Our Lady of Fatima – Her Prophecies and Warnings Remain as Essential as Ever!

Archdiocese of Washington ^ | 10-12-15 | Msgr. Charles Pope

[cookcounty]

"The observant reader will note, Allah is none of the above."

"Allah is the generic term for "God" in Arabic, used by Arab-speaking Christians for centuries before Mohammed was born. And they still use it today

And yes, the term may have pagan origins, but just where do you think the term "God" came from?

People may use the same term, but have major differences about it's definition.

[metmom]

Most people don't understand the Hebrew and Arabic languages so they would not understand the difference.

And you do?

You are fluent in them?

[metmom]

Add to that the different languages,interpretations and translation of the written word whether tradition or scripture and one can see how these back and forths get us nowhere. In other words it is difficult to be a “truth seeker” these days.

There simply is NOT that much difference between translations of Scripture as people who like to cast doubt on its integrity like to posit.

It's not confusing. And it's not hard to become a seeker of the truth. There are tons of resources online that can connect one to the original Greek and Hebrew to clarify anything one is uncertain about.

As far as *interpretation*, it is not as mysterious and difficult as Catholics would like to have us believe in order to claim the need for their church to *properly* interpret the word for us.

Most of Scripture is clear and straightforward and the problem with *interpretation* is when someone doesn't like what they are reading and want it to say something different and need to find *deeper* meanings for it.

Tradition is tradition and does not rise to the level of certainty as the written word. Arguments over tradition are meaningless as there is no sold basis for the truth of them.

[Elsie]

Chit as in “Wha kine of chit you feeding me Esse?” :-)

Anyone moderating this FReligion thread?

[Elsie]

I see someone is...

[Iscool]

Your scriptural response has absolutely nothing to do with what I posted as is usually the case...

[HossB86]

I doubt most Catholics (or evangelical papal ring kissers) have a clue what is really in their catechism.

So true; and so very sad. Not to mention the heresy and apostasy that their church/cult teaches.

Hoss

[HossB86]

God be merciful to me a sinner.

You quote this -- do you believe it? Your church says it's not enough!!!

Try actually relying on God alone -- just like this poor publican did in Jesus' parable -- instead of a corrupt cult that teaches the worship of Satan (Allah).

Hoss

[Gamecock]

**Tradition is tradition and does not rise to the level of certainty as the written word.**

And just look at all the turmoil in the Roman Catholic Church. Even they can’t agree on what their tradition really teaches. Seems that every FRoman Catholic thinks they are more Catholic than the Pope.

[ealgeone]

A tremendous amount of the confusion you cite can be resolved in a number of ways.

1) Learn the original languages, or, have a teacher/pastor who knows the language. That alone will clarify a lot of the misconceptions of Christianity.

2) Learn about the time period of the early church.

3) Read the Bible in the context of the above two. Also, read the Bible in context itself.

4) The Bible is to be the final authority on what we believe.

[ealgeone]

I doubt most Catholics (or evangelical papal ring kissers) have a clue what is really in their catechism.

That is evidenced here on FR.

[Mark17]

Sounds like Mormonism.

[Mark17]

Do you know any Arab Christians? If you would have a conversation with them, you would probably find out why you are having such a difficult

I don't quite know if this qualifies, but I have known one Palestinian Christian and one Iranian Christian. Their understanding of the Trinity was identical to mine. The man from Iran, was one of the most Godly men I have ever met. A true man of God.

[af_vet_1981]

I don't quite know if this qualifies, but I have known one Palestinian Christian and one Iranian Christian. Their understanding of the Trinity was identical to mine. The man from Iran, was one of the most Godly men I

The issue was the use of the Arabic word and the English word, Allah and God in the context of general linguistic ignorance on the part of those who stumble over it needlessly. Arabic Christians have used Allah to refer to "the God" of Abraham, Isaac. and Jacob for centuries before Islam was formed.

IIRC you have appealed to the Navigators previously. The Navigators, a well-known evangelical Christian organization, published the following:

“…It’s interesting to observe that, in rejecting the Athenian’s erroneous concept of God, Paul did not reject the word they used for God, Theos, which was the common Greek word for God.

Some Christians unthinkingly say ‘Allah is not God.’ This is the ultimate blasphemy to Muslims, and furthermore, it is difficult to understand. Allah is the primary Arabic word for God. It means ‘The God.’ There are some minor exceptions. For example, the Bible in some Muslim lands uses a word for God other than Allah (Farsi and Urdu are examples). But for more than five hundred years before Muhammad, the vast majority of Jews and Christians in Arabia called God by the name Allah. How, then, can we say that Allah is an invalid name for God? If it is, to whom have these Jews and Christians been praying?

And what about the 10 to 12 million Arab Christians today? They have been calling God ‘Allah’ in their Bibles, hymns, poems, writings, and worship for over nineteen centuries. What an insult to them when we tell them not to use this word ‘Allah’! Instead of bridging the distance between Muslims and Christians, we widen the gulf of separation between them and us when we promote such a doctrine. Those who still insist that it is blasphemy to refer to God as Allah should also consider that Muhammad’s father was named Abd Allah, ‘God’s servant,’ many years before his son was born or Islam was founded!”

—excerpted from Building Bridges by Fouad Accad (Colorado Springs, CO: Navpress), p. 22.

[ealgeone]

The key phrase.....before Muhammad. The god of Islam is not Jehovah. To continue to persist in trying to equate the two shows a lack of knowledge as to who Jehovah is.

[saradippity]

I am sorry,I guess I didn’t make myself clear enough for you to understand.

[saradippity]

I agree with some of what you say and that is why I appreciate the magisterium and I think most people would too if they understood it.

[af_vet_1981]

The key phrase.....before Muhammad. The god of Islam is not Jehovah. To continue to persist in trying to equate the two shows a lack of knowledge as to who Jehovah is.

• It seems to me you don't put much stock in the Navigators.
• If you had Christian friends whose native tongue is Arabic or Moslem friends they might help you overcome the stumbling block.There is only one God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The nonChristian religious traditions of Jews, Samaritans, and Moslems profess to adore and worship the one and only God who revealed himself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

[saradippity]

I am happy that you are finding truth seeking easy with all of the resources available on line. My observation of the world these days makes me believe that truth is buried under a significant number of misunderstandings as well as deliberate lies and omissions of facts making it tough people to find it.

[saradippity]

last line of my post to netmom should read “making it tough FOR people to find it”.