Notably, religious debates are common because people are influenced by different schools of belief as is seen in the discussion between James White and Jalal Abualrub. John White, who argues that Jesus Christ is God, is a Christian and elder of the Reformed Christian Baptist Church. Also, he is a director at Alpha and Omega ministries. His opponent, who argues that Jesus is not God, is a translator of Islamic works and author of more than 20 books with his most popular being an eight-part series titled ‘The Prophet of Mercy’. Such platforms are encouraged because they allow people to listen to opposing views and challenge each other’s school of thought. Despite impressive efforts from both sides, it is clear that James White gave stronger arguments and won the debate as is indicated in this report.
James White’s Argument.
As indicated, James White supported the notion that Jesus Christ is God. He focused his arguments on the fact that Jesus is the deity. In his opening statement, this speaker recognized that Jesus is God who entered human flesh so that he could communicate and serve as an example to a common man. James further explains that Jesus is God because he is part of the Holy Trinity which includes God the father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. James White continues by explaining the many titles given to Jesus in the Bible are a reference to Jesus as God. These titles include Lamb of God, Sustainer of all things, Son of God, The Alpha and Omega, the Risen Lord, as well as, the author and finisher of all sins. James White uses these titles to argue that Jesus is God and this was prophesied 700 years before His birth where Isaiah referred to Him as Emmanuel meaning God with us. Through the debate, he referred to these points in his opening statement as the foundation of his argument.
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Reasons James White won the debate
James White stood out for a number of reasons. First, he referenced his work from appropriate sources and explained why he focused on the Bible more than the Quran. The speaker was clear on the fact that the Quran was written after the Bible and thus the former does not account for previous events including the reign and teaching of Jesus. He also quotes a variety of verses from different biblical authors and bravely challenged his opponent to read the New Testament before they made unfair claims that Jesus is not God. With this references, he proved that Jesus is God and thus we are urged to baptize in the name of the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit who are part of the Holy Trinity and are all God.
Secondly, James White was not afraid to challenge his opponent of the facts and arguments he presented before the audience. For instance, he called out Jalal Abualrub for using scholarly critics to support is the argument that Jesus is not God. According to James White, it is not right to use such critics of some aspects of the Christian faith when they equally disputed everything about the Islam faith. Also, critics interpret the written word but are not the final say on what is fact or not. Also, James White challenged Jalal Abualrub when he quoted the wrong verses or did not quote them fully to suit his argument. An example of this verse is 1st Corinthians 18. With this approach, it was clear that the author understood his content and purposed to deliver a well-researched address.
Lastly, Jamal White answered the audience questions without bias and extensively. For instance, when asked how he could believe in scripture yet he did not know who wrote, he reminds the audience that all books are inspired by God and that is enough to base his faith upon. Also, during the question and answer session, John White is keen on address misconceptions about the Christian faith which is founded on the faith that Jesus is God. For example, the opponent accuses Christians of invading Iraq and John White remind him that the USA is different from Christianity. During the question and answer session, John emphasizes that Jesus will subject all things under Him by winning the hearts of those who are against Him and this power is only possible for a being such as God. Despite the criticism of religion that John White faced, he remained on topic and keen to prove his point that Jesus is God.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both opponents were strong but John White gave a more convincing approach. Notably, Jalal Abualrub had some strong points. Some of them include the fact that Jesus is portrayed as a messenger of Allah in the Quran. Also, he spoke that there is no deity above Allah and the Bible itself urges against extremism where people interpret the Bible and forces others to believe their own interpretation. John White counters this approach by emphasizing that Christianity emphasizes monotheism which is the worship of one God. This session was well organized and accorded proper timing to all speakers and even involved the audience. Such forums should be encouraged because the ensure that people can listen to each other instead of engaging in wars and physical conflict that leaves many people injured and hurts innocent bystanders as is the case in wars.
References
DrOakley 1689. (2008, Sep 5). Is Jesus Christ God? James White vs. Jalal Abualrub [Video File]. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yTlx943q28&feature=youtube_gdata_player
DrOakley 1689. (2008, Sep 5). Is Jesus Christ God? James White vs. Jalal Abualrub Part 2 [Video File]. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yTlx943q28&feature=youtube_gdata_player
