sbaii

I, for one, was greatly edified by reding Tercel's rendering of the Athanasian Creed. What is the date of that? T's explanation of the Greek roots of the Trinity also rang a bell. But in Greek/Roman mythology, when a person has a god for a father and a mortal for a mother, like Hercules, he is called a demigod. How does Jesus acquire full god status with a mortal mother? It seems the infant church decided to bend the rules when they were putting together their tenets.

Foxhole Atheist

Originally posted by Tercel:
Let x = 0
4x = 2x (since both sides are zero)
4x - x = 2x - x (subtract x from both sides)
x(4-1) = x(2-1) (factorise)
4-1 = 2-1 (divide both sides by x)
3 = 1 (simplify)
QED

0/0=infinity
Dividing both sides by x results in infinity(4-1)=infinity(2-1)=infinity and not 3=1.

Mageth

Is 0/0 infinity? I thought dividing by zero was "undefined."

HRG

Yes, it is. All expressions which contain a "divided by zero" are automatically meaningless.

You'll find in some older textbook the notation "0/0" for the limit of the quotient of two functions which tend towards zero *), but that's not to be taken serious.

Regards,
HRG.


*) e.g. lim (x->0) sin(x)/x

theophilus

The Son is eternal. He did not start existing when he "became" the man Jesus.
"In the beginning was the Word...", " and the Word "became" flesh and dwelt among us ..."

theophilus

I think this is actually a case of equivocation, i.e., using a word to mean two different things, and therefore, irrational.

[ January 30, 2002: Message edited by: theophilus ]</p>

theophilus

So, I'm not invited to play -- reminds me of grade school when I got picked last for "sides" in football. Oh, well.
However, I think you misunderstand two things.
1. The doctrine of the Trinity is not part of the gospel and a complete comprehensiion of it is not necessary for salvation.
2. Reformed theology does not eviscerate the great Commission; it makes it meaningful. Reformed theology makes salvation certain for the elect; Arminianism makes it only possible for everyone.

Bill Snedden

No slight was intended. I merely meant to indicate that, based on our previous discussions, I believed that I already knew what your response would be. As it happens, I was correct.

As the Calvinist doctrine of predestination pretty much renders "comprehension" of any article of faith a superfluity, I can see why this might not seem necessary to you. However to other formulations of Christianity, acceptance of the articles of faith is an act of will. One cannot fully accept what one cannot understand.

If salvation is available only to the elect, why bother to preach the gospel to unbelievers? You can't change the outcome; they're all hellbound through God's "mercy".

How can such a conception possibly make meaningful Christ's exhortation to "go ye and tell all the world"?? What would be the point?

But that's a topic for another forum and another day.

Anyway, as you mentioned the doctrine of eternal generation earlier, you (or any other interested party) might take a look at <a href="http://members.aol.com/ironslee/private/Monogenes.htm" target="_blank">this paper</a> on that very topic, by Lee Irons, a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. It was interesting reading and as you & he would appear doctrinally "close", I thought you might like it if you hadn't already read it. There are also several other papers by Lee on his "Lee's papers" page (including a couple of nice critiques of Van Til ).

Regards,

Bill Snedden

[ January 30, 2002: Message edited by: Bill Snedden ]</p>

Foxhole Atheist

“Is 0/0 infinity? I thought dividing by zero was "undefined."”

I’ve probably miss-interpreted L’Hopital’s rule in this case.

From: <a href="http://www.ies.co.jp/math/java/calc/lopi/rule.html" target="_blank">http://www.ies.co.jp/math/java/calc/lopi/rule.html</a>



My goal was to show that where Tercel’s intent was to utilize division by zero as a determinate statement for canceling x in his equation, and that if x is a finite number, which would allow him to do so, then the determinate form of 0/0 must be infinity. In any event, if 0/0 is indeterminate, the equation is invalid.

Possibly some math wizards may help me out here.

theophilus

Thanks.