Ontology of God, Part 4

Shawn McCraney emphasizes moving from rigid religious dogma to embodying compassion and love through Christ, advocating for reconciliation among all people regardless of differing beliefs, inspired by the transformative life of Sundar Singh. Sundar, initially a Sikh, experienced a miraculous conversion to Christianity after a personal crisis, concluding that Jesus alone offers salvation, aligning with McCraney's vision of uniting people under the message of Christianity, free of division and contention.

Sundar Singh, originally a Sikh, experienced a transformative vision of Jesus, leading him to embrace Christianity despite facing intense opposition from his community. Choosing the life of a sadhu, he dedicated himself entirely to spreading the gospel through love, peace, and rebirth, challenging Western Christian attitudes while maintaining his independence from established church authorities.

Sundar Singh taught that people should not be labeled as 'heathen' based on their religious beliefs and emphasized the importance of understanding both Jesus and the principles of Total Reconciliationism, where every soul ultimately returns to God regardless of their earthly sins. He criticized both Christian Fundamentalists and Liberals for their views, advocated for a personal relationship with Christ, and highlighted the difference between merely knowing about Jesus and truly knowing Him, encouraging followers to seek God rather than material gifts.

Shawn's teaching emphasizes the unseen but transformative presence of Christ in a believer's life, evidenced by the love imparted through them, and highlights the potential disconnect between being surrounded by Christianity and genuinely embodying its values due to materialism. He also contrasts the Mormon and Christian Trinitarian views, noting key differences in the nature and understanding of the Godhead and the formation of Jesus Christ.

Shawn contrasts the differences in LDS and Trinitarian beliefs, highlighting that LDS teachings assert both the Father and the Son have tangible bodies, contrary to Trinitarian views that the Father is Spirit, and emphasizes Joseph Smith's First Vision as foundational, where Smith claimed to see God and Jesus Christ, distinguishing the LDS view of Christ from traditional Christianity. This foundational vision, according to LDS belief as noted by leaders like Gordon Hinckley, sets apart Mormon doctrine by depicting existing Christian sects as incorrect and urges that none should be joined, asserting a unique understanding of God's nature through LDS teachings.

Shawn challenges both LDS and Trinitarian views on the nature of God, critiquing the LDS claim that God has a body of flesh and bones and questioning the Trinitarian assertion of God as three distinct persons with separate consciousnesses, especially in the context of Jesus' conception by the Holy Spirit. He emphasizes the concept of God as a singular, unified being who, through His spirit, brought forth Jesus, underscoring the importance of viewing God as one entity rather than separated into distinct beings.