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Dutch bishop: Call God ‘Allah’ to ease relations
Roman Catholic leader stokes already heated debate on religion

Aug 15, 2007

AMSTERDAM - A Roman Catholic Bishop in the Netherlands has proposed people of all faiths refer to God as Allah to foster understanding, stoking an already heated debate on religious tolerance in a country with one million Muslims.

Bishop Tiny Muskens, from the southern diocese of Breda, told Dutch television on Monday that God did not mind what he was named and that in Indonesia, where Muskens spent eight years, priests used the word "Allah" while celebrating Mass.

"Allah is a very beautiful word for God. Shouldn't we all say that from now on we will name God Allah? ... What does God care what we call him? It is our problem."

A survey in the Netherlands' biggest-selling newspaper De Telegraaf on Wednesday found 92 percent of the more than 4,000 people polled disagreed with the bishop's view, which also drew ridicule.

"Sure. Lets call God Allah. Lets then call a church a mosque and pray five times a day. Ramadan sounds like fun," Welmoet Koppenhol wrote in a letter to the newspaper.

Gerrit de Fijter, chairman of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, told the paper he welcomed any attempt to "create more dialogue", but added: "Calling God 'Allah' does no justice to Western identity. I see no benefit in it."

A spokesman from the union of Moroccan mosques in Amsterdam said Muslims had not asked for such a gesture.

Religious tensions on the rise
Signs of tension had already surfaced in the last two weeks after the head of a committee for former Muslims was attacked and populist anti-immigration politician Geert Wilders called for the Koran to be banned.

Bishop Muskens, who will shortly retire, has raised eyebrows in the past with suggestions that those who are hungry may steal bread and that condoms should be permissible in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

Some Dutch Muslims welcomed his comments as a valuable gesture of support coming just days after Wilders branded the Quran a "fascist book" in the vein of Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf" which legitimizes violence.

Wilders, whose new party won nine seats out of the 150 in parliament in last November's elections, is well known for his firebrand remarks on Islam.

He said an attack by two Moroccans and a Somali on the head of a Dutch group for "ex-Muslims" had spurred him to write.

Issues of immigration and integration had faded from the Dutch political agenda over the last year, after a period of unprecedented social tension sparked by the 2004 murder of Theo Van Gogh, a filmmaker critical of Islam, by a Muslim militant.

Dutch bishop: Call God ‘Allah’ to ease relations (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20279326/)

If church leaders are not talking about Jesus, you need to say blah, blah, blah...I'm not listening.  God does care what we call him.   The present pope is also trying to blend muslim/catholics together.  Anything to "please" islam, so they don't make a fuss.

God = God
allah = satan

satan's desire is to replace God with himself.

Refer to God as allah? NOT!!!!!!

The big deception is beginning my friends.

Could the pope be the anti Christ?

My friend said it isn't probable because he would have to bring alot of people to Jesus. Also popes have nothing. Friend did say it isn't impossible

Hello Brother David,

I don't know, but I have heard quite a few very shocking statements made recently. It's ironic that I just saw this Bishop in a news release making this statement. It was like I was hearing something from a mental ward. I really had a hard time believing this statement was actually made. This is a horrible example of blasphemy. I would die before saying something like this.

I also remember a recent and formal statement from the Pope that the theory of evolution is true. That would mean that the Holy Bible is false, so Darwin's word in a theory is more valued than GOD'S WORD. This is another example of blasphemy.

We are living in a horrible time when GOD is disrespected and blasphemed on a regular basis. This is yet another sign of the possible end days of this Age of Grace. ALMIGHTY GOD does not have infinite patience with disobedient and disrespectful men. No man knows the day, but the time appears to be near when mankind will be held to account. Many other world events appear to be lining up for the highly detailed Prophecy of the Holy Bible. There are a series of many things listed as signs, and they are here already. I'm not hinting that I have any kind of revelation, just that the times resemble Bible Prophecy. Many of the places written about by the Old Testament Prophet Daniel are still known by the same names. There is much more information from many other Prophets of the Holy Bible to compare and compile for the big picture of Bible Prophecy. Others were given enough details to identify, and they all appear to be active on the world scene and on course for fulfillment. I won't guess when, but I will say that it appears to be soon. We must remember that the words of Bible Prophets were GOD'S WORDS that will all be fulfilled perfectly. By the way, natural disasters are also one of the signs. This is why there is so much information on the forum about natural disasters. The time will be GOD'S TIME!

Love In Christ,
Tom

I agree with Brother Tom ... I don't know if the pope is the anti-Christ or not but if not he is definitely compromising the word of God and many of these people are preaching nothing but pure blasphemy from the pulpits.

.

At this moment in time, not even the anti-christ knows who he is.  The anti-christ will be revaled after the Rapture.  Check out Revelations 6..............

Revelations 6:1-2 THEN I saw as the Lamb broke open one of the seven seals, and as if in a voice of thunder I heard one of the four living creatures call out, Come! 2 And I looked, and saw there a white horse whose rider carried a bow. And a crown was given him, and he rode forth conquering and to conquer.

This first seal, is the anti-christ.

For more on this David check out on my web pages The  anti-christ, & false prophet (http://www.freewebs.com/christanityrocks2/antichristfalseprophet.htm) <---- link to my web page on the anti-christ, & false prophet.  This is about 1/4 the way down the page.

Edited to add;  Brother David, if you have any questions, please ask away on the forum.  I am willing to take time to answer questions you may have, about the anti-christ, & false prophet.

Resting in the hands, of the Lord.
Bob

As I am sure that any of us here are also willing to help all we can.

AMEN brother, I didn't want to speak for anyone else though.

Brother David,

Please add at least one more who will be glad to discuss this very important subject. I say important because of the times that we live in. I must also add that the study of Bible Prophecy is fascinating. GOD tells his Promises about dealing with good and evil, and some very difficult questions Christians might have about this short life are answered. For now, I'll simply say that I will love the appearing of JESUS CHRIST and I'm ready to go home whenever JESUS comes for us. The same will be true for all Christians who understand and believe GOD'S Promises.

Brother David, please let me say one more thing about why Bible Prophecy is such an important subject. Knowing about GOD'S Promises to Christians gives us peace and joy. Knowing about GOD'S Promises for evil in this world makes us want to share JESUS CHRIST and the CROSS with the lost. We are hoping and praying that many lost people will still accept CHRIST while there is time. There is also peace and joy in serving GOD. It's very sad that many will reject CHRIST because we know what's going to happen to them. On the other side of the coin, we will be spending Eternity with our Brothers and Sisters in CHRIST. Our Eternity together with JESUS will be more beautiful than words can describe, but there are some incredibly beautiful portions of Scripture that give us a good idea about what things will be like.

Love In Christ,
Tom

This is another good opportunity to share the GOOD NEWS, and I pray that GOD will use it.
____________________________________





1:  Romans 3:10 NASB  as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."

2:  Romans 3:23  NASB  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

3:  Romans 5:12  NASB  Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--

4:  Romans 6:23  NASB  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

5:  Romans 1:18  NASB  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

6:  Romans 3:20  NASB  because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

7:  Romans 3:27  NASB  Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.

8:  Romans 5:8-9  NASB  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

9:  Romans 2:4  NASB  Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

10:  Romans 3:22  NASB  even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;

11:  Romans 3:28  NASB  For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

12:  Romans 10:9  NASB  that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

13:  Romans 4:21  NASB  and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.

14:  Romans 4:24 NASB  but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

15:  Romans 5:1  NASB  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

16:  Romans 10:10  NASB  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

17:  Romans 10:13  NASB  for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."