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The three monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - all purport to share one fundamental concept: belief in God as the Supreme Being, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. Known as "tawhid" in Islam, this concept of the Oneness of God was stressed by Moses in a Biblical passage known as the "Shema," or the Jewish creed of faith:

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord." (Deuteronomy 6:4)

It was repeated word-for-word approximately 1500 years later by Jesus when he said:

"...The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord." (Mark 12:29)

Muhammad came along approximately 600 years later, bringing the same message again:

"And your God is One God: There is no God but He, ..." (The Qur'an 2:163)

Christianity has digressed from the concept of the Oneness of God, however, into a vague and mysterious doctrine that was formulated during the fourth century. This doctrine, which continues to be a source of controversy both within and without the Christian religion, is known as the Doctrine of the Trinity. Simply put, the Christian doctrine of the Trinity states that God is the union of three divine persons - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - in one divine being.

If that concept, put in basic terms, sounds confusing, the flowery language in the actual text of the doctrine lends even more mystery to the matter:

"...we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity... for there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, another of the Holy Ghost is all one... they are not three gods, but one God... the whole three persons are co-eternal and co-equal... he therefore that will be save must thus think of the Trinity..." (excerpts from the Athanasian Creed)

Let's put this together in a different form: one person, God the Father + one person, God the Son + one person, God the Holy Ghost = one person, God the What? Is this English or is this gibberish?

It is said that Athanasius, the bishop who formulated this doctrine, confessed that the more he wrote on the matter, the less capable he was of clearly expressing his thoughts regarding it

A Jehovah's Witness viewHere is the definition of the trinity as defined by the Athanasian Creed: There are three divine Persons (the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost), each said to be eternal, each said to be almighty, none greater or less than another, each said to be God, and yet together being but one God. Other statements of the dogma emphasize that these three Persons are not separate and distinct individuals but are three modes in which the divine essence exists. Thus some Trinitarians emphasize their belief that Jesus Christ is God, or that Jesus and the Holy Ghost are Jehovah.

When one asks, "why should we believe in the trinity," would it not be wise to ask, ,"does the Bible teach the trinity?" Because if the Bible teaches it, then we should believe it, but if it does not teach it, then we should reject it as a teaching of man, and not the Bible.

What does the Bible say, first about the identity of the "holy ghost or spirit? Does the Bible teach that the Holy Spirit is a person?

Some individual texts that refer to the holy spirit (Holy Ghost, KJ) might seem to indicate that it has a personality. For example, the holy spirit is referred to as a helper, comforter, or advocate that teaches, bears witness, speaks and hears. (John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26; 16:13) But other texts say that people were filled with holy spirit, that some were baptized with it or anointed with it. (Luke 1:41; Matt. 3:11; Acts 10:38) These latter references to holy spirit definitely do not fit a person. To understand what the Bible as a whole teaches, all these texts must be considered. What is the reasonable conclusion? That the first texts cited here employ a figure of speech personifying God's holy spirit, his active force, as the Bible also personifies other things such as wisdom, sin, death, water, and blood.

The Holy Scriptures tell us the personal name of the Father is Jehovah. They inform us that the Son is Jesus Christ. But nowhere in the Scriptures is a personal name applied to the holy spirit.

Acts 7:55, 56 reports that Stephen was given a vision of heaven in which he saw Jesus standing at God's right hand. But he made no mention of seeing the holy spirit. (See also Revelation 7:10; 22:1, 3.)

The New Catholic Encyclopedia admits: "The majority of texts reveal God's spirit as something, not someone; this is especially seen in the parallelism between the spirit and the power of God."

The holy spirit is not a person, but it is God's active force, his power. Therefore, it could not be a mysterious third person of a trinity.

What does the Bible say about the identity of Jesus Christ? Is he equal with , and the same as God, the Father?

Matt. 26:39, RS: Going a little farther he [Jesus Christ] fell on his face and prayed, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. (If the Father and the Son were not distinct individuals, such a prayer would have been meaningless. Jesus would have been praying to himself, and his will would of necessity have been the Father's will.)

John 8:17, 18, RS: [Jesus answered the Jewish Pharisees:] "In your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true; I bear witness to myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness to me." (So, Jesus definitely spoke of himself as being an individual separate and distinct from the Father.)

John 14:28, RS: [Jesus said:] "If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I." So here Jesus is plainly saying that his father and he were not equal.

John 17:3, RS: [Jesus prayed to his Father:] "This is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God ['who alone art truly God,' NE], and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." (Notice that Jesus referred not to himself but to his Father in heaven as the only true God.)

John 20:17, RS: "Jesus said to her [Mary Magdalene], 'Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" (So to the resurrected Jesus, the Father was God, just as the Father was God to Mary Magdalene. Interestingly, not once in Scripture do we find the Father addressing the Son as 'my God'.)

