Mastery of the Four Gospels
A friend sent me a mail purportedly a testimony of a former Catholic (who claimed to have mastered the Bible, specifically the four gospels) who is now a Muslim….in the email there were challenges thrown on the Christian belief on the Trinity. Below was my short response to my friend who asked for some clarification…
Same person in three different beings, how can god be so cruel to make us believe something about himself which no human brain can reasonably conceive? Rationality vs. faith vs. blind belief…
However much argument we can provide, we just cannot prove or disprove our stance. Perhaps because god-talks can’t be falsified? I don’t know, but if we assume a infinite being who is not only a class above all other existence, but an altogether the Other, then words alone will not do justification to him.
Even our pronoun, is it him or her or it or they?
My brain, probably lesser than others, cannot even logically perceive (i think it’s not conceiving, but rather perceiving – because conceiving a higher creature is not difficult, think about those alien buff) of such a Wholly Other. I am sure no honest muslims or hindus or taoist or any theist can reasonably perceive god’s being (suppose we call that Wholly Other, god). What logic can we use to perceive a being who is invisible most of the time (atheists call it, sometimes sarcastically, the Hiddeness)? What logic can we use to perceive a being who can do every possible thing with infinite might (Maha Berkuasa)? What logic can we perceive of a being whose epistemological device is against all logic of time and space – he/she/it/they knows all things at all time?
What logic?
Anyway, my point is not to argue, because as I have mentioned, arguments don’t win us friends most of the time. “Mastery of the four gospels” – that was a very high and lofty claim, i have heard that from christians, buddhists, muslims (haven’t heard from any hindus yet, except probably implied by the great Gandhi). I think the point is the gospel, if anything, tells us about what true humanity is and how god himself set an example to us; to love our neighbours whole heartedly, and “who is our neighbour?” was the question Jesus left open to all of us like an echo (as if we are asking a stupid question), and to extend friendship to all and sundry without the boundary of race and caste and social status (prostitutes, adulterers, robbers welcomed to apply), not only to love peace, but to make peace, to promote healing to all humanity and to the Environment, to love justice, to live humbly…”mastery of the four gospels”…is the living out of these, to embody the sermon on the mont.
God became flesh, that was the dream of mankind from the beginining, look at our myths and legends. But in Jesus, god really did. And when he did, when he really did, we were not prepared for it. He didn’t shoot out thunderbolts or call fire from heaven or float on the clouds. He called for reconciliation and restoration. Humanity with humanity and humanity with god. That is atrocious. Kill our enemies, our destroy our religious opponents, yes, but to love our enemies? That is subversive. That is the foundation of our Church – not mainly Trinity – but “Thou art the Christ, Son of the Living God” – Jesus the long awaited Jewish Messiah has appeared and for those who knew better, the scripture reading Jews, when the Messiah comes, reconcilliation and restoration will follow. God himself will be king, evil will be defeated, the lion will lie with the lamp, the little child with the serpent, every man will sit under his own vine tree (reading Malaysiakini on his own laptops?) – no one is poor or left out anymore, war machines will be converted into farming tools and the glory of god shall fill the earth like waters fill the sea.
But anyway, perhaps just in order to correct a bit of misinformation, trinity is not same person three beings or one being with three beings, or one person with three persons. It is one being, three persons. God is one in one category, three in another category. That is perfectly logical (try it with the law of non-contradiction). He is one in this area, and three in the another area, NOT one and three in the same category or area. But how can he be like that? Well, how can he even be he?
Shalom.
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I am a true-blood Penang "kia" (son of Penang) who love everything about my beautiful home-state, well, almost everything. :)
Formerly I served as the Special Assistant to the Penang State Executive Councillor (State-level ministerial post) in charge of Youth and Sports. I am now pursuing an MA in Philosophy at a local university.
I am also the Executive Secretary of the Network of Social Democracy in Asia (www.socdem.asia) and sit on the committee of the State-sponsored Good Governance and Gender Equality Society (3Gs). Since 2007, I also served in various capacities in the office of the Hon' Madam Chong Eng, a leading Malaysian woman Parliamentarian.
Politically, I had the privilege to help manage four successful political campaigns since 2007 and was involved in planning, campaigning and monitoring of eight state and federal level elections in Malaysia.
I am engaged with the love of my life, Jorin. Both of us worship at the Bukit Mertajam Gospel Centre.
August 13th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
“Mastery of the 4 gospels”…. unashamed claim.
Muslim can’t talk sense to Christians if they don’t play fair.
October 14th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Steven, Please tell me about your conversion to Christianity. I was awaken from sleep and I feel I was lead by the Holy Spirit to your website. I am a life long Christian still seeking truth and needing true focus in my walk with God at the age of 51. Unfortunately upon personal reflection of my life, I feel like I am more like the Apostle Paul before his conversion on the road to Damascus and not after. Your brother in Christ, Jack
October 15th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Jack, you are more than welcome to email me at scheekeong@gmail.com for further fellowship. Peace be with you, shalom aleichem.