Controversy rages over the question, but now the government of Malaysia has weighed in with the opinion that Allah is unique to Islam. The AP reports:  A Malaysian church and a Christian weekly newspaper are suing the government for banning them from using the word "Allah," alleging that the prohibition is unconstitutional and against freedom of religion. The move follows the government's declaration that "Allah" - which means God in the Malay language - refers to the Muslim God and can only be used by Muslims. [emphasis added]These are the first legal challenges against the mainly Muslim government's decision, and they come amid minority groups' increasing concerns that their rights are being trampled upon. The issue has many facets. If Islam is to ever accept other religions as fully legitimate and peacefully coexist on the model of the reconciliation between Christianity and Judaism, then espousal of a common God worshipped in slightly different ways is...(Read Full Post)