Complex math and complex doctrine

As a student, the greatest gift you could have given me was a calculator. I'm terrible at math, I've always been terrible at math, and unfortunately, it seems I will always be terrible at math. Tragically, physics is full of complex mathematical equations I can't even read without help.

Imagine if, instead of just accepting that there are things in this world that my tiny human mind cannot comprehend, I declared myself infallible, and thus claimed that, as I don't understand the most complex things in physics, therefore physics is witchcraft. This would be ridiculous, would it not? And yet, this is the equivalent of a very common atheistic meme.

Consider the following comment I once received on God Squad Apologetics: "I'm sure we can both point to stories that just don't make any sense (such as the Jesus arc, where God sacrifices himself to himself to make a loophole in laws he created in order to save us from himself)..." This is perhaps the most polite version of a statement found in a common meme I have seen circulated among atheists many times before, and I have little doubt this individual has at least come across it once in his life.

Now, of all the doctrines in Christianity, I think we can all agree the Trinity is one of the most complex, if not the most complex doctrine in the Christian faith. Even many Christians do not fully understand it, and even the ones who do should refrain from pretending they actually comprehend it. It's a complex doctrine. Trying to explain the Trinity to an atheist is like trying to explain physics to a child. You don't start by throwing E = mc2 at them, because even many adults, though they can recite the equation by heart, can't tell you what it actually means. But even if a child did come by the knowledge of E = mc2 and failed to understand exactly what it means, it would be illogical for them to say that, because physicists use such an equation, therefore science is wrong. In the same way, an atheist's inability to understand the Trinity does not excuse their dismissal of Christianity.

Without getting too deep into the Trinity, here's how the Gospel really works: God gave us life, and with it, commands which are required for keeping it. All of us have broken those commands, earning us death. However, God strongly prefers giving life to taking it. Thus, He sent Jesus to live as a man without breaking any commands. Because Jesus did not break any commands, He was worthy of life, yet He died anyway, and on the third day, rose from the dead. The principle here is substitution. We swap verdicts. Jesus, though innocent, was declared guilty. Therefore, He has the right to declare the guilty to be innocent. Those who repent of their rebellion against God will receive Christ's "not guilty" verdict, not only being completely forgiven for their sin, but ultimately receiving eternal life in Heaven once this life is over.

That right there is the "pre-school" version of Christianity. Even a child ought to be able to understand that, and merely accepting that is enough to inherit eternal life. No need to complicate things by speaking about the Trinity. Save the advanced stuff for when you believe the basics.