A
AbeOman
Guest
we all agree to this.
we all agree to this.
I probably haven’t known as many Muslims as you in the flesh, it seems… but in the flesh or online, it doesn’t matter, they both make me come to the same conclusion.Really? I’ve known lots and lots and *lots *of Muslims - in the flesh, not in online forums - and have not often found it to be so.
inJESUS;2874205:
When we Christians talk about the Trinity, many Muslims stress on the number 3 instead of understanding the nature or theological reasoning of this number.Please clarify for me, what do you mean the nature of God?
Thanks
In Christianity, we learn about the nature of God through what He revealed. We read about the Spirit of God and Word/Wisdom of God.
So when we discuss the nature of God, we talk about the Father, His Word, His Spirit being One God.
Where is Islam in this regard theologically? the nature of the Word of Allah has been discussed by Muslims and the Sunni position is that the Word of Allah is eternal, uncreated. Here we are getting deeper into understanding the nature of God.
To say Allah in one is fine. But to say that His Word is Allah is a deeper understanding of the nature of Allah as revealed by Him. Knowing that His Word = Him does not change your worship of Him but makes you understand His nature as revealed by Him.
the word ‘Kalām’ is usually applied to the beginningless attribute of Allah present with His being referred to as His ‘Speech.’
This sentence gets deeper into the nature of Allah.
This is why the Trinity is about the nature of God, not His number since He is One.
Greating to all in the name of Allah, I will do what i can, but i’m a guest so I need to learn more from you as much as possible.It is good to see new membersPeace to you AbeOman:wave: . Hope you contribute to the discussion.
AbeOman;2874230:
referred to as His ‘Speech.’When we Christians talk about the Trinity, many Muslims stress on the number 3 instead of understanding the nature or theological reasoning of this number.
In Christianity, we learn about the nature of God through what He revealed. We read about the Spirit of God and Word/Wisdom of God.
So when we discuss the nature of God, we talk about the Father, His Word, His Spirit being One God.
Where is Islam in this regard theologically? the nature of the Word of Allah has been discussed by Muslims and the Sunni position is that the Word of Allah is eternal, uncreated. Here we are getting deeper into understanding the nature of God.
To say Allah in one is fine. But to say that His Word is Allah is a deeper understanding of the nature of Allah as revealed by Him. Knowing that His Word = Him does not change your worship of Him but makes you understand His nature as revealed by Him.
the word ‘Kalām’ is usually applied to the beginningless attribute of Allah present with His being
This sentence gets deeper into the nature of Allah.
This is why the Trinity is about the nature of God, not His number since He is One.
Thanks, I see your point, but let me put it to you this way…? Is nature of God and Attributes of God mean the same…?
inJESUS;2874327:
mean the same in which sense? when we speak about the nature of God and His attributes, we are talking about God.Thanks, I see your point, but let me put it to you this way…? Is nature of God and Attributes of God mean the same…?
Is that your question?
I think I understand what he is saying; and I am going to have to agree with him. What I believe he is saying is that the Islamic concept of “Unity” of God is such that it excludes any form of Trinity in the Deity, regardless of how that Trinity is understood in Christian theology; and I believe he is right about that. To an Islamic theologian, the Islamic concept of the “Unity” of God is so strong, so complete, so absolute, and so transcendent, that it excludes any possibility of “threeness” in it, no matter that “threeness” is understood by Christians. Your attempt at reconciling the two religions by reconciling the Christian theological concept of the Trinity with that of Islamic Unity a non-starter, because they are inherently and intrinsically irreconcilable.Hello Jeg…welcome to the forum…i think you are Muslim, right? sorry didn’t check your profile but your answer gave me this impression.
Jeg, someone who has this attitude should neither join a religious forum, nor participate in theological discussion.
Instead of saying no matter how you put it, at least discuss what i put. In this way we can determine things, not by throwing sentence that add nothing to discussions right?
Peace to you.
you speak as if ‘attributes’ is completely independent from ‘nature’. isnt the former a component of the latter?mean the same in which sense? when we speak about the nature of God and His attributes, we are talking about God.
AbeOman;2874368:
No sir, what I mean is do the two words comvey the same meaning?mean the same in which sense? when we speak about the nature of God and His attributes, we are talking about God.
Is that your question?
I think I understand what he is saying; and I am going to have to agree with him.
what i expect is a discussion, not opinions of who is right or wrong. To say it excludes, one must give reasons why. In this way we all discuss and learn.
And, as an LDS member, I have to say that the Islamic doctrine of Deity is more logical and makes better sense than the historical Christian one!![]()
sorry but english is my third language and i do not claim to word all my ideas correctly but am doing my best.you speak as if ‘attributes’ is completely independent from ‘nature’. isnt the former a component of the latter?
inJESUS;2874495:
like if we say Omnipotence is an attribute of God, but is God “made of” Omnipotence? no in this sense they are not the same though only God is omnipotent so they are intercheangeable…No sir, what I mean is do the two words comvey the same meaning?
