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"It seems a bit queer that an allegedly Jewish person can't (won't?) understand that."

You have no idea!...LOL As a Messianic Jew that accepted Christ as his Lord and savior almost 30 years ago, I regularly witness to other Jews. Because I have Christ in my life does not mean that I have ceased to be a Jew. I am just a complete Jew whose Messiah has arrived.

Conveying the concept of a Trinity to a practicing Jew is much akin to banging your head against a brick wall. It can be done, but it's gonna really hurt. It is a concept that is absolutely antithetical to Jewish teaching. The most essential of prayers, the Shma...in English for you non-Hebrew literate types...goes:

Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is one Lord.

...as in not three. Trust me it is a difficult concept to convey to someone that has been taught all their life that such an idea is heretical.

As for me, God had to kick me in the head three times before I figured it out. I've always felt that if he was willing to give me two extra shots, then the least I can do is try to bring other Jews into the fold.

-Toonces

As for me, God had to kick me in the head three times before I figured it out. I've always felt that if he was willing to give me two extra shots, then the least I can do is try to bring other Jews into the fold.

Thank you. I appreciate your comment.

TOONCES WROTE: "...As a Messianic Jew that accepted Christ as his Lord and savior almost 30 years ago, I regularly witness to other Jews. Because I have Christ in my life does not mean that I have ceased to be a Jew. I am just a complete Jew whose Messiah has arrived."

AMEN! And Congratulations!

TOONCES ADDED: "...Conveying the concept of a Trinity to a practicing Jew is much akin to banging your head against a brick wall. It can be done, but it's gonna really hurt. It is a concept that is absolutely antithetical to Jewish teaching. The most essential of prayers, the Shma...in English for you non-Hebrew literate types...goes:"

TOONCES ADDED: "...Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is one Lord."

TOONCES ADDED: "...as in not three. Trust me it is a difficult concept to convey to someone that has been taught all their life that such an idea is heretical."

I was just recently trying to think of an EASY way to explain the Trinity and have the listener UNDERSTAND how it could be. Here goes:

(1) Do you believe that God is the most powerful being and can do and create anything? (Most say Yes...go on)

(2) Do you believe that God is one being, but in 3 forms or states of being? (If No, go on)

(3) Do you believe that God is at least as powerful and capable as his own creations? (Most say Yes...go on)

(4) Do you believe that God created water? (Most say yes...go on)

(5) What do you call H20, you know, the stuff that comes out of your faucet? (Everybody says Water...go on)

(6) What do you call H20 when you find it in your freezer, you know the stuff you cool off your drinks with? (Everybody says Ice...go on)

(7) What do you call H20 when you boil it? (Everybody says steam...go on)

(8) Well, how could that possibly be? I mean you just said that H20---the SAME SYMBOL for WATER---exists in THREE DIFFERENT FORMS OR STATGES OF BEING! If God created water to exist in three different states of being, WHY are you LIMITING GOD HIMSELF???

Think of God the FATHER as similar to the concept of H20 as ICE
Think of God the Son as similar in concept to H20 as WATER
Think of God the Holy Spirit to H20 as STEAM (or GAS).

If God can create H20 to exist in three states of being, yet STILL be the EXACT SAME chemical content, then SURELY, GOD HIMSELF CAN EASILY BE IN THREE DIFFERENT STATES OF BEING, can't He? (Most say they've never thought of it that way, but now, they understand the concept)

BTW, ask your Jewish friends (and other non-believers) how they explain Genesis 1: 26---"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness...'." Just WHO is us???

Conveying the concept of a Trinity to a practicing Jew is much akin to banging your head against a brick wall.

St Patrick found the shamrock a good illustrative tool. One plant, three leaves

Re: Post 19

The most essential of prayers, the Shma...in English for you non-Hebrew literate types...goes:

Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is one Lord.

...as in not three. Trust me it is a difficult concept to convey to someone that has been taught all their life that such an idea is heretical.

And isn't it interesting that in this single clear verse, Deuteronomy 6:4:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

We have Yahweh (Jehovah/LORD) used twice, and the plural for God (Elohiym) used once. Three successive declarations of God - followed by the statement of "one". Three in (is) One.