John 1

[Steve Consilvio]

Steve, I do not normally engage in a theological discussion with non-Muslims on the boards. I will respond to your comments via a private message. I hope that is okay. Thanks!

I received your PM. I disagree (no surprise there, eh?).


The original post started with a straw-man argument. Christians believe X and Y, etc. Well, here we have two Christians who disagree on rather subtle items, which helps to illustrate my point that the opening stereotype was problematical.


IMO, the purpose of forums is for everyone to get to know one another, and explore new ways of thinking, etc. The richest exchanges are always between two people who disagree.


For example, in your PM you cited the Catholic Catechism. Though I am Catholic, I do not automatically agree with everything it says and/or somebody else's interpretation of what it says. All scripture has to be understood in God's context, not mans. In the context of the trinity, the church ranks fourth, at best, and has made many errors in history. To wholesale accept or deny anything is to engage in stereotypes, which, of course, is the primary problem. Just as we have to separate the good and bad from our own mirror, we have to do that in everything else, too. It is within that nuance that we grow.


For example, look at the tension between the concepts of tradition and redemption. Tradition encourages the status quo and complacency, redemption encourages change and enlightenment. All religions share this contradiction. There are certainly plenty of scriptural examples of where God is angry at the rituals being performed by people who lack virtue. But religions, as a matter of course, are primarily concerned with group conformity.


Everybody worships God, but then refuse to connect with one another, when to fulfill God's instruction we should all be worshiping together and connecting with one another. We have made rights, rites and money more important than the truth. That is tradition, too.