say that he is the same would be a fallacy. Easy way to decide if the religions and the God of those religions are the are the same in one question (One Muslim, Jew and Christian to answer it yes or no)”Do you believe that Jesus the Christ is the son of God?” We should have 2 No’s and 1 yes. Point made. I think that we could all agree that God does not contradict himself so to say that he is the same would be a fallacy.

]]> By: Heather http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796/comment-page-1#comment-6871 Heather Wed, 24 Jan 2007 21:59:40 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796#comment-6871 This reminds me of a snipet from Bill Moyers speech at the National Conference on Media Reform in Memphis earlier this month: "One of my favorite stories is of the fellow who was about to jump off a bridge, when another fellow ran up to him crying, “Stop, stop, don’t do it.” The man on the bridge looks down and asks, “Why not?” “Well, there’s much to live for.” “What for?” “Well, your faith. Your religion.” “Yes?” “Are you religious?” “Yes.” “Me, too. Christian or Buddhist?” “Christian.” “Me, too. Are you Catholic or Protestant?” “Protestant.” “Me, too. Methodist, Baptist or Presbyterian?” “Baptist.” “Me, too. Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Savior?” “Baptist Church of God.” “Me, too. Are you Original Baptist Church of God or Reformed Baptist Church of God?” “Reformed Baptist Church of God.” “Me, too. Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God Reformation of 1879, or Reform Baptist Church of God Reformation of 1917?” “1917.” Whereupon, the second fellow turned red in the face and yelled, “Die, you heretic scum,” and pushed him off the bridge." This reminds me of a snipet from Bill Moyers speech at the National Conference on Media Reform in Memphis earlier this month:

“One of my favorite stories is of the fellow who was about to jump off a bridge, when another fellow ran up to him crying, “Stop, stop, don’t do it.”

The man on the bridge looks down and asks, “Why not?”

“Well, there’s much to live for.”

“What for?”

“Well, your faith. Your religion.”

“Yes?”

“Are you religious?”

“Yes.”

“Me, too. Christian or Buddhist?”

“Christian.”

“Me, too. Are you Catholic or Protestant?”

“Protestant.”

“Me, too. Methodist, Baptist or Presbyterian?”

“Baptist.”

“Me, too. Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Savior?”

“Baptist Church of God.”

“Me, too. Are you Original Baptist Church of God or Reformed Baptist Church of God?”

“Reformed Baptist Church of God.”

“Me, too. Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God Reformation of 1879, or Reform Baptist Church of God Reformation of 1917?”

“1917.”

Whereupon, the second fellow turned red in the face and yelled, “Die, you heretic scum,” and pushed him off the bridge.”

]]> By: Tim http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796/comment-page-1#comment-6855 Tim Wed, 24 Jan 2007 18:13:01 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796#comment-6855 Rexmons - that is what I understand as well--that Muslims believe Jesus was a Prophet. However, Christians believe that Jesus was the Son of God (and is one with God) and came to save us, not that He was a Prophet. Rexmons – that is what I understand as well–that Muslims believe Jesus was a Prophet. However, Christians believe that Jesus was the Son of God (and is one with God) and came to save us, not that He was a Prophet.

]]> By: Marc http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796/comment-page-1#comment-6846 Marc Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:46:13 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796#comment-6846 duh...that should have been Prophet. duh…that should have been Prophet.

]]> By: Rexmons http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796/comment-page-1#comment-6844 Rexmons Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:35:38 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796#comment-6844 Tim I am an American born Muslim therefore I believe I have a firm grasp on both Christianity, from being around it my entire life, and Islam, from practacing it. Make no mistake, Muslims believe in Jesus and believe he was a prophet of God. Tim I am an American born Muslim therefore I believe I have a firm grasp on both Christianity, from being around it my entire life, and Islam, from practacing it. Make no mistake, Muslims believe in Jesus and believe he was a prophet of God.

]]> By: Marc http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796/comment-page-1#comment-6840 Marc Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:13:42 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796#comment-6840 Muslims, Jews and Christians all worship the God of Abraham. They diverge on the acceptance of the Messiah, the Profit and the Christ. Muslims, Jews and Christians all worship the God of Abraham. They diverge on the acceptance of the Messiah, the Profit and the Christ.

]]> By: Sylvain http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796/comment-page-1#comment-6827 Sylvain Wed, 24 Jan 2007 08:22:13 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796#comment-6827 Do you call the Jewish God "Yahve" ? And think it is different from the Christian God ? No, Im' sure not. So remember that we Muslims, Jews and Christians are "Book Brothers" as our religions took their origin in the same book. So Allah, Yahve or whatever you call him is the same entity in my own opinion. Do you call the Jewish God “Yahve” ? And think it is different from the Christian God ? No, Im’ sure not. So remember that we Muslims, Jews and Christians are “Book Brothers” as our religions took their origin in the same book. So Allah, Yahve or whatever you call him is the same entity in my own opinion.

]]> By: Tim http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796/comment-page-1#comment-6825 Tim Wed, 24 Jan 2007 03:20:56 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796#comment-6825 Comments #11 and 13 have got it: Muslims, Jews, and Christians worship different entities; anyone who says that each religion worships the same God is mistaken and needs to learn more about each religion. The closest to worshiping the same God are the Jews and Christians, hence the same term "God" is used, but Christians see God as triune (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), where the Jews just see God as the Father. I use "Allah" to differentiate the god Muslims worship from the one I worship. Comments #11 and 13 have got it: Muslims, Jews, and Christians worship different entities; anyone who says that each religion worships the same God is mistaken and needs to learn more about each religion. The closest to worshiping the same God are the Jews and Christians, hence the same term “God” is used, but Christians see God as triune (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), where the Jews just see God as the Father.

I use “Allah” to differentiate the god Muslims worship from the one I worship.

]]> By: Mary http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796/comment-page-1#comment-6822 Mary Wed, 24 Jan 2007 01:53:57 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/3796#comment-6822 Drew -- it's from "The Brick Testament!" I can't post the link here, but Google it; it's highly amusing. Drew — it’s from “The Brick Testament!” I can’t post the link here, but Google it; it’s highly amusing.

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