God = Allah = Yahweh = Jehovah = G-d .... You'd think it'd be that easy. I wish that it was.
Sitting here.... it being practically a day until Christmas. Myspace music isn't working on this computer, so that is making me a little annoyed. But no worries other than that.
I'm kind of indifferent about the whole thing. Not sure why. But yeah, it may be because people don't focus on the true meaning of the holiday. In case you didn't know, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus on this holiday. Now it is debated when Jesus was born and his significance in the world, but any rational person can at least say that he is an important part of our world's history and a great teacher and peacemaker.
Jesus' teachings were that of peace and loving your fellow man. Teachings about the grace of God and to turn the other cheek. Our society has driven away from these basic and simple lessons. Be it the acceptance of abortion, the problem in Iraq and our screw-ups in the Middle East in general and the remaining practice of the death penalty in this nation. Immorality is abound in this society, and our government just perpetuates it by allowing those said practices go on.
Now before you call me a Bible-beater or a Jesus-freak or any other pejorative for a fundamentalist Christian that you can think of, please realize where I come from. Though I do identify myself as a Protestant, and I do believe that Jesus Christ is my personal saviour, I do not believe that he is the only way. Consider the one billion Muslims out there, or the millions of practicing Jews out there. These faiths believe in my God, and I see them as my true brothers and sisters, even more so than certain Christian denominations. I see Judaism as the basis for the two faiths following it, Islam and Christianity. Islam being the youngest, and I can debate clarifies what God intended his message to be.
Yes, Islam has gotten a whole lot of bad press recently here in the States, and a lot of this is true. But it comes from a select minority of Islamofascists and ultra-fundamentalists that see tradition more than the word of Mohammed as faith. This is totally wrong and is similar to the KKK and its origins in certain Protestant faiths.
But to fight Islamofascism isn't through war, but through reason. We must do it the moral way. Iran is under control of these sinners, and a peaceful exchange of power is needed so the West can better see true intent of Islam as a peaceful, respectful cousin of their own native faith. The word Islam itself includes the word "peace" in it, it meaning "the peaceful submission to God". Allah is God and God is Allah, this is the truth that Christians and Jews should realize.
Before I go on a lengthy rant about this, I would just like to wrap up what I'm trying to get across in this entry. I would just like to see one day (be it from Heaven, because it will probably not happen in my time) the unification of these three faiths that believe in the God of Abraham. We have fought for centuries upon centuries, but yet, we believe in the same God and we are all this God's children. Let us mature ourselves and be well-behaved siblings under God. This is wishful thinking, but hope and wishes are more easily answered or fulfilled around Christmastime, so why not talk about them?
I hope that everyone out there has a wonderful Christmas, and remember Jesus and thank him for what he wanted to accomplish, even if you do not think he died for your sins.
Peace. : )
I'm kind of indifferent about the whole thing. Not sure why. But yeah, it may be because people don't focus on the true meaning of the holiday. In case you didn't know, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus on this holiday. Now it is debated when Jesus was born and his significance in the world, but any rational person can at least say that he is an important part of our world's history and a great teacher and peacemaker.
Jesus' teachings were that of peace and loving your fellow man. Teachings about the grace of God and to turn the other cheek. Our society has driven away from these basic and simple lessons. Be it the acceptance of abortion, the problem in Iraq and our screw-ups in the Middle East in general and the remaining practice of the death penalty in this nation. Immorality is abound in this society, and our government just perpetuates it by allowing those said practices go on.
Now before you call me a Bible-beater or a Jesus-freak or any other pejorative for a fundamentalist Christian that you can think of, please realize where I come from. Though I do identify myself as a Protestant, and I do believe that Jesus Christ is my personal saviour, I do not believe that he is the only way. Consider the one billion Muslims out there, or the millions of practicing Jews out there. These faiths believe in my God, and I see them as my true brothers and sisters, even more so than certain Christian denominations. I see Judaism as the basis for the two faiths following it, Islam and Christianity. Islam being the youngest, and I can debate clarifies what God intended his message to be.
Yes, Islam has gotten a whole lot of bad press recently here in the States, and a lot of this is true. But it comes from a select minority of Islamofascists and ultra-fundamentalists that see tradition more than the word of Mohammed as faith. This is totally wrong and is similar to the KKK and its origins in certain Protestant faiths.
But to fight Islamofascism isn't through war, but through reason. We must do it the moral way. Iran is under control of these sinners, and a peaceful exchange of power is needed so the West can better see true intent of Islam as a peaceful, respectful cousin of their own native faith. The word Islam itself includes the word "peace" in it, it meaning "the peaceful submission to God". Allah is God and God is Allah, this is the truth that Christians and Jews should realize.
Before I go on a lengthy rant about this, I would just like to wrap up what I'm trying to get across in this entry. I would just like to see one day (be it from Heaven, because it will probably not happen in my time) the unification of these three faiths that believe in the God of Abraham. We have fought for centuries upon centuries, but yet, we believe in the same God and we are all this God's children. Let us mature ourselves and be well-behaved siblings under God. This is wishful thinking, but hope and wishes are more easily answered or fulfilled around Christmastime, so why not talk about them?
I hope that everyone out there has a wonderful Christmas, and remember Jesus and thank him for what he wanted to accomplish, even if you do not think he died for your sins.
Peace. : )