# Do Muslims and Christians worship the same God? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 18, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770 "2003-12-18T15:35:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/1 "2003-12-18T15:35:23Z")
Well do we? I ask, because in a speech the other day, [the President opined-](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/11/24/wgod24.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/11/24/ixworld.html) > [@](#): > > Evangelical American Christians have turned on President George W Bush after he said, at a press conference with Tony Blair, that Christians and Muslims worshipped the same God. > > Mr Blair side-stepped the invitation to discuss his religious faith in public but Mr Bush followed his practice and declared: “I believe we worship the same God.” > > Though a born-again Christian who has wooed evangelicals and other religious conservatives, since the September 11 attacks Mr Bush has taken pains to defend Islam as a religion of peace, and deny any religious component to the war on terror. > > But his comments received a swift rebuke from Christian leaders, and caused shock on religious talk radio stations. I always thought (in a lazy, un-researched, assuming, WAG kind of way) that we kinda, sorta did on a fundmental basis, but disagreed on the who, what, when, where of the prophets etc. [This article in Slate indicates the Judeau-Christian God is not necessarily related to the God of Islam in the eyes of many Christians.](http://slate.msn.com/id/2092762/) > [@](#): > > Most evangelicals these days have no problem with the idea that Jews and Christians pray to the same God. They acknowledge that Christianity grew out of Judaism and that therefore Jews must be at least attempting to pray to the same God, even if they’re making the big mistake of going around Jesus. > > The real controversy is whether Muslims pray to the same God as Christians and Jews. So, in the spirit of the Ramadan-Hanukkah-Christmas season, we went straight to God’s biographer, or at least Jack Miles, author of God: A Biography. He noted that linguistic similarities indicated that Bush’s position is correct: > > Allah in Arabic is a contraction for al-ilah, “the-God,” and as such is cognate with Hebrew eloh, “god” (plural of abstraction, elohim, “deity”). Linguistic technicalities aside, what matters is that back in the seventh century, the first Muslims were using the same kind of word in Arabic that the Jews were using theologically in Hebrew and using it in the same way. > > As evidence that Jews, Christians, and Muslims “have always assumed their differences to be about the character rather than the identity of God,” Miles points to life in medieval Spain, where people of the three faiths mingled and disagreed with each other about the “same divine subject.” Thomas Aquinas, for instance, wrote Summa Contra Gentiles in part to refute the Muslim philosopher Ibn Rushd, but he never tried to make the argument that Muslims were praying to a different God. [Evangelicals aren’t happy with the President’s statement](http://www.beliefnet.com/story/136/story_13644_1.html) > [@](#): > > Alas, the President answered the second part of the question, and I believe he answered it incorrectly. When reporters called to ask for my response to the President’s statement, I told them that like many other Americans, I applaud the President as a man of deep religious faith who attempts to bring those convictions to bear on public policy. I immediately added, however, that he is Commander-in-Chief, not theologian-in-chief. And when President Bush concludes that Muslims and Christians worship the same God, he is simply mistaken. > > The Bible is very clear about this. There is only one true God and His name is Jehovah, not Allah. Furthermore, the Bible tells us that Jehovah’s only begotten Son is Jesus Christ, of the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, born of the Jewish virgin Mary. And this Jesus, the Son of the only true God, has proclaimed in no uncertain terms, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/2 "2003-12-18T15:37:03Z")
[www.texemarrs.com/same\_god.htm](http://www.texemarrs.com/same_god.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/3 "2003-12-18T15:39:55Z")
Seems like a discussion in semantics… not religion… You would do better comparing what their “Gods” demand their followers to do. Which means taking the Koran and the Bible as direct telegraph from their dieties. Then taking that the original “word from god” wasn’t re-edited for personal gain. If both dieties demand similar things than maybe they are the same… 🙂 The problem would lie with the “interpreters”. Commonly knows as mullahs and priests. These would be where the religions are different. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/4 "2003-12-18T15:48:17Z")
Muslims say that they, Jews and Christians all worship the same God, and that’s been a tenant of Islam since its beginning. I will say, though, that the traditional view of God in Christianity has been, in my opinion, at least, fundamentally different than the traditional view of God in either Islam or Judaism (who, traditionally, have had fundamentally similar concepts of God) ---
**Author:** ![IWLN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5ac83/32.png) [@IWLN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IWLN)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/5 "2003-12-18T15:55:21Z")
Unless you think believing in a god somehow literally creates that god, we are, without much doubt all worshipping the same G-d. We just don’t know it. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/6 "2003-12-18T16:07:38Z")
Muslims say that Christians and Jews worship the same god they do. Christians say the Jews worship the same god they do. Jews aren’t too sure about that, mind you. However, from a christian mindset, while muslims may be in _error_ or apostacy about many things, I don’t see why you couldn’t say muslims are worshipping the same god they are. Wrongly, horribly so, but it’s not a different god, is it? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/7 "2003-12-18T16:16:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by E-Sabbath \* > \*\*Muslims say that Christians and Jews worship the same god they do. > > Christians say the Jews worship the same god they do. > > Jews aren’t too sure about that, mind you. > > However, from a christian mindset, while muslims may be in _error_ or apostacy about many things, I don’t see why you couldn’t say muslims are worshipping the same god they are. Wrongly, horribly so, but it’s not a different god, is it? \*\* So some Jews think that the Christian “God” and the Jewish “God” are different entities? ---
