Re: Do you believe in God?
Allah is the Arabic word for God. Christian Arabs do not call God 'God' when speaking in Arabic.
Do you believe in God?
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stephan
Diabloii.Net Member
Re: Do you believe in God?
It's not relevant what Christian Arabs call their god in Arabic. It's relevant what muslims call their god when speaking English. Allah seems to be a lot more common. If I use the word Allah your first association would not be the Christian god and if I use the word God your first association would not be the Muslim god (even if many claim they are essentially the same thing).
Anyway, it's a little besides the point.
You don't have to kick in open doors. :crazyeyes:
It's not relevant what Christian Arabs call their god in Arabic. It's relevant what muslims call their god when speaking English. Allah seems to be a lot more common. If I use the word Allah your first association would not be the Christian god and if I use the word God your first association would not be the Muslim god (even if many claim they are essentially the same thing).
Anyway, it's a little besides the point.
Re: Do you believe in God?
What would an English speaking Christian call "God" when speaking in French or Italian to a French or Italian speaker?
Do you mean when Christian Arabs speak Arabic?
What would an English speaking Christian call "God" when speaking in French or Italian to a French or Italian speaker?
Dondrei
Diabloii.Net Member
Re: Do you believe in God?
Dieu? But you see, France and Italy don't have a long tradition of worshiping a god other than the Christian one so the term isn't loaded.
I was actually thinking of Christians on holiday or something. I wonder what Arab Christians do call their god...
Dieu? But you see, France and Italy don't have a long tradition of worshiping a god other than the Christian one so the term isn't loaded.
I was actually thinking of Christians on holiday or something. I wonder what Arab Christians do call their god...
krischan
Europe Trade Moderator
Re: Do you believe in God?
A secular system doesn't make a certain quota of all decisions in favour of religion. No matter what the religious people or the atheists demand, they won't get 50% of it passed just because there is some kind of balance to be maintained.
A constitutional state is more than about democracy. It's about costitutional rights as well, e.g. freedom to develop yourself, human dignity, the right to live, the right to raise your children, freedom of speech and freedom of religion. If a majority decides to drop a few of these paragraphs, the country will change into something else than a land of free and happy people.
A secular government doesn't care about religious motives while an atheist system does. A theocracy only allows one religion, an atheist system doesn't allow any and a secular government lets people make their own choice.
A secular system doesn't make a certain quota of all decisions in favour of religion. No matter what the religious people or the atheists demand, they won't get 50% of it passed just because there is some kind of balance to be maintained.
It will be thus, but it shouldn't be like that in general. When changing Johnny's example into one about a vast majority: Even 10 wolves and 1 sheep shouldn't be allowed to vote about eating the sheep.
A constitutional state is more than about democracy. It's about costitutional rights as well, e.g. freedom to develop yourself, human dignity, the right to live, the right to raise your children, freedom of speech and freedom of religion. If a majority decides to drop a few of these paragraphs, the country will change into something else than a land of free and happy people.
That question was burning under my nails all the time, but I didn't dare to ask it.
Johnny
Banned
Re: Do you believe in God?
I'm willing to bet that Christians who speak arabic do not refer to their god as Allah when speaking in arabic.
Garbad_the_Weak
Diabloii.Net Member
Re: Do you believe in God?
The Constitution is virtually meaningless. Need proof? Most of your constitutional rights are not mentioned at all in the constitution. =/
Re: Do you believe in God?
http://www.arabicchristians.com/
we link to this Christian website:
http://www.baytallah.com/
This is re-iterated here: http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/26872, however with discussion that Allah in Arabic when referring to the Christian god does not mean that Arab Christians are also referring to the Muslim god.
There is this website from the Islamic side http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Sources/Allah/BibAllah.html which also shows that the same word is used.
I notice that there is a distinct divide between English speaking Christians talking about this subject and Islamic sources, there are a number of English speaking Christian groups that all seem to agree that Arab Christians call the Christian god "Allah" but go to great lengths to stress that this does not mean they worship the same god as Muslims highlighting that it is a word as well as a name, kinda like the difference between 'god' and 'God'. The Islamic side seems to argue the opposite view, that it is the same god (small g), but that's because Islam holds that it is just the most up to date version of the god of Abraham - which is why they get really tetchy with the Ba'hai.
From this Arab Christian website:
http://www.arabicchristians.com/
we link to this Christian website:
http://www.baytallah.com/
This is re-iterated here: http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/26872, however with discussion that Allah in Arabic when referring to the Christian god does not mean that Arab Christians are also referring to the Muslim god.
There is this website from the Islamic side http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Sources/Allah/BibAllah.html which also shows that the same word is used.
I notice that there is a distinct divide between English speaking Christians talking about this subject and Islamic sources, there are a number of English speaking Christian groups that all seem to agree that Arab Christians call the Christian god "Allah" but go to great lengths to stress that this does not mean they worship the same god as Muslims highlighting that it is a word as well as a name, kinda like the difference between 'god' and 'God'. The Islamic side seems to argue the opposite view, that it is the same god (small g), but that's because Islam holds that it is just the most up to date version of the god of Abraham - which is why they get really tetchy with the Ba'hai.
krischan
Europe Trade Moderator
Re: Do you believe in God?
Whatever, any constitution, declaration or law is basically meaningless if a vast majority has points of view which radically differ from its core. If a vast majority thinks that e.g. a certain minority is to be put to death, no constitution will prevent it to happen. After all, it's just a piece of paper.
You probably mean the US constitution :azn: The mention of life, liberty and the pursue of happiness covers a lot, but you are right. That part is not in the constitution, but in the declaration of independence (source).
Whatever, any constitution, declaration or law is basically meaningless if a vast majority has points of view which radically differ from its core. If a vast majority thinks that e.g. a certain minority is to be put to death, no constitution will prevent it to happen. After all, it's just a piece of paper.