[VeritatisSplendor]

This is stupid. Arabic-speaking Christians pray to “Allah” which means God in Arabic. Muslims are mistaken about certain attributes of God, but correct about others; when they pray to the Creator of the Universe under the name of “Allah”, He doesn’t fail to notice.

Jews don’t believe Jesus was God either. Is the author saying Jews don’t worship the same God Christians do, because they don’t have a perfect set of theological doctrines?

What about those Christians who fail to agree with him on every point of theology? Does he worship the same God they do?

Yes, Islam is radically different from Christianity; but a failure to understand God pefectly is not the same thing as a failure to IDENTIFY him. They address the same Person Abraham addressed; He may well regard their worship as misguided, imperfect, or degraded, but it’s not like they’re worshipping Baal or Satan!

[Nathan Zachary]

"He has frequently said that terrorists are not real Muslims, anymore than people who proclaim to be Christian and engage in violence are genuine Christians."

Well Bush is WRONG. Terrorists are very devout Muslims. Bush just can't seen to understand that, because he has never studied what Islam is, and what it teaches.

"I believe in an almighty God, and I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God.”

It may be what you believe, Bush, but again you are WRONG. "allah" the name of the Islamic god (ilah) is the exact opposite of the Christian God, Yahweh, who is a loving God.

Allah hates, and especially hates God's chosen people. Muslims believe it's Allah's command that they kill them wherever they find them.

Allah is Satan. Only Satan would want to destroy God's children.

[Psycho_Bunny]

I usually respect Cal but this article is one long straw-man:  he's arguing doctrine, which the President (for whom I have no respect left) didn't address.

[HanneyBean]

Spot on article - President Bush is treading on dangerous ground here and needs to be firmly rebuked by Christians in this matter.

HE may pray to the same god of the muzzies, but I certainly don’t.

[TexGuy]

I like to use the site, Answering Islam.

I am not associated with the site in any way, but I have often found this to be a somewhat useful reference and I am just passing that information along.

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

Mr. Bush is technically correct, in a Clintonesque sort of way - since there really is only 1 God, when anyone prays to any deity, by definition that 1 God is the only one who hears the prayer. Doesn’t mean He listens or responds....

[Redmen4ever]

My God says “Thou shalt not murder.” He does not say “except that you may murder and enslave infidels.” With regard to murder and kidnap-slavery, my God says you will not forgive these sins but those who commit these acts will be put to death. But, my God has provided a path to salvation for everyone, even including murderers and slavers, who trust in the character of God’s Mercy (usually translated as, “confess on the name of Jesus”). So even at the execution of the heinous criminal, we pray for the salvation of the sinner’s immortal soul. The current Pope in thinking what we Christians have that is unique, that we offer to all people of good will, said it is Jesus. It is the personal relationship we have with God through his son.

[SirLinksalot]

CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS & RESEARCH MINISTRY	www.carm.org	HOME PAGE

Comparison grid between 
Christianity and Islamic doctrine
(This is a general representation of Islamic beliefs)