1 Cor. 11:3, RS: "I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is her husband, and the head of Christ is God." (Clearly, then, Christ is not God, and God is of superior rank to Christ. It should be noted that this was written about 55 C.E., some 22 years after Jesus returned to heaven. So the truth here stated applies to the relationship between God and Christ in heaven.)

There are many, many more scriptures too numerous to state here that indicate that Jesus is actually in subjection to the Father, and not equal.

In view of this, The New Encyclopaedia Britannica says: Neither the word Trinity, nor the explicit doctrine as such, appears in the New Testament, nor did Jesus and his followers intend to contradict the Shema in the Old Testament: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord" (Deut. 6:4). . . . The doctrine developed gradually over several centuries and through many controversies. . . . By the end of the 4th century . . . the doctrine of the Trinity took substantially the form it has maintained ever since.(1976), Micropaedia, Vol. X, p. 126.

The New Catholic Encyclopedia states: The formulation 'one God in three Persons' was not solidly established, certainly not fully assimilated into Christian life and its profession of faith, prior to the end of the 4th century. But it is precisely this formulation that has first claim to the title the Trinitarian dogma. Among the Apostolic Fathers, there had been nothing even remotely approaching such a mentality or perspective.(1967), Vol. XIV, p. 299.

In The Encyclopedia Americana we read: Christianity derived from Judaism and Judaism was strictly Unitarian [believing that God is one person]. The road which led from Jerusalem to Nicea was scarcely a straight one. Fourth century Trinitarianism did not reflect accurately early Christian teaching regarding the nature of God; it was, on the contrary, a deviation from this teaching.(1956), Vol. XXVII, p. 294L.

According to the Nouveau Dictionnaire Universel, The Platonic trinity, itself merely a rearrangement of older trinities dating back to earlier peoples, appears to be the rational philosophic trinity of attributes that gave birth to the three hypostases or divine persons taught by the Christian churches. . . . This Greek philosopher's [Plato, fourth century B.C.E.] conception of the divine trinity . . . can be found in all the ancient [pagan] religions.(Paris, 1865-1870), edited by M. Lachatre, Vol. 2, p. 1467. (This reference states that the trinity doctrine came from Pagan sources.)

John L. McKenzie, S.J., in his Dictionary of the Bible, says: The trinity of persons within the unity of nature is defined in terms of person and nature which are G[ree]k philosophical terms; actually the terms do not appear in the Bible. The trinitarian definitions arose as the result of long controversies in which these terms and others such as essence and substance were erroneously applied to God by some theologians. (New York, 1965), p. 899.

What is the conclusion? That the Bible does not teach the trinity. Even religious and secular sources admit that it is not found in the Bible, some even stating that it comes from Pagan religion.

If it is not a Bible teaching, it must be rejected.

What is the truth? That Jehovah is the true God. His son Jesus Christ is in subjection to him. Because of Jesus loyalty to Jehovah, he has appointed Jesus to serve as king of his kingdom. And the holy spirit is not a person, but rather it is God's active force.

AnswerBecause 3 = 1 and 1 = 3, defies logic and mathematical law.

Is the doctrine of the Trinity taught in the New Testament?

"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one" (I John v, 7).

This is the only passage in the New Testament which clearly teaches the doctrine of the Trinity, and this passage is admitted by all Christian scholars to be an interpolation.

When the modern version of the New Testament was first published by Erasmus it was criticized because it contained no text teaching the doctrine of the Trinity. Erasmus promised his critics that if a manuscript could be found containing such a text he would insert it. The manuscript was "found," and the text quoted appeared in a later edition. Concerning this interpolation Sir Isaac Newton, in a letter to a friend, which was afterward published by Bishop Horsley, says: "When the adversaries of Erasmus had got the Trinity into his edition, they threw by their manuscript as an old almanac out of date."

Alluding to the doctrine of the Trinity, Thomas Jefferson says: "It is too late in the day for men of sincerity to pretend they believe in the Platonic mysticism that three are one and one is three, and yet, that the one is not three, and the three not one.... But this constitutes the craft, the power, and profits of the priests. Sweep away their gossamer fabrics of fictitious religion, and they would catch no more flies" (Jefferson s Works, Vol. IV, p. 205, Randolph's ed.).

Again Jefferson says: "The hocus-pocus phantasy of a God, like another Cerberus, with one body and three heads, had its birth and growth in the blood of thousands and thousands of martyrs" (ibid., p. 360).

BTW, Mormons also believes in TRItheism not Trinitarianism.

Additional answersJohn Chapter 1 Says Jesus is also co-creator

John Chapter 1:1-4

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

John 8:58, Mark 12:35-37

Philippians Chapter 2;4-11 It Also says that Jesus was equal to God, but He became a man. But Jesus was perfect like God. He gave up his Godhood to become a man to die on the cross for are sins.

