The Trinity, Muslims, & Apologetics

[amishrockstar]

Muslims tend to think (or say) that the Christian Trinity is:
(1 god) + (1 god) + (1 god) = (3 gods)
But I've heard Christian apologists say that they have the wrong mathematical sign; Muslims would be more accurate if they used the multiplication sign ("x") instead of the addition sign ("+").
In other words:
1x1x1=1
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My question is:
what does the "1" represent in the second equation (left-hand side)??
Is it:
(1 being/person) x (1 being/person) x (1 being/person) = (1 God)??
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Thanks,
Matthew

p.s.
Since Muslims reject that God can become man or that He should be given any anthropomorphic terms attributed to Him, how do you think it best to explain "person-hood" to a Muslim? When we say that God is 3 "persons," what are we saying??

 

[JM]

Wouldn't it be:

1 person + 1 person + 1 person = 1 Being?

Remind them...they are unitarian monotheists, we are trinitarian monotheists.

 

[amishrockstar]

I don't understand how adding 3 persons doesn't equal 3 persons.
(1 person) + (1 person) + (1 person) = 3 persons
How do you go from adding 3 persons to 1 being?

 

[JM]

If you take a circle and divide it into three sections you don’t have 1+1+1, you have three different sections of a circle. I never liked that analogy, lets try the shamrock. It has three leaves, each one is distinct and individual, but they are part of the shamrock. You wouldn’t count each leaf 1+1+1 and get 3 shamrocks…you simply have three pieces of the shamrock and the leaves are the shamrock.

There is no explanation as to how three persons are one being. Jesus also tells us that when a man and women marry they “are no more twain, but one flesh” and that “God hath joined together” without explaining how this was accomplish. They are still two persons, yet, God somehow joined them as “one flesh” without telling us how.

 

[PresbyDane]

I think there is a reason why nobody has come up with an answer for this for 2000 years

 

[JM]

Expositon of the Trinity for Muslim Readers

 

[Pergamum]

Google "Patrick Cate Gospel Communication from Within" for a wonderful article.

 

[amishrockstar]

Just got done reading Pat Cate's article.
Thanks for sharing!!
I have a lot of Muslim friends around here
and I plan on using some of his suggestions.

Either this Sunday or next I plan on going
to the local Mosque to take Arabic lessons.
I already have the 'basics' down, but I think
that will be a great way to build relationships
with more Muslims in the Spokane area.

Take care,
Matthew