Is Three-in-one-gods Polytheism?

[Zzyzx]

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From another thread:

The Doctrine of the Trinity is not "three-gods-in-one". In fact, that is precisely what it is NOT, since Christians begin from the fundamental premise that "there is only one true God". Rather, it is an effort to define the inter-relation of the person, being and substance of the three divine Persons mentioned in the Bible.

According to Christian literature and dogma:

1) Is Jesus, "the son of god" a "god" or is "he" not?

2) Is "god the father" a "god" or is "he" not?

3) Is the "holy spirit" (whatever that means) a "god" of is "he" not?

Does 1 + 1 + 1 = 1 in Christendom?????

Does "creative math" (or creative imagination) avoid polytheism?

[Slopeshoulder]

Calvinsbulldog is correct. Theopoesis also explained this well. And I have tried.

They are not each a god, they are each persons in one God. They be one. Whether philosophically sound or mythically symbolic, Christian trinity, the triune god, is a singular godhead. Not three god's. Although people have misread it for millennia.

It's not about math, but rather about personhood, and very specific philosophic meanings of terms invoked to give account of experience and the mythic inheritance (scripture). Its development as a doctrine makes interesting reading as a study of the intersection of philosophy, experience, and tradition , and how in the end it became humble mystery.

Advanced students and professionals get it, and children swallow it. In between are 4 non-expert adult groups: 1) faithful who defer to their educated leaders, 2) people who don't think about it, 3) people who choose to study philosophy in order to better understand it, and 4) people who dismiss it because it doesn't conform to their modern positivist, rationalist, and materialist assumptions.

It is worthless and useless to discuss in any meaningful way the trinity from the perspective of math and science, and divorced from philosophy, theology, and participation in a scriptiure-oriented tradition and linguistic community. It is a term that must be understood in context.

[notachance]

I don't think it's polytheism. It's just capitalism.

You get three Gods for the price of one!

You can sign up for a rewards card and get VIP parking forever.

If you send indulgences to the corporate office, you can buy futures in the real estate market of the most exclusive resort in the universe.

Buy now for just $19.99 and we will guarantee a villa with pool will be waiting for you at the aforementioned exclusive resort!

No refunds accepted. Satisfaction guaranteed!*

*Some restrictions apply. The whole thing might be fictional. Not evidence based. The fact that people have fallen for it in the past doesn't mean that they will fall for it in the future.

[AquinasD]

The ability to misrepresent a proposition does not an objection make.

The doctrine of the Trinity states that God is three persons, each who are the one God, not each a separate god that makes up God.

Therefore, Trinitarianism is not polytheism.

[notachance]

The ability to misrepresent a proposition does not an objection make.

The doctrine of the Trinity states that God is three persons, each who are the one God, not each a separate god that makes up God.

Therefore, Trinitarianism is not polytheism.

What Aquinas is telling us is that there aren't three separate Gods. It's one God, with three different personalities.

God suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder!

It's medically defined thus: "A condition in which a person displays multiple distinct identities or personalities, each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment".

So God has the "insightful masochistic jewish carpenter who can perform magic tricks" personality.

God also has the "The ultra-powerful dictator who rules an enormous empire with his infinite resources and state-of-the-art surveillance of what everybody is doing, saying and thinking every moment of their life" personality.

Lastly, God also has the "weird ghost who does unspecified stuff" personality.

God needs some pretty heavy medication.

[AquinasD]

What Aquinas is telling us is that there aren't three separate Gods. It's one God, with three different personalities.

That isn't what I said, if you care to read (as it is, you haven't demonstrated even a high school level competence of reading comprehension).

God is three persons, not three personalities.

The ability to misrepresent a proposition does not an objection make.

[notachance]

What Aquinas is telling us is that there aren't three separate Gods. It's one God, with three different personalities.

That isn't what I said, if you care to read (as it is, you haven't demonstrated even a high school level competence of reading comprehension).

God is three persons, not three personalities.

