The use of the word "Allah". Please be sensitive when you offer your views.

[IR123]

I think the Catholics are trying to be too clever here. In this case, it is not as if there are no alternatives. They are all using romanised characters so using the word God is understandable enough. I understood Allah to be the Islam god so Catholics using Allah is a bit too confusing.

That's right. If the Islam god <> Christian god, then the use of Allah is not right.

 

[Ramseth]

Is there another word for God in malay?

The Malay word for god is "tuhan".

 

[Ramseth]

If Arab people don't complain, why do Malaysia wants to complain?

Perhaps because the Arabs understand Arabic better than Malaysians?

 

[IR123]

The term "Tuhan" was already suggested as a workable alternative and solution.

I should reckon the Supreme Being Himself is not fussy about what man calls Him, as long as all recognise Him as The Supreme Being.

But since each culture has their own special character and because of the social complexity of the issue of religion, contextual sensibility must reign supreme.

Thus there is no absolute right or wrong in this matter. But all should work under the principle of fostering overall peacefulness and elimination of friction rather than win with intellectual arguments and logic alone.

Personally, I think that any other local religion, and not just Christians, should not use the term "Allah" to address The Supreme Being even if they choose to.

Just my 2c.

I think yours is the most reasonable argument. "Tuhan" is a good alternative.



However i do not agree that there is no absolute right or wrong in this matter.

There is absolute right and absolute wrong. It is just that all think they are absolutely right and the others are absolutely wrong. Same as all the anti-Christians people here.



Best is to ask God to Judge.

All these problems with Muslims, Christians and Jews can only be resolved by God's Absolute Decision. At least one will be tremendously unhappy.

 

[Jabba]

Lucky i pray to TPK...translate to watever language also call Tua Pek Kong...no conflicts...Huat ah!

 

[Ramseth]

Yeah Lor! Instead of spending effort time and money into building up the country and the people...they spend time arguing about semantics...

Like semantics can help the peasants...

Maybe leaders who respect and worship Christian God do better in this aspect?

Now why I keep telling you Christian God is more superior?

There's no such thing as which god is superior, there's only one God to an monotheist (Christians, Jews and Muslims). Anyway, the God of the Christians, Jews and Muslims are all the One same God, i.e. the God of Abraham (or Ibrahim in Arabic). It's the believes of how to reach to Him and who taught the right ways to reach Him that differ.

 

[IR123]

If Arab people don't complain, why do Malaysia wants to complain?

Malaysia is too sweeping a word.

Who are those who complain? Are they the moderate Muslims who voted UMNO or the fanatical Muslims who voted PAS?

If the lattar, then the possibility of a political agenda cannot be discarded. When religion is involved, fanned by politicians, it becomes a bush fire in Australia.

If the former, is there a possibility of trying to appease the Muslims that the moderates are doing something and so undermine the accusations of the fanatics?

If neither, then it could be a genuine complaint.

People's minds are closed when it comes to religions.

But the issue is real across many fronts. That is why it is fertile hunting ground for politicians.

 

[IR123]

There's no such thing as which god is superior, there's only one God to an monotheist (Christians, Jews and Muslims). Anyway, the God of the Christians, Jews and Muslims are all the One same God, i.e. the God of Abraham (or Ibrahim in Arabic). It's the believes of how to reach to Him and who taught the right ways to reach Him that differ.

Christians and Jews yes, because the lineage to Abraham is very clear.

Muslims claim a lineage back to Abraham but due to the nomadic nature of the tribes, more work need to be done by more impartial scholars to determine a physical lineage.

If that is determined, then you are indeed right that Muslims, Christians and Jews regard Abraham as their father.

And if all worship the God of Abraham, then how can the name of God be denied to the other children of Abraham?

 

[Ramseth]

Christians and Jews yes, because the lineage to Abraham is very clear.

Muslims claim a lineage back to Abraham but due to the nomadic nature of the tribes, more work need to be done by more impartial scholars to determine a physical lineage.

If that is determined, then you are indeed right that Muslims, Christians and Jews regard Abraham as their father.

Jews and Christians are closer related because they both take Jacob (Yaccob) to be the rightful heir to Abraham, whereas Muslims take Ishmael (Ismail) to be the rightful heir. Anyway, all take Abraham (Ibrahim) as the founder and the God of Abraham to be their one and only God.

And if all worship the God of Abraham, then how can the name of God be denied to the other children of Abraham?

The Arab Muslims have no problem. Why the Malaysian Muslims have a problem, ask them.

 

[Ramseth]

If Muslim Christians and Jew regard Abraham as their father....

Why are they fighting in that narrow strip of Palestine/Israel?

Same as brothers fighting for father's bequest, very common.

Just an example, Burmese and Thai, both Buddhists, have fought each other for centuries.

 

[Cerebral]

Malaysia argue because it happens in Malaysia mah. Anyway, this is like machiam cannot call a black Nigger, but among themselves or their rap, they can.

 

[AhBengBoyBoy]

One should not compare durians with dates.

The people of the Arab lands are a largely homogeneous people.

 

[Ramseth]

Chinese Christians use the word "shen" (神) too. Should Chinese Taoists complain too?

What about Japanese also using the same word to refer to their Shinto god?

 

[Jabba]

is abraham the same abraham in the song "father abraham have seven children...seven children have father abraham...."

 

[AhBengBoyBoy]

Chinese Christians use the word "shen" (神) too. Should Chinese Taoists complain too?

What about Japanese also using the same word to refer to their Shinto god?

It is not so simple a matter as semantics. If so, this issue would have long been settled without much fuss. Situations elsewhere are different from this one, which is unique and serious and thus warrants serious practical considerations in view of its potential to erupt.

 

[FuckSamLeong]

Malaysia argue because it happens in Malaysia mah. Anyway, this is like machiam cannot call a black Nigger, but among themselves or their rap, they can.

The enunciation and tone of the word "nigger" by African Americans (see how I adopt the political correctness of US culture!:p) is different when used with each other. The closest I would describe it would be using the Chinese "你哥". Watch for that in film media.

 

[groinroot]

The Christians are just being politically exploited and they are unaware. The whole issue is a ploy by UMNO to side-track the attention of Muslims from current pressing problems such as the theft of jet engines, the Mongolian murder case, port klang scandal, robbery of weapons at a military camp, corruption and the like. This is also an attempt to boost Najib's image. So don't be taken in.

 

[BlueCat]

should have exercise more caution especially anything to do with Muslim.