Allah in the Bible [1]

The Politics of Name

From Tanah Melayu, a Tale or two

Of a most interesting nature, far as I can tell

Our dear Catholics, to increase Statistics

Wants to have the Allah name as well

The local muslims, patience to the brim

Sees that this is all a ploy

To lure young malays to leave their faiths

And follow the paths of Minah Joy

It is their hope that a malay dope

Be taken in with little white lies

Hopefully they’ll chew everything as true

That Allah is the biological Pa of Christ

Now certain elements, to their detriment…

Are quick to seize upon this plight

Malaysia’s Bishop, he’s really mixed up

Insists to share the Holy Name’s rights

But then the Pope, who holds the rope

And conflict being the least that he desire

Whether to agree, or simply disagree

He’s trapped in this local quagmire

If he says yes, He’ll undergo stress

To print the name Allah in Bibles worldwide

And how could that be, for semantically

“Allah Father of Yesu” just doesn’t sound right

And would they agree, specifically

That we emboss in every ringgit and coin

To stress loud and clear, from Rukunegara

That “Kepercayaan kepada Allah” point

The Rest of the Christian, Denominations

They don’t give a hoot about names

But this case they see, as an opportunity

To make the BN a punchbag of blames

The Lutherans, the Methodists, the Southern Baptists

The Anglicans (and Jehovahs Witness too)

They don’t really care if the Allah name is there

As long as they know who to be dissentful to

Now please appreciate this thing about faith

Is not about dogmas, but about acquiring names

For who would deny, instead of Hong Wong Kai

Its so much cooler if people call you James?

The Maribelle Wongs and the Johnathan Chongs

And the electrifying Maximillian Vadivelloo

In all their bliss they have so wished

“We are now westerners, people. When will you?”

Paper moneys and hindu kavadis

Have given way to communion crackers

"Now at long last we’re now in the same class

As Elvis, as Cher, as the Jonas Brothers"


Leman Pulut

(More fun to come in part 2)