Apr 20, 2004 21:47
An 11th-century Scandinavian story tells of a debate that took place between a one-eyed Viking and a holy man. Each communicated only with gestures. At one point in the silent debate the holy man raised a single finger. The Viking responded by raising two fingers. The holy man then replied with three raised fingers. At this, the Viking raised a fist and the debate ended.
A spectator asked the holy man to explain what the gestures had meant. "I raised one finger," he responded, "to indicate that God is one. My opponent disputed me by displaying two fingers to show that besides God, the Father, there is also God, the Son. To let him know that his theology was incomplete I raised three fingers because there is a Godly Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But this man is a fine debater. When he made a fist to show that the Trinity is one in God, I could not argue any further."
When the Viking was asked for his version of the debate he said, "It had nothing at all to do with God. When my opponent raised one finger he was mocking me because I have only one eye. I countered with two fingers to indicate that my one eye is the equal of his two. He continued to laugh at me by raising three fingers to show that between us we have only three eyes. I then raised a fist to let him know what he could expect if he persisted in mocking me."