Do you Believe in the Trinity?

[it's_sam]

I think today the trinity would be "good,bad,choice".

 

[sojourner]

This link should help the trinitarian to understand one misconception.

In What Way Are Jesus and His Father One? - Jehovah's Witnesses Official Web Site

That would be the JW's misconception of the passage in question. Right?

 

[sojourner]

　
I vote NO. I do not believe in the Trinity.
　
The idea does not appear to be native to the Bible and many, very many, passages clearly exclude the idea from Biblical concepts of God.
　
The God of the Bible repeatedly requires His people to think on Him as a singularity; The one, and only, great singularity.
Imagining that God deceived the Patriarchs, Israel, the Prophets, Jesus, the Apostles and the entire World on this point up until it became revealed to an ex-pagan, neo-christian theologian sometime in the 2nd or 3rd century AD has all the support from scripture that imagination could require.
　
It should be noted that trinitarian concepts were widely accepted by many other religions (particularly in Egypt) and imo was incorporated into Christianity as a PR concession to help fill the pews and thereby increase the Church's reach and revenue base.
　
　

Except the idea of Jesus' Divinity was around long before Constantine...

 

[it's_sam]

if you go physicaly we also have three parts, who we say we are, who we think we are, and the truth of who we are.

 

[McBell]

if you go physicaly we also have three parts, who we say we are, who we think we are, and the truth of who we are.

Seems to me you forgot "who others see us as".

 

[Straw Dog]

God impregnated his own virgin mother? Seems incestuous.

God is his own son? Seems ridiculous.

 

[it's_sam]

Seems to me you forgot "who others see us as".

I think this would fall under "the truth of who we are" meaning the collective input/acts of everyone else that isnt you.

 

[MurphtheSurf]

That would be the JW's misconception of the passage in question. Right?

You either didn't read the article and check the scriptures or the article frightened you? :sarcastic

 

[McBell]

the article frightened you? :sarcastic

Cause you know, it just ain't possible for someone to simply disagree with the article...

 

[McBell]

God impregnated his own virgin mother? Seems incestuous.

God is his own son? Seems ridiculous.

I wonder if Jesus ever entered into the congregation of the lord...?
Cause it seems to me that according to Deuteronomy 23:2 he was not allowed to.

 

[dmgdnooc]

Except the idea of Jesus' Divinity was around long before Constantine...

Constantine was 4th century and I would not describe him as a theologian.
He murdered his son and his wife; this raises real doubts, in my mind, concerning his Christian sympathies.
Apparently the Church knows him to be a fine and upright man with keen understanding and delicate theological perceptions.
　
Trinitarian concepts of divinity were a major feature of Egyptian religion at the time of Israel's captivity there.
Israel was brought out of Egypt with the injunction to never return and, in the wilderness, they were taught the true nature of the God of the Patriarchs.
A major feature of that teaching is 'Hear O Israel: the LORD, our God, is one LORD.' and that teaching never varies throughout the history of revelation.
　
IMO, the Trinity is a return to Egypt.
Or, more correctly, an Egyptian theological device that the scriptures have been forced to fit. That the fit is uncomfortable is evidenced in the contradictions it raises.
　
The idea is not native to the Bible, which is proved by the Church's insistence that Erasmus interpolate a verse into 1John 5.
The Church could see that the Bible lacked a Trinitarian verse, so one was invented and added to the Bible in order to manufacture support for the idea.
But the scam has fallen flat, with me at least.
　

 

[Cypress]

I think the trinity stands for the 3 ways god can be experienced:

- as the transcendent absolute (father)
- as our own true self (holy spirit)
- as the divine presence in other people (son)

 

[MurphtheSurf]

Constantine was 4th century and I would not describe him as a theologian.
He murdered his son and his wife; this raises real doubts, in my mind, concerning his Christian sympathies.
Apparently the Church knows him to be a fine and upright man with keen understanding and delicate theological perceptions.
　
Trinitarian concepts of divinity were a major feature of Egyptian religion at the time of Israel's captivity there.
Israel was brought out of Egypt with the injunction to never return and, in the wilderness, they were taught the true nature of the God of the Patriarchs.
A major feature of that teaching is 'Hear O Israel: the LORD, our God, is one LORD.' and that teaching never varies throughout the history of revelation.
　
IMO, the Trinity is a return to Egypt.
Or, more correctly, an Egyptian theological device that the scriptures have been forced to fit. That the fit is uncomfortable is evidenced in the contradictions it raises.
　
The idea is not native to the Bible, which is proved by the Church's insistence that Erasmus interpolate a verse into 1John 5.
The Church could see that the Bible lacked a Trinitarian verse, so one was invented and added to the Bible in order to manufacture support for the idea.
But the scam has fallen flat, with me at least.
　

Excellent post!

 

[SpiritualSon]

I believe in the trinity and it is in Jesus Christ. A trinity is not made of three persons. It is the soul,body and spirit in a person that makes a trinity. The Father,Son and Holy Spirit are three aspects of one God,Jesus Christ, just as the soul, body and operations are in a person. The three aspects in Jesus is Creator,Redeemer and regenerator. The Trinity in the Lord is Divine, ours is plain human.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Harry
Love and charity to all.

 

[Misty]

If the deity exists I don't know why it requires hangers on!

 

[Muffled]

The Trinity (father, son, holy ghost) is quite similar to the Hindu concept of Trimurti (Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu), three gods in one.

In the Vedas it appears to me that these are simply three names for the same God not three gods. Each one represents an apsect of God. If Muslims wanted they could take the 99 names of Allah an personalize each one and make a shrine for it but thank God they haven't fallen into that trap.

 

[Muffled]

And maybe you could explain why or why not?

Since the Trinity is a Biblical concept, the answer is that the Bible presents it as a concept.

All three members of the Trinity are equated with God and with each other in identity.

However there are distinctions represented by names and titles:

Father, Yahweh is God that is everywhere.

Son, Jesus is God in the flesh.

Holy Spirit, Paraclete is God in the believer (just put your own name in there if you are a believer)

 

[Muffled]

If the deity exists I don't know why it requires hangers on!

You are in error. There are no hangers on.

For a person who doesn't accept evidence, how can anything be but a figment of your imagination?

 

[Misty]

You are in error. There are no hangers on.

For a person who doesn't accept evidence, how can anything be but a figment of your imagination?

You don't have anymore idea than I do if god exists let alone if it is split into three bits!

 

[Kilgore Trout]

If the deity exists I don't know why it requires hangers on!

Often, those who have power, are the narcissistic, sociopathic types who enjoy the adulation of vapid groupies. This would most certainly apply to any god who wanted to be worshipped - particularly, when looking at the type of people who tend to want to worship a god.