the first day of Arabic lessons -remember this is all just a lark for me, I'm not really committed to learning Arabic- was part one of five of "on the airplane"
the dialogue today was about names and I encoutnered the idea that built into the Arabic language is a certain religiosity. If someone asks you how you are doing, you don't respond fine, or the Arabic equivalent, but instead "Praise be allah" which is a bit disturbing for those of us who don't believe in allah. It's a tad disconcerting. ... and I wonder to myself is allah the same as my G-d?

I really don't know.

The universalist in me would like to say yes, ...I'd like to say that the G-d worshipped by all monotheistic cultures is the same G-d. I might even believe that, but then I wonder about all these suicide bombings and the vehement cries of the Arabs and I'm not so sure. I'm curious about it, too, because I've been learning about idol worship and I'm curious to know... whether or not I can refer to allah or not?...