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Answers to Aziz - 3

The supposed difficulty of understanding the Trinity is only a difficulty if one attempts to present the explanation in words alone. But words are only one of many symbol systems. The story of the arts, science and technology is a story of the elaboration of signs and symbol systems. There is mathematics, algebra, musical notation, physics and chemistry diagrames, architectural and engineering drawings, maps and charts in all their diversity - the list is endless. It would, for instance, be impossible to navigate safely without a good charts, which show in a concise way what can never be put into words.

The Trinity is of this nature. To describe it in words is very difficult. Libraries have been written on the subject and it has been constantly disputed. However, the liturgy of the Christian (Orthodox/Catholic) church presents the philosophy of the Trinity clearly and concisely in a way that billions of people over the past two millenia have comprehended even if they could not write their knowledge down on a piece of paper in a few hundred words. The liturgy - effectively a small-scale theatrical tableau, and as such, a highly elaborated symbol system, is, amongst other things, a presentation of the entire philosophy of Orthoox Christianity - the Trinity, the Sacrifice of Calvary, the Resurrection and our life in the Risen Christ.

This means that anyone who has never attended a well-executed Catholic liturgy with an open mind is in the position of someone who has never read a book on the subject in question. Since these liturgies are free to all to attend without hindrance, perhaps it is really necessary, if discussion is to proceed intelligently, for everyone involved to acquaint themselves with what the Catholic church is actually saying, by attending some of its liturgies - and this is to be regarded as a welcome invitation.

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