Is the Trinity just based on a few loosely interpreted scriptures?

Answer 1

Yes. Check out these (trinitarian even!) encyclopedia quotes:

THE NEW CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: "The formulation 'one God in three Persons' was not solidly established...prior to the end of the 4th century. Among the Apostolic Fathers, there had been nothing even remotely approaching such a mentality or perspective." - Vol. XIV, p. 299, (1967).


THE NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA: "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 [trinity] 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." -- Micropædia, Vol. X, p. 126. (1976)


Trinitarians have a bunch of scriptures that are claimed to be 'proof' of the Trinity. But closer examination will show that they are merely misinterpreted:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JWquestions-and_answers/message/380

Answer 2

The Trinity is referred to throughout the New Testament. Every time Jesus referred to "the Father" or "the Holy Spirit", He was referring to the Trinity. His command to baptize in the name of the Trinity couldn't be more direct. It doesn't have to be "loosely interpreted". The fact that all three Persons of the Trinity were present at the baptism of Jesus, each acting independently of the others, is likewise very straightforward.

But the Church Christ founded was teaching about the Trinity long before the Bible was compiled. The Bible simply reflects the teaching Christ gave to His Church. It isn't the source of that teaching. Everything Christ said was the Word of God as soon as He said it, because He was and is God, and His Church began teaching whatever He said immediately, not years later when some Apostle mentioned it in his correspondence, or three and a half centuries later when some of those writings were gathered into a book. This is obvious in the writings of the early Church Fathers.

Answer 3

The trick is to want to find the truth regardless of bias, and believe the truth despite bias against. First rid yourself of bias, and be willing to follow the truth of the Word wherever it leads you, even if it is against the church, your friends, your family. I had to leave a whole social support system at a church I attended. They believed in Jesus only, that you aren't saved until you speak in tongues, and baptism is not valid if it was in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as Jesus directed. Anyway once I knew the truth, I had to sadly leave the church I loved because I had to before it became a problem. I have discovered many teachings that the Bible does not support, like the pre-trib rapture, but I must follow the Lord in this and do things that make for peace. So I hold my tongue unless the error taught is egregious. However the rapture teaching has put in many minds that God will rescue us from real bad trouble. God did not spare Joseph, but He molded him into His servant. How will American Christians react to being thrown in the fiery furnace for their belief. Isaiah was sawed in two. Some are delivered and some wait for a better resurrection. If we have false expectations about the way God is supposed to act, then when He fails to act that way, we believe He failed us. Those expectations are false. Cling to Jesus no matter what, for He is the savior from the penalty of Hell.

Answer 4

I think its based on people with a few loose screws. The trinity makes no sense.

Answer 5

No

in MANY scriptures is says that Jesus is the Son of God...

and it also says the Advocate- or holy Spirit is HIS creation which is a PIECE of himself...

In MANY books it tells the trinity...

The TRINITY is real...

God, Jesus, and the Spirit are ALL seperate beings, yet the same all at the same time...

It's hard to wrap your mind around but that's why we call it faith

Answer 6

YES! The trinity are 3 separate people/beings. They are one in purpose. God, His son, Jesus Christ, and then the Holy spirit.

Answer 7

I am a Christian and I worship the one true God, Jesus Christ. We read in Isaiah 9:6 the following,
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." This the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah about the future birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Note He is called the Mighty God and the Everlasting Father.

John1:1-5 states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."

In John 8:51-58 Jesus declares to the church leaders the following, " Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.
52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.
53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am."

The Lord God of the Hebrews told Moses that He is the great I AM. Christ declared that He is the I AM. I believe that Jesus is the Father in creation, the Son in redemption, and the Holy Spirit in regeneration, but ONE GOD who manifests Himself in three ways. I believe in being baptized in Jesus Name because that formula was commanded on the day of Pentecost by Peter. There are a total of four times in the book of Acts where we read of someone being baptized in or into the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin. Whe Jesus commanded His disciples to "...go ye therefore into all the earth baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost" He was not speaking that formula. Notice He said the NAME not the NAMES. The NAME is that of of the one true God, Jeshua, Yahweh, Jehovah. The NAME that is above all names, Jesus.My Creator, Saviour, and Redeemer. Praise His holy NAME! I do not worship a triune God or the trinity.

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Answer 8

You would think that something so profound would have thousands of verses to support it.........


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