**Author:** ![Genghis\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/45deac/32.png) [@Genghis\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genghis_Bob)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/8 "2003-12-18T16:21:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by IWLN \* > \*\*Unless you think believing in a god somehow literally creates that god, we are, without much doubt all worshipping the same G-d. We just don’t know it. \*\* Sounds right to me, **IWLN**. In effect, we’re all worshipping an elephant, and we’ll all find out how and where we were wrong in the end. My favorit athiest is Isaac Asimov (not a hijack, bear with me). I’ve always cherished the image I hold of his surprise when he got to the Pearly Gates to find God waiting for him, his arms open wide and a big ol’ shit-eating grin on his face. I suspect that’s the way it’ll be for most of us. Maybe there’ll be a “what-were-you-thinking-when-you-believed-that” session as part of Heavenly Orientation. Right before we get issued our wings and stratocasters. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/9 "2003-12-18T17:10:12Z")
Gotta love the people who are so afraid of the word “God” that they blank it out 😉 Anyone read “Small Gods” by Terry Prachett? Mmm… ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/10 "2003-12-18T17:28:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by IWLN \* > \*\*Unless you think believing in a god somehow literally creates that god, we are, without much doubt all worshipping the same G-d. We just don’t know it. \*\* Why? Somebody can believe in a god that doesn’t exist. And if no gods exist, it’s possible that Christians, Jews and Muslims might all believe in different fictional gods. (or all in the same fictional god) ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/11 "2003-12-18T17:29:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by athelas \* > **Gotta love the people who are so afraid of the word “God” that they blank it out 😉** It’s a Jewish thing. ---
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/12 "2003-12-18T17:44:54Z")
My understanding (which could be mistaken) is: ``` Muslims seem to believe that Christians, Muslims and Jews worship the same God. Jews seem to believe that Muslims and Jews worship the same God which is different from the Christian God. Evangelical Christians seem to believe that Christians and Jews worship the same God which is different from the Muslim God. ``` From an atheist perspective it’s all rather amusing.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/13 "2003-12-18T17:54:31Z")
What about the French? They worship Dieu not God! ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/14 "2003-12-18T18:02:54Z")
It seem pretty obvious to me that Christianity, Islam, and Judaism all ostensibly worship the same God of Abraham. Tradition tells us that Abraham had two children, Isaac and Ishmael, from who the Jews and the Muslims descend, respectively. Christians consider the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to be an update to the Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants JHVH made with the Jews (expanding it to all those who believe in Christ). I think the major differences stem from the conceptualization of the supreme being. Judaism and Islam are rigidly monotheistic, so even though Christians generally understand the Trinity to be different aspects of the same Being, the concept of a tripartite god (especially the idea of G-d incarnate as Jesus Christ) is still considered highly blasphemous to Jews and Muslims; and from what I remember of the Qu’ran, this puts Christians, in terms of their theology, in a position of quite lower esteem than the Jews, if at all possible. Rather ironic, given the current state of events in the Middle East, especially vis a vis the Palestinians, who include both Muslim and Christian Arabs. Anyway, I think the Islamic understanding is that Paul distorted the ministry of Jesus, blasphemously elevating the status of Jesus from that of a great prophet to that of G-d Himself. The picture of Jesus in the Talmud is rather unflattering: Jesus is the bastard child of Miriam the hairdresser who, after being intiated into secret rites in Egypt, turns to the black arts and becomes some sort of perverse magician. (I think at one point, like the 15th century maybe(?), there was an attempt to expunge all references to Jeshu in the Talmud in hopes of mitigating the horrible persecution the Jews were experiencing in Europe…but unaltered versions survive to this day.) Obviously, if Christians worship the man Jesus an aspect of the Father Himself, there’s some serious disparities, as Islam sees Jesus as a very mortal prophet, and some parts of the Judaic tradition describe Jesus as a depraved sorceror. However, I still think that all pratitioners of these faiths regard THEMSELVES as spiritual descendants of Abraham, and in that sense they lay claim to the same diety. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/15 "2003-12-18T18:08:05Z")
It’s the same God. Those evangelicals who say it isn’t are just ignorant buffoons. There is no nitpicky distinction that can be made between the Christian and Muslim concepts of God that can’t be made between the Christian and Jewish concepts of God. Quoted in the OP: > [@](#): > > The Bible is very clear about this. There is only one true God and His name is Jehovah, not Allah. This is a moron speaking. For one thing, the Bible does not use the English word “God” in any of ots original languages so it’s pretty stupid to whine about it not using the Arabic “Allah.” Secondly, it doesn’t use the word “Jehovah” either. That’s a misconstruction of the Tetragrammaton, YHWH. ---
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/16 "2003-12-18T18:12:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by athelas \* > Anyone read “Small Gods” by Terry Prachett? So far, my favorite of his! (I’ve read only 4 or 5). Tinker ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/17 "2003-12-18T18:33:33Z")
**athelas** It’s not fear. It’s reverence. Anyway, two persons of the same faith can be worshipping the same deity, but still be bitterly divided. So I think the proper emphasis here is really on the worship, not on the god(s), or lack thereof. As long as we approach the unknowable (except to fundies, of course :rolleyes:) ultimate reality in divisive ways, it doesn’t really matter what that reality is. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/18 "2003-12-18T18:35:11Z")
Boy, that smilie didn’t work out. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/19 "2003-12-18T18:35:11Z")
Do you think protestants, evangelists and catholics pray to the same god ? They hardly seem to be from the same category: Christians. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770/20 "2003-12-18T18:51:02Z")
**Rashak Mani** Yes, I do. But when I said the same, I meant absolutely the same. Consider, for example, the gay-bishop controversy in the Episcopal church. Or the “Methodist Civil War”:[http://www.emory.edu/EMORY\_MAGAZINE/spring97/enigma.html](http://www.emory.edu/EMORY_MAGAZINE/spring97/enigma.html) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-and-christians-worship-the-same-god/219770.md?page=2)