In Malaysia, Uproar Grows Over Use of Word ‘Allah’ - January 10, 2010

[ZombieHorde]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/world/asia/11malaysia.html

By SETH MYDANS

An uproar among Muslims in Malaysia over the use of the word Allah by Christians spread over the weekend with the firebombing and vandalizing of several churches, increasing tensions at a time of political turbulence. Arsonists struck three churches and a convent school early Sunday and splashed black paint on another church. This followed the firebombing of four churches on Friday and Saturday. No injuries were reported, and only one of the churches, Metro Tabernacle in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, suffered extensive damage.

-snip-

The tensions are shaking a multiethnic, multiracial state that has attempted to maintain harmony among its citizens: mostly Muslim Malays who make up 60 percent of the population, and minority Chinese and Indians, who mostly practice Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism. About 9 percent of Malaysia’s population of 28 million people are Christian, most of them Chinese or Indian. Analysts say this is the first outright confrontation between Muslims and Christians. But race has become a staple of political discourse in recent years, and religion has been its vehicle, said Ooi Kee Beng, a fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.

-snip-

Hindus have protested the destruction of some temples, and Muslims paraded a severed cow’s head in the streets last November to protest the construction of a new one.

-snip-

“It’s only a few people who are inflamed about it, while the rest of the country is going on as if normal,” she said in an interview. “But if you keep stoking and if you keep giving these people leeway, sooner or later more and more people will think, ‘Oh, maybe we should be upset as well.”

[CJCRANE]

1. Even the Koran says that Christians are "People of the Book"

and implies that Islam is a continuation (and revision) of Judaism and Christianity.

I don't get the logic of attacking them for worshiping the same god.

[LuvNewcastle]

2. These must be fundamentalist Muslims

that are so upset about this, just like some fundie Christians who claim that Catholics aren't Christians because they worship differently. Still, I wonder why the Christians chose to use 'Allah' as their word for God. Unless they are Arabic-speaking Christians, and I don't think they are, it seems to me that they would have their own word for God.

[ZombieHorde]

5. Technically, Muslims can not be fundamentalists. Fundamentalism is a branch of Protestant

Christianity. "Conservative Muslims" might be a better phrase, but I am not 100% sure about that.

[LuvNewcastle]

6. Well if you google "Islamic fundamentalist"

all sorts of things pop up. Here's an article from wiki that gives Islamic fundamentalism a definition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_fundamentalism

I've heard Muslims referred to as fundamentalists for years. I've also heard some referred to as "Mormon fundamentalists." What it means to be a fundamentalist, among other things, is to have a 'back to basics' approach to your religion.

[sharesunited]

3. I conclude that this was an attempt to "fit in" with the Muslim majority which backfired.

But to me it all seems like charlatans arguing with charlatans over who the charlatan is.

[rd_kent]

4. On this, you and I are in total agreement.