In the name of God...

The other day we reported that the Malaysian government, having banned a Catholic newspaper from using the word "Allah" (Arabic for God) because it considered it exclusive to Muslims, did a sensible U-turn.  Well, it now seems to have U-turned back again.   This is the newspaper's own site; but most interesting is the blogging on the subject.    The ban "also affects the Sikh community who use the word extensively to refer to God", says one.   Another scornfully asks whether Muslims are so naive they could be tricked into conversion if Christians use the word?   It jeers refreshingly at the government's use of "may arouse sensitivities" (shades of our own local authorities objecting to china pigs).     On the other hand a Muslim blog says Allah is exclusively for Muslims to use, and calls for protests.   
On the other hand again, this spot says "Had they an inkling of the truth, they would have grasped the fact that Allah in Arabic is the name of God, used by Jews, Christians, Druze, Muslims, Bahai..."   A history of the word is here.