When i say the Word of God = God, it does not mean that the Word = God in position since it proceeds from Him, but is equal to God in essence.
Is that your question?
Two peas in a heretical pod. Birds of a feather…And, as an LDS member, I have to say that the Islamic doctrine of Deity is more logical and makes better sense than the historical Christian one!
zerinus
I thought I did give a reason. The reason is that the Islamic concept of the Unity of God is so absolute and transcendent that it excludes any possibility of a “threeness” in it, no matter how that “threeness” in understood in Christian theology. That is in the nature of the theologies of the two religions. That is how Islam defines the Unity of God.what i expect is a discussion, not opinions of who is right or wrong. To say it excludes, one must give reasons why. In this way we all discuss and learn.
I thought I heard you say somewhere that God has given man a mind and an intelligence for a reason, and He expects him to use it.remember , human wisdom is foolishness to God. He reveals Himself as He is, not as a man wants Him to be. Your ways are not my my ways, neither your thoughts are my thoughts says the Lord.
What else do you expect? Human beings are rational creatures, and they only way that they can “discuss” something is by exercise of their reason and logical faculties.So i do not expect human opinions of what is logical and what is not.
but i gave an Islamic teaching about the Word of God. Islam teaches the Word of God is eternal and uncreated, without jeopardizing its monotheism. It is these ideas i am interested in, not just saying absolute monotheism is what Islam teaches without further elaboration on the points i raised. In other words, here is a scenario:I thought I did give a reason. The reason is that the Islamic concept of the Unity of God is so absolute and transcendent that it excludes any possibility of a “threeness” in it, no matter how that “threeness” in understood in Christian theology. That is in the nature of the theologies of the two religions. That is how Islam defines the Unity of God.
our mind and intelligence are limited. It is God who said that human wisdom is foolishness to God. So what your wisdom says is not necessarily what God says. The CROSS is foolishness to those who perish , yet many do not believe in the crucifixion so their wisdom is foolishness to God.I thought I heard you say somewhere that God has given man a mind and an intelligence for a reason, and He expects him to use it.
The Muslims you’ve met in the flesh… are they from all walks of life? (Doctors, lawyers, engineers, gas station attendants, college students, ice cream vendors, pizza deliverymen, etc.?). And if so, you’ve seriously tried to engage them in good faith dialogue with no presuppositions going in to the discussion? (For the sake of clarity: Differences in faith are not what I mean by presuppositions).I probably haven’t known as many Muslims as you in the flesh, it seems… but in the flesh or online, it doesn’t matter, they both make me come to the same conclusion.
It is true that the Koran teaches that the word of God (referring to the Koran) is eternal and uncreated. The Koran also refers to Jesus as the Word of God. But I don’t think that from that you can draw the conclusion that in Islamic theology Jesus must therefore be uncreated and eternal. The two words will probably be interpreted by Islamic theologians in different ways in each context. When Jesus is referred to in the Koran (or the Bible) as being the Word of God, they probably interpret that to mean that Jesus brought the word of God to the people; not that He Himself is literally the word of God. Moslems believe that Jesus was no hither station than an ordinary prophet, like the Old Testament prophets; and that Mohamed has an even higher position, as the last prophet, to Jesus.but i gave an Islamic teaching about the Word of God. Islam teaches the Word of God is eternal and uncreated, without jeopardizing its monotheism. It is these ideas i am interested in, not just saying absolute monotheism is what Islam teaches without further elaboration on the points i raised.
In other words, here is a scenario:
Hussein: you are polytheistic. You believe in 3 gods
John : no, we believe in One God.
Hussein : how if you believe in Trinity?
John : Trinity is an explanation of the Oness of God as revealed in the Bible. Father, His Word, His Spirit. What do you believe about God’s Word?
Hussein : it is eternal and uncreated.
John : But isn’t God only He is eternal and uncreated? yet you say His word, which is not God, is equal to God in being uncreated and eternal. Is this polytheism ?
Hussein : but we don’t believe in Trinity! it is against the absolute monotheism though in Islam !
John : but hey, isn’t the Word of Allah equal to Allah in being uncreated and eternal, in other words not different from Allah yet not Allah? isn’t this your teaching? is this polytheism?
Hussein : but Trinity is against monothesim of Islam!
I think that that is an arbitrary scenario that you have created. It does not a reflection of the reality of the case when you are discussing the subject with an Islamic theologian.Hope you see the absurdity of such an attitude.
Everything has its time and place. Reason and logic has its place, as well as faith and trust in God. You cannot ignore faith in God, and put all your trust in human intelligence and reason. On the other hand, you cannot accept every unreasonable thing on the basis that “human wisdom is foolishness to God” either.our mind and intelligence are limited. It is God who said that human wisdom is foolishness to God. So what your wisdom says is not necessarily what God says. The CROSS is foolishness to those who perish, yet many do not believe in the crucifixion so their wisdom is foolishness to God.
what i expect is a discussion, not opinions of who is right or wrong. To say it excludes, one must give reasons why. In this way we all discuss and learn.