Open for debate

Wrong, the Church doesn’t say Jesus is only man and only God in the same respect there are TWO separate natures that coexist within Jesus Christ. Thus when we say of Christ “that is a man” and we say of Christ “that is a Divine Being” we are not violating the principle of non-contradiction because He is not both man and divine in the same respect.
As applied to my statement about Christ. . .it is dogmatic that Christ is both fully human and fully Divine. But these are not mutually exclusive of each other. He is Divine with respect to (or when viewed under) His Divine Nature, and He is human with respect to (or when viewed under) His human nature.

DavidC wrote: No, the church generally claims that Jesus is not God the Father or God the Holy Spirit. When it comes to God, who animates everything there is no law of non-contradiction. That is a purely human concept.

Of course the Church does not say that Yeshua is God the Father or God the Holy Spirit. The Church most certainly claims that he is the Second Person of the Trinity made flesh (that is what the word 'incarnation' means, after all).

The Church also teaches that the Father, Holy Spirit and Second Person are ONE God. That is why it claims that Yeshua is 'wholly man' and 'wholly God'. Please read again my earlier posts, wherein I quote my sources.

The law of non-contradiction is a fundamental truth; without which there could be only chaos. Are you saying that God can exist and not exist at the same time? Are you saying that He can be both omnipotent and weak at the same time? Are you saying that He can be omniscient and ignorant at the same time? Are you saying that He can be both God and a rock; a tree; a car; a ship, or any other entity at the same time? If you say 'No', then He is subject to the law of non-contradiction in the same manner as everything else. If you say 'Yes', then you and I inhabit quite different realities.

Denial is the weakest form of argument (I've said this before). Unless you have something new to add - something we have not discussed - then it really is time to move on. Other folk can read what's been said; and decide for themselves where the truth lies.

DavidC wrote: You are arguing from a child's anthropomorphic charactature of Christianity, and trying reduce the power of God to mere creation. You are imprisoning your idea of God within human logic and language. I can clearly see the power of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit working within and throughout Islam because God is present in Islam. The Sufis teach us to seek the water; not the pitcher. I think this is wise advice. Seek the water.

I know how much certain folk crave to have the last word; so feel free to answer this question:

God certainly does work within and throughout Islam (and everywhere else). Tell me....could He be totally at work, and totally not at work at one and the same time?

DavidC wrote: I can be totally at work and totally not at work. Like me writing this message at work :) Again, this is semantics not logic. The biblical language used for this concept is approach and withdrawal. When God is in total approach the terms dwell or fill are typically used. God approaches and withdraws from mankind based on purity. God withdraws in proportion to the amount of impurity present. Is this type of language used in Islam? Let's return to the Sufis and the water pitcher. If it is raining outside but the pitcher is empty do the Sufis have water? Only if they want to praise God and they do not want to make tea. The 'fact' depends upon their intention.

To say that you are 'totally at work and totally not at work' at one and the same time is not a contradiction, simply because you are not using the words 'at work' in the same respect. The first 'at work' refers to a location..the place where you labour. The second 'at work' refers to a task (writing your post).

To say that God can both work and not work at the same time, and in the same respect is, on the other hand, a contradiction. Likewise, that He can be both God and a tree at the same time....etc.

My son is a Sufi. Not exactly house-trained.....but even he can manage to make a cup of tea and pray at the same time!

As for God 'approaching and 'withdrawing, you will need to be more specific. What exactly do you mean by this? (Neat change of subject, though).