I see. So his condition is even more severe than we thought! It doesn't just affect his mind (personalities), it affects his body as well (persons)!

Kinda like Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde! The split personality disorder doesn't just affect the mind, but the body as well, in that Mr Hyde gains superhuman physical strength as well as a deranged personality.

That sounds accurate. Not only does the Jesus character gain a megalomaniacal and petty attitude when it transforms into the God personality, but it also gains the power to torture billions for eternity, create galaxies, and tell bronze age barbarians not to eat seafood!

I gotcha Aquinas, I gotcha. God is three persons, not just three personalities. Messed up s:censored:t

Hey! I just had another idea for an awesome interpretation of the trinity!
It's kinda like the Three Musketeers! All for one, one for all!

God is Athos, the father figure
Jesus is Porthos, honest and slightly gullible
The Holy Spirit is Aramis, because.... well, I have no idea what the Holy Spirit does, so your guess is as good as mine.

I love fiction!

[CalvinsBulldog]

I see. So his condition is even more severe than we thought! It doesn't just affect his mind (personalities), it affects his body as well (persons)!

The capacity to throw insults at a proposition you do not understand does not make a reasoned rebuttal. A person is not the equivalent of a personality.

A human being may be sadly brain dead, and in their unconscious state exhibit no personality - that is, no pattern of behaviour or emotional responses - but this does not mean they cease to be a person.

I love fiction!

Given that in two posts you have attacked only a fictitious portrayal of a religious doctrine using successive logical fallacies, I do not for a moment doubt it. The fields are rustling with straw men today!

[CalvinsBulldog]

According to Christian literature and dogma:

1) Is Jesus, "the son of god" a "god" or is "he" not?

None of the above accurately reflects the historical Christian doctrine of the Trinity. Your problem here - and in the rest of your post - is simply that you fail to understand very basic philosophical concepts and categories: indeed strange from someone who teaches science at a college level. It does you no favours to assume that Christian philosophy is practiced by imbeciles who can develop logical fallacies and not notice them for centuries.

The Christian doctrine of the Trinity starts from the principle of strict monotheism. Historically, Christians have always affirmed there is only one true God. There are not multiple gods. The question that we then move onto is whether that one being, God, is also one person, or a plurality of persons.

We recognise the philosophic concept of personhood every day. For instance, you, Zzyzx are a human being. You are one being. And you are also one person. In contradistinction, a rock also has the property of being since it exists, can be picked up and is a real object. But it is not a person.

A rock = 1 being, 0 persons
Zzyzx = 1 being, 1 person

Christians believe God is one Being, comprised of three Persons. Those Persons are identified as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And as Christians have confessed for a very long time, "these Three are One".

2) Is "god the father" a "god" or is "he" not?

The Father is not "a god", as I have already explained. The Father is a Person within the divine godhead.

3) Is the "holy spirit" (whatever that means) a "god" of is "he" not?

Once again, the Holy Spirit is not "a god". The Holy Spirit is a Person within the divine godhead.

Does 1 + 1 + 1 = 1 in Christendom?????
Does "creative math" (or creative imagination) avoid polytheism?

Polytheism is the belief in a plurality of divine beings. Orthodox Christians believe strictly that there is only one divine being, containing three persons. It has nothing to do with the mathematics you have offered, or the big ol' corn maze of straw men in your post.

[Wootah]

I don't think it's polytheism. It's just capitalism.

You get three Gods for the price of one!

You can sign up for a rewards card and get VIP parking forever.

If you send indulgences to the corporate office, you can buy futures in the real estate market of the most exclusive resort in the universe.

Buy now for just $19.99 and we will guarantee a villa with pool will be waiting for you at the aforementioned exclusive resort!

No refunds accepted. Satisfaction guaranteed!*

*Some restrictions apply. The whole thing might be fictional. Not evidence based. The fact that people have fallen for it in the past doesn't mean that they will fall for it in the future.

Nothing in that post is remotely civil. The best that can be said is that it could be worse.