A recent Malaysian court ruled that a Catholic newspaper could continue to use the world ‘Allah’ for God. Bombings of churches naturally ensued.
Allah is simply the Arabic word for God. It was used by Jews and Christians for hundreds of years before Mohammed came along.
But some Malaysians believe that use of the word Allah by non-Muslim religions may encourage people to think that those religions are acceptable alternatives.
In English, this would be like the Catholic church burning down Mormon temples because they have been using the word ‘God’ for God.
Religious freedom is guaranteed to non-Muslims under the Malay constitution, but Malays are Muslim by definition – Malaysia is a Muslim country – and Malays are not permitted to convert.
Strange how the liberal media seems to think it is perfectly OK for Malaysia, Pakistan, Iran, etc, etc, to be Muslim nations, but that it is racist for Israel to be a Jewish nation.
There are some positives, however.
First, in the court’s recognition that under the Malaysian constitution, other religions had the right to use the word Allah for God.
Second, in the clear statements by many Malaysian political leaders and journalists that this kind of violence is not acceptable.
The problem is that many Muslims know very well that Mohammed would have found it acceptable. And Mohammed is the model for every Muslim, not the constitution of any country, even a Muslim one.
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