...And, I’m well aware that certain ancient eastern rites call God Allah and have done so for centuries prior to the birth of mohammed the child rapist. But the bishop didn’t say that we should call God Allah to get closer to Eastern Catholics...he said to do to get closer to islam.
That is absolutely NOT true. What it is, is Islamic propaganda.
As for those eastern Christians using the word "Allah" they have no choice. It keeps their heads attached. In their hearts They pray to Yahweh, and that's what counts.
That Allah was known before Muhammad's time without a doubt.
His name has been found in pre-islamic writings and other archeological finds. At the Kabah in Mecca over 350 gods were worshipped, but it was built especially for the chief deity - the moon god. Allah was the personal title of the moon god. Allah was married to the sun goddess. They produced three daughters, whose worship Muhammad would later make the mistake of condoning. The crescent moon symbol of Arabia came from this god.
"Allah" is a pre-Islamic name.- Encyclopedia of Religion, I:117 Washington DC, Corpus Pub., 1979).
The Encyclopedia of Islam: "The Arabs, before the time of Mohammed, accepted and worshipped, after a fashion, a supreme god called Allah" Encyclopedia off Islam, I:302, Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1913, Houtsma.
"Allah was known to the pre-Islamic Arabs, he was one of the Meccan deities" - Encyclopedia off Islam, I:406, ed. Gibb.
"The name Allah was used as the personal name of the moon god, in addition to other titles that could be given to him. Allah, the moon god, was married to the sun goddess. Together they produced three goddesses who were called "the daughters of Allah." These three goddesses were called Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Manat. The daughters of Allah, along with Allah and the sun goddess were viewed as 'high" gods. They were viewed as being at the top of the pantheon of Arabian deities. Along with Allah, however, they worshipped a host of lesser gods and "daughters of Al-lah'" [Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, I:61]".
An idol called Hubal was addressed as Allah. Muhammad's grandfather reportedly prayed to Hubal and addressed him as Allah. The deities al-Lat, al-Uzza and Manat were called "the daughters of Allah" (Surah 53:19). "Allah was viewed, already before Muhammad, as the Lord of the Ka'ba, while, if not surely, but very probably, this sanctuary was devoted to Hubal, whose image was placed inside" (RESTE ARABISCHEN HEIDENTHUMS, p. 221 by J. Wellhausen).