The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob ...

I realize that most people here do not consider themselves to be people of faith, but I cannot let go of something I heard this morning. So, please bear with me or, if you prefer, just skip this one...

Those of us who do follow the Abrahamic traditions share much. We share a faith in the one true God, the Creator of all that is seen and unseen. We believe He has revealed His will to us through the Prophets. We have much in common. More, I believe, than our differences.

The leader of my Church, Pope Leo, recently visited the Blue Mosque (the Sultan Ahmed Mosque) in Istanbul. I have also been there. It is beautiful. It is spiritual. It is transcendent. And, while there, I prayed. Pope Leo's predecessor, Pope Francis, also prayed when visiting the Blue Mosque. Pope Leo chose not to pray while there or with the Iman's at all. As a Roman Catholic, I am disappointed.

With all that is happening in the world today, he chose to focus in that moment on differences rather than similarities.

I don't want to be too critical of Pope Leo. He is new and I don't really know much about him. But in this act, to pray or not to pray in a "different" house of God, I think we can see and draw lesson. For me, I will always choose to strive for unity and understanding, not divisiveness.

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Livingwell · 61-69, M

I agree with you Sara. Not sure why he wouldn't pray his prayers in a different house. One thing I have found interesting is the concept of one God. Each religion believes in this concept. But each choose their own God. Why not choose to accept that he may go by different names but he is the same God. I use "him" but I would think God transcends the concept of gender as he represents all mankind.

samueltyler2 · 80-89, M

@Livingwell the belief in one God descends from Abraham, there are eastern religions that have other origins. They are just as real religions as ours. I has always amazed me that almost every ethnic tradition seems to share some similarities as to the origin of the world and human life, and also a massive flood.

sarabee1995 · 31-35, F

@Livingwell A point of clarification if I may ... The Abrahamic faiths (those descended or derived from Abraham and Isaac and Jacob - Judaism, Christianity, & Islam) are monotheistic: hold a belief in the one true God (the God of Abraham). The vast majority of the rest of the world religions are polytheistic.

Also, I agree completely with you that God transcends the concept of gender and the original texts of Scripture support this. He is neither male nor female. We, together, are made in His image.