Jews, Muslims, Christians and the Trinity

Jews, Christians and Muslims do not share the trinity.  The trinity is a uniquely Christian way to experience the divine just as Judaism is a unique way to experience the divine and Islam a unique way to experience the divine  Then, of course, you have Buddhism and Hinduism and on through the human spiritual landscape.

I use the phrase “experience the divine” because I do not believe it is possible for the human brain to “know God.” We can only know our experience of the sacred and for many people their “religions” have not provided very good experiences.

The word “god” itself carries too much baggage to be useful. I prefer “divine, “holy” or "sacred" to the “gee-oh-de” word. So practicing a “religion” takes on a more practical and workable direction when you seek to experience the sacred or spiritual in your everyday life rather then trying to “know god.”

This is where the Trinity enters into a Christian’s life.  The Christian experiences Jesus as fully human and fully divine and in the Mass or the Lord’s Supper, we experience the presence of the Holy Spirit entering our life that we may live out of that experience.  

And it ain’t easy. Your love, compassion, faith, tolerance, forgiveness and virtues will be tossed turned and tested the minute you walk out the door of the church or the front door of your house. But the same is true of the mosque, synagogue and temple or any front door on earth.

So it is not about religion.  It is about knowing the “higher power” and living it in your life.  

We have yet to reach that tipping point in human history where the “higher power” governs our politics, economics and sociology.

And Mother Earth may tell us soon that we had our chance and it is over. Then the real test begins.

Can we rebuild a world that is fully human and fully divine?

Posted: December 1, 2006 ,   Modified: December 4, 2006