Actually, it is not Bahasa Malaysia but Bahasa Indonesia as the Bibles are printed in Indonesia and imported into Malaysia.
The Umno Malays are outraged because they suspect that the Christians have a hidden agenda. And this hidden agenda is to confuse Muslims into thinking that the God for the Christians is the same God as for the Muslims. And if the Malays are fooled into thinking that both the Christians and Muslims share the same God then the Malays might leave Islam and convert to Christianity.
So the Christians should not also call their God Allah, never mind that the Arab Jews and Christians also use Allah for God. You see, the Arab Muslims are not stupid enough to become confused and fooled into thinking that Jews, Christians and Muslims share the same God -- and therefore would leave Islam to become a Jew or Christian. Umno, however, feels that the Malays are not as clever as the Arabs. So, while the Arabs of all religions use the same word, Allah, for God, this must not be allowed in the Malay/Indonesian language Bible.
Umno has no confidence that the Malays are able to think. Umno thinks that the Malays are stupid and are easily fooled. Umno also feels that the Malays lack faith and are ignorant about Islam. This means all it takes is for the Bible to use the word Allah and thousands of Malays would leave Islam and become Christians.
Okay, maybe the Quran does say that there is only one God, Allah -- the God of all mankind. Maybe the Quran also says that all followers of Moses and followers of Jesus who follow the way (adeen) of Abraham are the true submitters (meaning Muslim). Maybe Jews, Christians and Muslims are regarded as followers of Abraham’s way and that the three religions are referred to as the Abrahamic faith that share the same God. But this knowledge and understanding is only for learned people. And Umno does not feel that the Malays are learned enough to understand this. Umno feels that this may instead confuse the Malays and turn them into apostates.
If apostasy is the issue, then why stop at the word Allah? Since Umno wants to ban Bibles from using the word Allah to prevent apostasy then why not do what the Harakah Daily item above suggested? If Umno is genuinely concerned about apostasy amongst Muslims, then come out with laws to make it illegal for Muslims to leave Islam -- like many other Muslim countries. Since, according to Umno, the Malays are not capable of thinking and can get easily fooled into leaving Islam, then, for the sake of the Malays, make it a crime to leave Islam.
I dare Umno to do this to show that they are sincere and genuinely concerned about the welfare of the Malay Muslims. Accept the challenge from PAS and let’s see where we go from there. Then it does not matter any longer if Bibles use the word Allah for God because any Malay who leaves Islam because of it will be put to death. Would any Malay who reads the Bible dare become confused and leave Islam when death will be what they face if they do?
Anyway, Umno is planning a demonstration tomorrow to protest the court decision. I feel they should organise this protest in front of the Indonesian Embassy considering that Indonesia is the main culprit here. Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world and yet it allows the Christians to confuse Muslims (as alleged by Umno) by allowing the Bible to use Allah for God. (Actually Indonesia is not a Muslim country since it upholds secularism but rather the country has the largest Muslim population).
The Indonesian language Bibles use the word Allah for God only because the Indonesian government allows it. So Indonesia and not the Christians are to be blamed here. And therefore Umno should demonstrate in front of the Indonesian Embassy to express their outrage.
MT
07/01/2010
The Umno Malays are outraged because they suspect that the Christians have a hidden agenda. And this hidden agenda is to confuse Muslims into thinking that the God for the Christians is the same God as for the Muslims. And if the Malays are fooled into thinking that both the Christians and Muslims share the same God then the Malays might leave Islam and convert to Christianity.
So the Christians should not also call their God Allah, never mind that the Arab Jews and Christians also use Allah for God. You see, the Arab Muslims are not stupid enough to become confused and fooled into thinking that Jews, Christians and Muslims share the same God -- and therefore would leave Islam to become a Jew or Christian. Umno, however, feels that the Malays are not as clever as the Arabs. So, while the Arabs of all religions use the same word, Allah, for God, this must not be allowed in the Malay/Indonesian language Bible.
Umno has no confidence that the Malays are able to think. Umno thinks that the Malays are stupid and are easily fooled. Umno also feels that the Malays lack faith and are ignorant about Islam. This means all it takes is for the Bible to use the word Allah and thousands of Malays would leave Islam and become Christians.
Okay, maybe the Quran does say that there is only one God, Allah -- the God of all mankind. Maybe the Quran also says that all followers of Moses and followers of Jesus who follow the way (adeen) of Abraham are the true submitters (meaning Muslim). Maybe Jews, Christians and Muslims are regarded as followers of Abraham’s way and that the three religions are referred to as the Abrahamic faith that share the same God. But this knowledge and understanding is only for learned people. And Umno does not feel that the Malays are learned enough to understand this. Umno feels that this may instead confuse the Malays and turn them into apostates.
If apostasy is the issue, then why stop at the word Allah? Since Umno wants to ban Bibles from using the word Allah to prevent apostasy then why not do what the Harakah Daily item above suggested? If Umno is genuinely concerned about apostasy amongst Muslims, then come out with laws to make it illegal for Muslims to leave Islam -- like many other Muslim countries. Since, according to Umno, the Malays are not capable of thinking and can get easily fooled into leaving Islam, then, for the sake of the Malays, make it a crime to leave Islam.
I dare Umno to do this to show that they are sincere and genuinely concerned about the welfare of the Malay Muslims. Accept the challenge from PAS and let’s see where we go from there. Then it does not matter any longer if Bibles use the word Allah for God because any Malay who leaves Islam because of it will be put to death. Would any Malay who reads the Bible dare become confused and leave Islam when death will be what they face if they do?
Anyway, Umno is planning a demonstration tomorrow to protest the court decision. I feel they should organise this protest in front of the Indonesian Embassy considering that Indonesia is the main culprit here. Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world and yet it allows the Christians to confuse Muslims (as alleged by Umno) by allowing the Bible to use Allah for God. (Actually Indonesia is not a Muslim country since it upholds secularism but rather the country has the largest Muslim population).
The Indonesian language Bibles use the word Allah for God only because the Indonesian government allows it. So Indonesia and not the Christians are to be blamed here. And therefore Umno should demonstrate in front of the Indonesian Embassy to express their outrage.
MT
07/01/2010
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