What does it mean by One God?

[HTacianas]

The problem with the atom analogy is that the parts are not atoms as you say. Where in Christianity the three parts are god as well. This violates the laws of logic specifically the law on non contradiction. That god is three persons and one person at the same time.

If we look to the old testament, God dwelt in the temple. But God did not dwell in the temple, God's Spirit dwelt in the temple. And this is not a case of "Schrodinger's God".

Rabbinical commentary has it that God's shekinah dwelt in the temple. But God dwelt in the temple. God's shekinah is God, but Judaism has never had a defined "pneumatology". Judaism does not answer the question of the distinction between God and His shekinah, it is simply accepted. Yet in Judaism there is one God.

 

[Clizby WampusCat]

It's three persons and one person only if you use different definitions of person.

What do you mean?

 

[Clizby WampusCat]

If we look to the old testament, God dwelt in the temple. But God did not dwell in the temple, God's Spirit dwelt in the temple. And this is not a case of "Schrodinger's God".

Rabbinical commentary has it that God's shekinah dwelt in the temple. But God dwelt in the temple. God's shekinah is God, but Judaism has never had a defined "pneumatology". Judaism does not answer the question of the distinction between God and His shekinah, it is simply accepted. Yet in Judaism there is one God.

That is illogical. If the religious just want to accept the trinity then ok but there is no basis in logic to accept it.

 

[hedrick]

What do you mean?

You say it's three persons and one person. But the term "person" in the three is a Greek term which doesn't mean what we normally mean by person in English. I have no idea how you'd actually translate it (which is part of the problem). But God has one consciousness and one will. Using normal definitions we'd call that one person.

 

[Clizby WampusCat]

You say it's three persons and one person. But the term "person" in the three is a Greek term which doesn't mean what we normally mean by person in English. I have no idea how you'd actually translate it (which is part of the problem). But God has one consciousness and one will. Using normal definitions we'd call that one person.

Is Jesus God?
Is the HS God?
Is the Father God?

 

[HTacianas]

That is illogical. If the religious just want to accept the trinity then ok but there is no basis in logic to accept it.

There is nothing illogical about it. The idea that God is a complex being is not an unusual idea.

 

[hedrick]

Is Jesus God?
Is the HS God?
Is the Father God?

Sure. But not separately. I'm reluctant to call them parts of God, because part isn't quite right. But for this purpose it's a first approximation.

 

[BigV]

Christians often say that God is one and not more than one but as i understand it is it mostly means One family of Gods not One God as there are three distinct deities not one God but three gods. Please explain. If ur example is similar to one i said above please dont post your answer as ive been through this justification many times

Good luck with that question.

Christians believe there is only ONE God, but in heaven they will see the Father (God) and also Jesus (God who is in resurrected human form). Not sure about Holy Spirit.

Basically, it's called a 'mystery'. You must be part of the group to really get it (translation: just accept it and don't question it).

 

[BigV]

Sure. But not separately. I'm reluctant to call them parts of God, because part isn't quite right. But for this purpose it's a first approximation.

Jesus was fully God, according to Christianity, while he was on this earth. And Jesus prayed to God the Father, in heaven, and even called him... his God. So, Jesus, God and man, prays to God the Father, with Holy Spirit also being God... and ONLY One God.

I think a different question could be asked. How is a Trinity different from a Polytheism where there are three Gods who share equal power?

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Jesus was fully God, according to Christianity, while he was on this earth. And Jesus prayed to God the Father, in heaven, and even called him... his God. So, Jesus, God and man, prays to God the Father, with Holy Spirit also being God... and ONLY One God.

I think a different question could be asked. How is a Trinity different from a Polytheism where there are three Gods who share equal power?

That's like asking "how is your right arm different than your brain or heart yet still a part of the One You."

 

[hedrick]

Jesus was fully God, according to Christianity, while he was on this earth. And Jesus prayed to God the Father, in heaven, and even called him... his God. So, Jesus, God and man, prays to God the Father, with Holy Spirit also being God... and ONLY One God.

I think a different question could be asked. How is a Trinity different from a Polytheism where there are three Gods who share equal power?

The question of Jesus on earth isn't the Trinity. It's the Incarnation. The Trinity is about the eternal Logos. How the Logos became embodied as a human is separate.

The trinity is different from polytheism because it's one person, in the usual English sense.

 

[BigV]

That's like asking "how is your right arm different than your brain or heart yet still a part of the One You."

Oh, is it? Jesus, Father and Holy Spirit are all part of one God as right arm, brain or heart are part of ONE person?

 

[BigV]

The question of Jesus on earth isn't the Trinity. It's the Incarnation.

It's also a question of Trinity, because Christians make a point of Jesus being FULLY God! So, he is distinct from God, who is also FULLY God, while there being only ONE God!

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Oh, is it? Jesus, Father and Holy Spirit are all part of one God as right arm, brain or heart are part of ONE person?

It's a rough analogy; kind of like how various colors on the spectrum of light can be 'different' from one another but yet still all a part of the same waves of electro magnetic particles. I conceptualize God 'organically,' even if not materially, rather than as 3 different persons who are completely and utterly separate like you and I are utterly separate and different.

So, yeah. The organic analogy is rough, but I think it stands and I have yet to see anyone really rip it apart rather than simply dismiss it. [Maybe because simply dismissing it is ... easier to do.]

 

[BigV]

[Maybe because simply dismissing it is ... easier to do.]

No way, dude. It's fun to ponder how >1 = 1.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

No way, dude. It's fun to ponder how >1 = 1.

I'm sure someone could enjoy that, but I won't be joining you in it. But I do like to ponder the what the essence and meaning of 'the Color Purple' could be ...

 

[GoldenKingGaze]

The Letters of the apostles mention the mind of Christ and the Mind of the Spirit.

 

[BigV]

I'm sure someone could enjoy that, but I won't be joining you in it. But I do like to ponder the what the essence and meaning of 'the Color Purple' could be ...

Is your point that Purple made up of other colors? If so, that doesn't help Trinity, because if Jesus, Father and Holy Spirit all make up one God, then none of them individually could be 'fully' God.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Is your point that Purple made up of other colors?

Yes, in a way.

If so, that doesn't help Trinity, because if Jesus, Father and Holy Spirit all make up one God, then none of them individually could be 'fully' God.

This is what I was attempting to get around with my analogy, and you're having phrased your response in the way that you have tells me you don't really, or fully, understand the analogy.

God in Three Persons is not of the same conceptual or semantic nature as us pulling out a picture of you and your parents and then saying, "Here is BigV, with his Dad and his Mom."

No, the analogy is of a different nature than that; but then again, really, God hasn't been understood to be 3 individual persons LIKE 3 individual HUMAN persons would be.

Do you understand what I'm getting at theologically?

 

[BigV]

This is what I was attempting to get around with my analogy, and you're phrasing your response in the way that you have tells me you don't really, or fully, understand the analogy.

I understand there really can't be an analogy for the Trinity, since there is no analogy for a square circle. You can conceptualize a circle and a square, separately, but no a square circle. Trinity, or one God in three Persons is basically a square circle. It's a mystery that must be accepted, by faith, by members of a certain religious group. I would imagine that if you ask 20 Christians about Trinity, you'll get as many different answers.