Term	Christianity	Islam
Afterlife	Christians will be with the Lord in heaven (Phil. 1:21-24), in our resurrected bodies (1 Cor. 15:50-58).   Non-Christians will be cast into hell forever (Matt. 25:46).	There is an afterlife (75:12) experienced as either an ideal life of Paradise (29:64), for faithful Muslims or Hell for those who are not.
Angels	Created beings, non-human, some of which, fell into sin and became evil.  They are very powerful.  The unfallen angels carry out the will of God.	Created beings without free will that serve God.  Angels were created from light.
Atonement	The sacrifice of Christ on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24) whereby His blood becomes the sacrifice that turns away the wrath of God (1 John 2:2) from the sinner when the sinner receives (John 1:12), by faith (Rom. 5:1), the work of Christ on the cross.	There is no atonement work in Islam other than a sincere confession of sin and repentance by the sinner.
Bible	The inspired and inerrant word of God in the original manuscripts (2 Tim. 3:16).	Respected word of the prophets but the Bible has been corrupted through the centuries and is only correct in so far as it agrees with the Koran.
Crucifixion	The place where Jesus atoned for the sins of the world.  It is only through this sacrifice that anyone can be saved from the wrath of God (1 Pet. 2:24).	Jesus did not die on the cross.  Instead, God allowed Judas to look like Jesus and he was crucified instead.
Devil	A fallen Angel who opposes God in all ways.  He also seeks to destroy humanity (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:13-15).	Iblis, a fallen jinn.  Jinn are not angels nor men, but created beings with free wills.  Jinn were created from fire, (2:268; 114:1-6).
God	God is a trinity of persons:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The Trinity is not three gods in one god, nor is it one person who took three forms.  Trinitarianism is strictly monotheistic.  There is no other God in existence.	God is known as Allah.  Allah is one person, a strict unity.  There is no other God in existence.  He is the creator of the universe (3:191), sovereign over all (6:61-62).
Heaven (Paradise)	The place where God dwells.  Heaven is the eventual home of the Christians who are saved by God's grace.  It is heaven because it is where God is and Christians will enjoy eternal Fellowship with Him.	Paradise to Muslims, a place of unimaginable bliss (32:17), a garden with trees and food (13:35;15:45-48) where the desires of faithful Muslims are met, (3:133; 9:38; 13:35; 39:34; 43:71; 53:13-15).
Hell	A place of torment in fire out of the presence of God.  There is no escape from Hell (Matt. 25:46).	Hell is a place of eternal punishment and torment (14:17; 25:65; 39:26), in fire (104:6-7) for those who are not Muslims (3:131) as well as those who were and whose works and faith were not sufficient (14:17; 25:65; 104:6-7).
Holy Spirit	Third person of the Trinity.  The Holy Spirit is fully God in nature.	The arch-angel Gabriel who delivered the words of the Koran to Muhammad.
Jesus	Second person of the Trinity.  He is the word who became flesh (John 1:1, 14).  He is both God and man (Col. 2:9).	A very great prophet, second only to Muhammad.  Jesus is not the son of God (9:30) and certainly is not divine (5:17, 75)) and he was not crucified (4:157).
Judgment Day	Occurs on the day of resurrection (John 12;48) where God will judge all people.  Christians go to heaven.  All others to hell (Matt. 25:46).	Occurs on the day of resurrection where God will judge all people.  Muslims go to paradise (3:142, 183-185, 198).  All others to hell (3:196-197).  Judgment is based on a person's deeds (5:9; 42:26; 8:29).
Koran, The	The work of Muhammad.  It is not inspired, nor is it scripture.  There is no verification for its accurate transmission from the originals.	The final revelation of God to all of mankind given through the archangel Gabriel to Muhammad over a 23 year period.  It is without error and guarded from error by Allah.
Man	Made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26).  This does not mean that God has a body, but that man is made like God in abilities (reason, faith, love, etc.).	Not made in the image of God (42:11).  Man is made out of the dust of the earth (23:12) and Allah breathed life into man (32:9; 15:29).
Muhammad	A non-inspired man born in 570 in Mecca who started the Islamic religion.	The last and greatest of all prophets of Allah whose Qur'an is the greatest of all inspired books.
Original Sin	This is a term used to describe the effect of Adam's sin on his descendants (Rom. 5:12-23). Specifically, it is our inheritance of a sinful nature from Adam. The sinful nature originated with Adam and is passed down from parent to child. We are by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:3).	There is no original sin.  All people are sinless until they rebel against God.  They do not have sinful natures.
Resurrection	Bodily resurrection of all people, non-Christians to damnation and Christians are resurrected to eternal life (1 Cor. 15:50-58).	Bodily resurrection, some to heaven, some to hell (3:77; 15:25;75:36-40; 22:6).
Salvation	A free gift of God (Eph. 2:8-9) to the person who trusts in Christ and His sacrifice on the cross.  He is our mediator (1 Tim. 2:5).  No works are sufficient in any way to merit salvation since our works are all unacceptable to God (Isaiah 64:6).	Forgiveness of sins is obtained by Allah's grace without a mediator.  The Muslim must believe Allah exists, believe in the fundamental doctrines of Islam, believe that Muhammad is his prophet, and follow the commands of Allah given in the Koran.
Son of God	A term used to designate that Jesus is divine though he is not the literal son of God in a physical sense (John 5:18).	A literal son of God.  Therefore, Jesus cannot be the son of Allah.
Word, The	"In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God...and the word became flesh and dwelt among us..." (John 1:1, 14).	Allah's command of existence which resulted in Jesus being formed in the womb of Mary.

 

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[eleni121]

This President doesn’t get it when it comes to Muslims.

Just like Roosevelt/Truman didn’t get it when it came to Commies.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

...people who proclaim to be Christian and engage in violence are [not] genuine Christians.

What Christians is he talking about??? Do we have Christians who are engaging in violence on a world-wide scope?

I believe the God that the Muslim prays to is the same God that I pray to.

And I believe that Bush's moronity emboldens them.

[garjog]

Guess Bush could have said: Actually I worship the true and loving God and Muslims worship a twisted, hatefully violent false god who is really Satan in disguise. Now, we need the help of moderate Muslim countries to join with us in fighting terrorism. Any takers?