Atheists just happen to disbelieve in one more god than I do?

I wrote a column several years ago about the notion that those who disagree with my theology are, theologically speaking, entirely wrong.  Not merely mistaken on one or more points, but utterly and completely wrong.  Contradictory at every level.

Thus, for example, Catholic beliefs about God are totally wrong, there’s no truth at all in Buddhism, and Allah is a completely different God than is the Christian Elohim or Jehovah.

I don’t believe this.  I’ve never believed it.  Moreover, when I’ve spoken or written on the topic, I’ve consistently and plainly denied it.  In fact, the way I’ve approached my whole career — including decades of speaking, teaching, writing and publishing on Islam and, to a much lesser degree, on other faiths — is built on, among other things, a rejection of the idea.

Still, for obvious tactical reasons — they can then triumphantly say, “See?  Religious claims are a mass of confusion!  You all contradict each other!” — some atheists are eager to attribute the idea  to me and my fellow believers.

Here’ a link to that column. It seems time to bring it up again:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705387043/Gods-sheep-recognize-his-voice.html?pg=all

Posted from Berlin, Germany