[Stop Legal Plunder]

As someone raised Catholic, I always believed that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. I still do.

Truth is not determined by how many people believe something or how long they believe it. Or who teaches it. The Bible commends the Bereans for not believing the preaching of St. Paul until they confirmed it in the word of God (Acts 17:11). We should follow their example and confirm the claims of contemporary popes, priests, and pastors by reference to the word of God.

Thus the way to judge if the God of Christianity and the god of Islam are the same is to compare their respective scriptures. If there is contradiction, then the two religions do not share the same God. And even the most elementary review shows this clearly. For example, the Bible and the Koran have two, mutually exclusive accounts of the creation of man:

The Bible teaches that God created man out of "the dust of the ground" and "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." (Gen 2:7).

The Koran teaches that Allah "created Man of a blood-clot." (Sura XCVI, p. 344 in The Koran, Interpreted, A.J. Arberry, trans., New York: Collier Books).

Like it or not, the god of Islam and the God of Christianity are NOT one.

[Consort]

The Bible teaches that God created man out of "the dust of the ground" and..." (Gen 2:7).

Dust Bunnies.

[Prodigal Son]

Like it or not, the god of Islam and the God of Christianity are NOT one.

Well, for us non-believers, how are we supposed to tell the difference? Christians say they believe in Jesus and Muslims say the same thing- in fact they will issue a fatwah against you for insulting Christ. Muslims say they worship the God of Abraham and Jews say the same thing. From the non-believer's perspective it all looks about the same frankly.

[milan]

Like it or not, the god of Islam and the God of Christianity are NOT one.

We should hang out some time.

[Bobisalwaysright]

I was raised Catholic as well. Catholic. It pretty much doesn't get much more conservative than that. And I paid attention in Bible School. I whole heartedly agree that God consists as the Holy Trinity. That wasn't the point I was trying to make. Let me try again.

I believe in a merciful God that loves all of His people, regardless of if they love Him. God rules all. He is all, there is nothing that lays outside of His reign. Nothing goes unnoticed by His eyes, and no prayers go unheard by His ears. Including the Muslims'. That's what I believe. If it makes you sleep better at night, then tell yourself that He doesn't listen to their pleas for peace and harmony. Tell yourself that He turns a blind eye on His creation in their hour of need. He is always merciful, that is what I was taught. No, I do not believe that He is the power behind the Islamic extremist. No, I do not believe that they are allowed into Heaven when they fly planes into buildings. But I do believe in one thing. Last night, I, a Catholic, sat at a table with a Covenant and a Muslim, and never gave it a second thought.

Remember, children, that this is a land of freedom of religion. It is one of its foundations. There is but one God and He hears all prayers. Sinners' and Saints', black's and whites', Americans' and Iraqis', Christians' and Muslims'.

You do not make decisions for Him.

Do not judge for Him.