Posted on 09/20/2001 7:50:21 AM PDT by malakhi
| "I have seen in the last week much ugly use of religion for chest thumping and blaming 'ragheads' and even blaming our decadence for the events of the last week. I would rather that we continue here, respectful of our unity in citizenship, in displaying how religion can be talked about without veering off into ugliness." (SoothingDave, 9/19/01) |
The Neverending Story (The Christian Chronicles) -- Thread 144
I could try to show that there are three layers, yet there is only one wedding cake. All of the layers are distinct, yet they share in the same "cakeness." In the same way there are three persons who share in the same "divine substance."
This doesn't answer my question. Christian doctrine teaches that God is three persons in one being. Obviously, there must be some distinction which identifies which person is which. The cake is an analogy, but all your analogy really says is that there are three distinct layers, but one cake. What I want to know is, what makes the persons distinct from one another? Why, specifically, do you believe that God is three persons rather than one? I'm looking for something more substantive than "that's just the way it is".
"Is Jesus truly God and truly man? How can that be?" Well, he's not. Paradox resolved. "How can God be three persons in one being?" He's not. Another paradox put to rest. See how easy this is?" LOL! You can learn a lot from a jew. ROFL!
I was being somewhat flippant, but there is a serious point here. If you claim that God is three persons, what do you mean by it? You must mean something, or else it is just an empty phrase. If the three persons are distinct, then how are they distinct?
Or have you found the answers to "How can God be perfect justice and perfect mercy?" and the like?
What is the paradox here? I fail to see a contradiction between the two. Unless you mean to suggest that "perfect justice" means universal damnation, and "perfect mercy" means universal salvation. If they are to be "perfect", then justice must take mercy into account, and mercy must take justice into account.
I don't buy that. Perfect justice is where any wrong is immediately punished. There was a Red Dwarf episode where Rimmer was imprisoned on a ship that had a "justice field." Crime was impossible as anything you tried to do to someone was instead done to you. The perfection of justice would come at our peril or at the loss of our free will.
Perfect mercy is always forgiving and always letting yourself be used by others. Maybe this is "meekness" and to be rewarded, but subjecting people to such conditions will only breed weak people who can not control themselves. They would have no reason to control themselves if all is forgiven and understood.
They are opposites. you are correct that the "perfection" of a system for dealing with us requires a mixture of both elements. But that is not the same.
SD
Would you believe I just used that cake analogy to show how weak such analogies are? ;-)
I'll try to think of a better answer. It will require some study.
SD
I prefer the King James Version. But I encourage the reading of as many other translations as possible within reason. Nothing like God's Word to change a person's heart.
Have you ever heard or read any of the translation of the Gospel of Luke into Gullah (a sort of creole dialect spoken by those living on the islands off the coast of the Carolinas)?
Excerpts from De Good Nyews Bout Jedus Christ Wa Luke Write.
Jedus say, `Ain't nobody gwine light a lamp and den hide um someweh weh day cain't shum. Needa e ain't gwine pit de lamp ondaneet a bushel baskut. E gwine pit de lamp on top ob a table so dem wa come een de house kin see de light.'"
Jedus take some bread an tank God. Den e broke de bread op, gem ta e postle dem. E say, "Dis bread me body wa A gibe ta God fa oona sake. Oona mus eat um fa memba me." Same way, atta de Passoba suppa, Jedus take de cup ob wine and gem ta epostle dem. E say, "De wine een dis cup is de nyew greement tween God an e people. A da make dat greement come true wid me blood, wen A gree fa leh people kill me fa oona sake.
No, I'm not making this up. Check out this link for more information.
Actually, what you just said I read in the Bible.
Gospel of John,Chapter 1 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God. 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
I never said there were three persons.
The distinction in the Trinity is (1) God, whom no,one has ever seen so we don't know. (2) The Son, the human part of God. (3) the Spirit, which is God living in us. When you are a born again Christian and have God's spirit living in you, you KNOW IT.
Another anaolgy is the Sun. You have the physical body of the Sun,the source (God), The light from the sun, (Jesus), and the warmth from the sun that you can't see but you feel, (Spirit).
Becky
SD
Actually, if you'll notice our new "mission statement" above, we are continuing in an effort to avoid things like the recent atrocities. And to display the proper way of discussing religion without it leading to bigotry. There is so much religious hatred being displayed that we want to be a refuge from the fools.
SD
The belief that we should all just get together and have a big love fest becasue we all believe in God so we are all going to be OK is a false teaching that Satan is spreading and America is falling for it hook line and sinker.
The is only ONE way to God, and people need to be told that.
Becky
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