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Quoting Quran and speaking in Arabic, Buffalo bishop promotes Catholic-Muslim dialogue
Buffalo Diocese ^ | June 2, 2006

Posted on 06/03/2006 3:08:12 PM PDT by NYer

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To: NYer
Actually, 'Allah' is the Arabic word for God.

Nope. From a historical perspective, Allah is what amounts to a contraction of the phrase Al Illah, refering to "THE [moon] god", supreme diety of the pre-Islamic Arabs. Sort of their version of Zeus, if you will.

Even if you accept a modern Muslim's conception of Allah as a monotheistic being instead of chief of a polytheistic religion, the character of the diety circumscribed by the term "Allah" and the term "Jehovah" are radically different.
41 posted on 06/04/2006 12:27:54 PM PDT by Old_Mil (http://www.constitutionparty.org - Forging a Rebirth of Freedom.)
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To: Campion; Deo volente
Can you tell I'm glad he's Buffalo's problem, and not ours?

As DV commented above, NY has an unfair distribution of ultra leftist bishops, spread out across the entire state. That leaves very few places for refuge. Given your previous experience with Bishop Kmiec, you can then appreciate the agony suffered by many catholics in this state. The bishops of Albany and Rochester, were appointed 28+ years ago, at the recommendation of Archbishop Jean Jadot. Other men who became bishops under Jadot's tenure include former Santa Fe Archbishop Roberto Sanchez, who resigned in a sex scandal; former San Jose Bishop Pierre DuMaine; former HonoluluBishop Joseph Ferrario; San Antonio Archbishop Patrick Flores; former Newark Archbishop Peter Gerety; Joliet, Ill., Bishop Joseph Imesch; Louisille Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly, O.P., a former staffer at the apostolic nuncio under Jadot; Bernard Cardinal Law of Boston (whom Jadot selected as bishop for Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Mo.), Cincinnati Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk; Saginaw, Mich., Bishop Kenneth Untener - to name a few more - all of whom, supposedly, mirrored his own progressive image as a "man of the people."

42 posted on 06/04/2006 12:34:11 PM PDT by NYer (Discover the beauty of the Eastern Catholic Churches - freepmail me for more information.)
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To: Old_Mil
Nope.

Yep. Sorry, but Arabic-speaking Christians address their prayers to "Allah". NYer can probably confirm that for us.

The word simply means "God" or "the God".

Even if you accept a modern Muslim's conception of Allah as a monotheistic being instead of chief of a polytheistic religion, the character of the diety circumscribed by the term "Allah" and the term "Jehovah" are radically different.

That is quite true. Catholic theologian Scott Hahn was once debating (in public) with a Muslim. Dr. Hahn kept referring to "God the Father" this and "God the Father" that. Finally, the Muslim angrily interjected "Allah is not "Father". Allah is master!"

And that about sums up the central difference between Islam and Christianity.

43 posted on 06/04/2006 12:42:27 PM PDT by Campion ("I am so tired of you, liberal church in America" -- Mother Angelica, 1993)
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To: Campion; NYer
And that about sums up the central difference between Islam and Christianity.

The fallacy of Islam is not that they worship a false God. They worship the one true God. Thus, any Arabic-speaking Christian could safely pray "in the name of God, the merciful and compassionate." It's not unlike the way St. Paul established a rapport with the Athenians who worshipped "an unknown God." St. Paul didn't rail against the Athenians for worshipping a moon-diety or some similar fundamentalist nonsense - rather, he took the Athenians' claims at face value, used them as a starting point, and built from there.

It is simply false that Muslims worship the "moon god." They truly worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus. The do so deficiently, since they have no conception of either the Trinity or the atonement. That deficiency, however, doesn't invalidate their legitimate claim to be worshipping God. Especially since Arabic Christians since time immemorial worship God under the name Allah.

44 posted on 06/04/2006 12:54:45 PM PDT by jude24 ("I will oppose the sword if it's not wielded well.")
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To: jude24
They truly worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus. The do so deficiently, since they have no conception of either the Trinity or the atonement. That deficiency, however, doesn't invalidate their legitimate claim to be worshipping God. Especially since Arabic Christians since time immemorial worship God under the name Allah.

Well phrased.

45 posted on 06/04/2006 2:08:06 PM PDT by NYer (Discover the beauty of the Eastern Catholic Churches - freepmail me for more information.)
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To: Campion; NYer
It is actually a rather controversial subject. The pre muslim Arabic Christians did not use "Allah" as "God". Many do refer to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as "Allah" today much the same way we would say "God".

The real question is why a bishop would want to promote a dialog with a religion that specifically rejects Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the second person in the Trinity.
46 posted on 06/04/2006 2:21:27 PM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: Campion
Catholic theologian Scott Hahn was once debating (in public) with a Muslim. Dr. Hahn kept referring to "God the Father" this and "God the Father" that. Finally, the Muslim angrily interjected "Allah is not "Father". Allah is master!" And that about sums up the central difference between Islam and Christianity.


I think you've hit on a profound truth.
That reminds me of today's Gospel in the Traditional Rite for Pentecost, where Jesus tells His apostles, "If any one love Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him."

The Muslim idea is that we are nothing but slaves of a mean taskmaster. The love of a Heavenly Father for His children is anathema to this "religion".
47 posted on 06/04/2006 4:59:27 PM PDT by Deo volente
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To: jude24

Dear jude24,

That's close to how Catholics think about this. We believe that Muslims worship the true God falsely.

We believe that knowledge that there is one true God can come from human reason unaided by supernatural grace. One can know with unaided human reason that the one God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent.

This is what Islam believes. It is clear that the object of Muslim worship is the true God. But Islam, being a false religion of a false revelation by a false prophet, can teach little beyond what can be known by reason. Thus, the nature of God that is discovered only through Divine Revelation is impenetrable to Islam.


sitetest


48 posted on 06/04/2006 5:19:28 PM PDT by sitetest (If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
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To: MrCruncher
Something stinks here.

And it's not just the muzlims...

There's a lot of religion in that little ecumenical group but there's not a Christian in the whole bunch...

49 posted on 06/04/2006 6:17:30 PM PDT by Iscool (You mess with me, you mess with the whole trailer park...)
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To: Iscool

It is a basic characteristic of the left wing to infiltrate perfectly legitimate organizations, and take them over.

They've done that with "environmental" groups.

In the 1890's the Sierra Club consisted of people who liked to go hiking.
The current crop of leftwing "environmentalists" running the same group have never strayed 10 feet from their cars.

The same in what were once perfectly legitimate animal lover's groups, book lover's library associations, etc etc etc.


50 posted on 06/04/2006 8:23:06 PM PDT by MrCruncher
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To: NYer
" What a blessing to have a middle-eastern, catholic pastor who is very familiar with the Koran and its lies."

NYer, may the Lord bless your Abouna real good! He knows shuck and jive when he sees it and hears it!
51 posted on 06/05/2006 5:25:40 AM PDT by Convert from ECUSA (Mexico: America's Palestine)
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To: NYer
"Quoting Quran and speaking in Arabic, Buffalo bishop promotes Catholic-Muslim dialogue"

As a friend's sister used to say - "oh honey, puleeeeeeeze!"
52 posted on 06/05/2006 5:27:55 AM PDT by Convert from ECUSA (Mexico: America's Palestine)
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To: pgkdan
Great...another American bishop exposes himself as an idiot!

It's not like he kissed the Koran or anything.
53 posted on 06/05/2006 6:42:15 AM PDT by Slugworth
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