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The Greatest problem faced by a believing Christian in regards to witnessing to a Jew or Muslim is this concept of the Trinity (which is no wise mentioned in the WORD of God) Jews have throughout their life learned unequivocally that God is One (The Shama... Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One). Not that three are triune or that God is a Multiplicity of "persons. As best as I understand too, the Muslims have great issue with the "Trinity" concept among other things Christians believe. It was not until the Council of Nicea (approx 325 AD) when an attempt to unify "Christian Beliefs" of a large host of Polytheistic countries occurred did the "Definition" of Trinity exist. God is without doubt One. His Word says so. Finite minds will never clearly understand the Infinite, the Trinity is the accepted definition by the RCC, the Ecumenical Council and thereby accepted and repeated as truth. Just as the majority of the World believing the Earth was flat did not make it truth neither does a majority belief in the concept of Trinity make it truth. God is now and has ALWAYS been One, singular and Sovereign. He, God, chose to humble Himself as man and thereby provide Himself as "Sinless Man", to redeem His creation. God (Prior to Christ) is Spirit, they that worship Him must do so in Spirit and in Truth, after the incarnation God provided what man could not, a PERFECT sacrifice for Adam's failure. Please understand this, IT IS A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, that is central to your understanding the lover of your soul. Not a denomination or a sect or some obscure definition of who God is. Paul said it well on the way to Damascus "Who art thou Adonai?", and the Response from God was clearer yet, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutes"

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Points to ponder

Of course, people may believe what they want to; belief is matter of custom, culture and personal choice.

Short list of those who should not believe in the Trinity:

  1. Atheists. It would be entirely fitting for atheists not to believe in the Trinity, because belief the trinity would seem to be incompatible with atheism.
  2. Monotheists, it would appear, should also not believe the trinity, for similar reasons.
  3. Agnostics should also not believe the trinity, in the light of their view that no-one can know whether God exists or not.

A question in the form 'Why should we not ..." implies that 'we' are all under some sort of common obligation. Maybe 'we' are, but when it comes to belief of any sort, whether they be religious, scientific, political or commercial/business beliefs etc., 'we' have no authority to say what others 'should' believe.

In many cases, 'belief' is a reasoned opinion or viewpoint based on, or deduced from known facts. So many beliefs may have a sound basis. But the credibility of any belief is determined by the strength of the arguments and facts upon which that belief is founded.

'Belief' has several possible sources:

(1) Reasoning from sound facts, i.e. from what is known.

(2) Acceptance of 'received wisdom' from an authoritative source.

(3) Accepting commonly held views of others as one's own.

(4) Purely imaginary concepts which have no evident or obvious connection with reality.

In order to answer the main question, we really need to know...

(i) Who are 'we' ? and (ii) What is 'the Trinity'?

Only when we have gathered sufficient and unequivocal answers to these two questions can we begin to compile a definitive answer to the question.

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What are 2 facts about Christians?

They believe in The Holy Trinity. They believe in Christ.


Explain some beliefs that Christians have?

Christians believe that Jesus is the only way to get to heaven. You can't get there through money, popularity or even doing good deeds. They believe in the Trinity. The Trinity is God, the Father, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus.


Do born again Christians believe in the Holy Trinity?

Yes.


Why don't some people believe in the Holy Spirit?

Some people do not have religious views or beliefs. It is not a necessity that a person does. They may not be Christians or do not believe in the doctrine of trinity.


Outline the Christian beliefs about the unity of God?

Most (not all) Christians believe in a Trinity, where God has three forms--a Father, a Son, and a Holy Spirit. Although there are three aspects of God, they are considered One God. Some Christians believe in a single God, not a Trinity.


What do Christians believe about the trinity cross?

the trinity cross means god as the father theson (Jesus) and the holy spirit


What is the difference between Islam and christainity?

Christians believe Jesus is part of the Holy Trinity. Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet.


What is meant by the trinity and what is its importance within the beliefs of Christianity?

Christians believe in one god, who created the universe and all that is in it.


Different Christian views on believing in God?

Most Christians believe in a Trinity, where God is three beings in one: 1) the Father 1) the Son and 3) the Holy Spirit. These three can be seen as different forms of one God.Some Christians do not believe in a Trinity, and many Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but not God Himself.Christians also differ on the nature of God; whether He is a person or a spirit.


If Christians believe in trinity they are believing in three gods?

If they are a true Christian then they are following in the foot steps of Jesus Christ and only believe in one god named Jehovah.AnswerNo, the concept of the Trinity is that there is one God but with three parts.


Do Christians celebrate trinity at any particular time?

Christians celebrate the Trinity all of the time. However, the Sunday after Pentecost is known as 'Trinity Sunday.'


Do all Christian denominations believe in the Trinity?

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