Trinity

[Anodos]

I post this, not to find answers, but rather to ask the question and illustrate an important point that seems to fly under the radar in Christian circles.

The issue - Jesus - God or God's Son?  The numerous biblical verses that indicate Jesus is God's Son, yet is at the same time, believed to be God. 

The question - how is it, that most Christians, at least outwardly, have no issue with this? No problem with their God being their father and their brother? No problem with God sending his Son who happens to be Himself, to die on a cross to appease His Father, who also happens to be Himself? No problem with Jesus being the 'firstborn among many brethren' who also happens to be eternal, the Alpha and Omega?

[◊ Weezer ◊]

For a man that has no road to follow, it looks like you know a road you don't want to follow.

[TheRedneckProfessor]

A term you will become familiar with, if you're not already, is cognitive dissonance.  This is the human brain's ability to ignore two contradictory "truths" in order to continue with a particular belief system.  The reality is, christians simply don't look at these things very closely.  And when they do, cognitive dissonance kicks in and "faith."  Because "faith" makes all things possible, even god sacrificing himself, to himself, to forgive us for the sin he created us with.

[☆ DarkBishop ☆]

20 hours ago, Anodos said:

I post this, not to find answers, but rather to ask the question and illustrate an important point that seems to fly under the radar in Christian circles.

The issue - Jesus - God or God's Son?  The numerous biblical verses that indicate Jesus is God's Son, yet is at the same time, believed to be God. 

The question - how is it, that most Christians, at least outwardly, have no issue with this? No problem with their God being their father and their brother? No problem with God sending his Son who happens to be Himself, to die on a cross to appease His Father, who also happens to be Himself? No problem with Jesus being the 'firstborn among many brethren' who also happens to be eternal, the Alpha and Omega?

 

It's issues like these that start to crack the brainwashing you've been subjected to. There is so much more. In the coming months and years 8f you continue along this path you will come to notice so many more doctrines just like the trinity doctrine that just don't make sense when you really start to dig into it. 

 

The trinity doctrine was one of the reasons I left the Baptist church. The holiness church I became a bishop at had a different take on the trinity that made more sense to me. But they had more than their fair share of other theological issues just like all churches do. 

 

I like to encourage new comers to study out their questions. The fact is that the early church didn't believe in the trinity as it is taught in most churches today. That didn't come until about 400 years after Christ. If you really want the bible to start making sense a good scholar to watch is Bart Ehrman. His studies have helped me immensely on this journey. Also looking up various archeological findings. For instance, most of the preachers I've heard and even myself when I was a minister don't seem to realize that there is a pretty adequate fossil record for our evolution. Unfortunately when confronted with this evidence they usually refuse to look at it or accept it. Thats when the Cognitive dissonance that RNP talked about kicks in. I call it Christian blindness. I know a man that literally refused to take his college class on evolution because he didn't believe in evolution. Would even find out what they had unearthed. 

 

Here is a encyclopedia Britannica link about the trinitarian doctrine..

 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Trinity-Christianity

 

DB

[Wertbag]

I've played devils advocate arguing for the Unitarians view that Jesus was a prophet, messiah, chosen one, angel or divinely powered man rather than God. It's a much more reasonable view and so much of the bible text leans that way and yet the trinity remains the popular view. I've even had it said that Unitarians are not Christians which is a great way to write them off without listening to their points.

It's funny to think that trinitarians would be considered heretics by Jews and probably early Christians. There is one God and you shall have no other before Him, so loophole we name this guy God too and therefore we can worship him as well!

OT God says "I am the lord your God" over 150 times, He's never shy about letting people know who's in charge. Jesus says it zero times.

 

[◊ Weezer ◊]

9 minutes ago, Wertbag said:

I've played devils advocate arguing for the Unitarians view that Jesus was a prophet, messiah, chosen one, angel or divinely powered man rather than God. It's a much more reasonable view and so much of the bible text leans that way and yet the trinity remains the popular view. I've even had it said that Unitarians are not Christians which is a great way to write them off without listening to their points.

It's funny to think that trinitarians would be considered heretics by Jews and probably early Christians. There is one God and you shall have no other before Him, so loophole we name this guy God too and therefore we can worship him as well!

OT God says "I am the lord your God" over 150 times, He's never shy about letting people know who's in charge. Jesus says it zero times.

 

I'm out of "likes".  Good point.  The early catholics were creative manipulators.

[TheRedneckProfessor]

I'm not saying he's god or not; all I'm saying is I've never had a son named jesus... as far as I know.