How is Christianity monotheistic?

[Anonymous]

Hi OP,

I'm Muslim and I found the trinity thing confusing too until someone explained it to me in a way that I can understand. Think of the father, the son and the holy spirit as God in different forms. The best analogy for me was that of water. Water can change to ice when the temperature is low and steam when the temperature is high. Also when you boil a cup of water, some of it turns to steam but there can still be liquid remaining in the pot right? So think of the liquid in the pot as the father and the steam for example as the son or the holy spirit. Now once you've got that down, you need to take it a step further - different sects of Christianity seem to have different views on the trinity and some are less "monotheistic" as others (in the strict Islamic sense - though all believe in one God). For example there is the nature of Christ - is he fully human? fully divine? or does he have two nature? If he has two natures are they separate? one? This is the complicated part but once you are able to process the water analogy it gets much easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: The god of the OT and NT (Jesus) seem drastically different - how is the (perceived) total personality difference reconciled as one same god? If they're the same god, why do so many Christians disregard the Old Testament? Why do the rules of the OT not apply, if they were created from the same god as the NT? Why did that god's personality change?

PP again - as for the personality change - think of it this way - we have 99 names for God in Islam right and the Quran reveals God in all those 99 names which are basically "personality characteristics" right? The old testament focus' on some of God's characteristics and the New Testament focuses on others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: The god of the OT and NT (Jesus) seem drastically different - how is the (perceived) total personality difference reconciled as one same god? If they're the same god, why do so many Christians disregard the Old Testament? Why do the rules of the OT not apply, if they were created from the same god as the NT? Why did that god's personality change?

PP again - as for the personality change - think of it this way - we have 99 names for God in Islam right and the Quran reveals God in all those 99 names which are basically "personality characteristics" right? The old testament focus' on some of God's characteristics and the New Testament focuses on others.

Thanks, Muslim poster!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP,

I'm Muslim and I found the trinity thing confusing too until someone explained it to me in a way that I can understand. Think of the father, the son and the holy spirit as God in different forms. The best analogy for me was that of water. Water can change to ice when the temperature is low and steam when the temperature is high. Also when you boil a cup of water, some of it turns to steam but there can still be liquid remaining in the pot right? So think of the liquid in the pot as the father and the steam for example as the son or the holy spirit. Now once you've got that down, you need to take it a step further - different sects of Christianity seem to have different views on the trinity and some are less "monotheistic" as others (in the strict Islamic sense - though all believe in one God). For example there is the nature of Christ - is he fully human? fully divine? or does he have two nature? If he has two natures are they separate? one? This is the complicated part but once you are able to process the water analogy it gets much easier.

I'm Christian and its always interesting how non-Christians perceive and understand my religion. I've always used the apple analogy to explain the trinity to my muslim and jewish friends and they just never seemed to get it. Thanks to this muslim poster I understand why - the apple analogy doesn't address their concerns and isn't able to explain the Christian God in a way they can understand. The water analogy seems to make perfect sense and I will use it in the future.

[Anonymous]

Another analogy I have heard is that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are like different flashes of light from a diamond. Look at it in one direction and you see one facet; look from another direction and you see another facet; etc.

The self giving of the Father in becoming human as the Son gains its meaning from the fact that the Father and Son are "of one substance". God gave of Himself in order to explain Himself to humans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another analogy I have heard is that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are like different flashes of light from a diamond. Look at it in one direction and you see one facet; look from another direction and you see another facet; etc.

The self giving of the Father in becoming human as the Son gains its meaning from the fact that the Father and Son are "of one substance". God gave of Himself in order to explain Himself to humans.

Do diamonds only have three facets?

Couldn't God have thought of a less gory, complicated way to give of himself besides having a virgin bear his son, who dies on a cross then comes back to life again?

I know, who are we to question God's ways? -- but not only is it gory and complicated, it also echoes god-myths of other ancient religions, osiris and mithras, for instance.

[Anonymous]

The Trinity is, and has always been, one of the most difficult concepts in Christian theology.

Many Christians would say that they struggle with this. Including professors of theology.