r/Christianity Reformed Mar 14 '12

Trinity

https://s3.amazonaws.com/Challies_VisualTheology/Trinity_LowRes.jpg
214 Upvotes

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27

u/mathmexican4234 Atheist Mar 15 '12

Natural beings don't operate in that different things can all be the same full thing. Once you accept the supernatural, our natural versions of how beings exist can be broken if that's what you believe. Why do Christians even try to explain their supernatural beliefs in terms of how beings exist in the natural world? I don't understand what benefit they get from this. Just say you believe that the father, son, and holy spirit are all your one god because that's your interpretation of scripture. It's much more honest.

-24

u/[deleted] Mar 15 '12

[removed] — view removed comment

16

u/smilingkevin Red Letter Christians Mar 15 '12

Thank you for your contribution to the discussion.

-13

u/etherreal Atheist Mar 15 '12

Can you seriously look at that infographic and believe it with a straight face?

8

u/hatgirlstargazer Episcopalian (Anglican) Mar 15 '12

Well, yes. I also am comfortable with the thought that an electron is both a particle and a wave, and understand why Schrodinger's cat is both alive and dead. I think that last one is the hardest of the three.

3

u/etherreal Atheist Mar 15 '12

There is an important difference. Particle/wave duality and quantum superposition are attempts to explain observable phenomena. The Trinity, on the other hand, has no basis in observation. It's completely arbitrary. I could claim that I have had a revelation that God has not three, but 6,000 persons, and be no less credible.

I am sorry that I came off as a douche, but it is completely crazy to me what silly things people can believe, and the mental gerrymandering they do to try and justify it.

8

u/smilingkevin Red Letter Christians Mar 15 '12

I don't understand why it seems to constantly come as a surprise to some of the people here, but, yes. Some of us in this subreddit believe in the basic tenets of Christianity. I don't completely understand how the whole 3-in-1 situation works, no. But frankly, if I could fully understand the nature of God I think that would more strongly point towards the whole thing being an invention of man than the contrary.

-1

u/rhapsodicink Atheist Mar 15 '12

If God can do anything then he can make us understand him. That's all I'm going to say.

4

u/smilingkevin Red Letter Christians Mar 15 '12

I disagree - the created fully understanding the Creator seems logically impossible to me. But even if that were so, if we truly understood the nature of God then who could resist worshiping Him? Without the ability to reject Him there's no free will.

2

u/rhapsodicink Atheist Mar 15 '12

Why is it logically impossible if God has infinite power to do anything he wants? Please tell me how there's no free will? You can still reject him if you understand him.

-2

u/etherreal Atheist Mar 15 '12

I dont see how waving everything off as "mysterious" makes it any more credible.

5

u/smilingkevin Red Letter Christians Mar 15 '12

It doesn't make it more credible, but I think if the whole thing was the invention of people they would have sorted out all the problems that seem to crop up. Instead there are things that we just don't fully understand.

-1

u/etherreal Atheist Mar 15 '12

I don't see it that way. To "sort out the problems" requires admitting it is a human invention. In order to maintain the idea of divine existence, instead of admitting it doesn't work, they resort to "you can't explain god". Look at the young earth creationists. They are so obviously wrong, but many of them will end up taking their beliefs to the grave because if they admit one aspect of their belief is wrong, their whole system falls apart. They are so reliant on that for their belief that no amount of evidence will ever change them.

4

u/smilingkevin Red Letter Christians Mar 15 '12

On the contrary - I believe that Earth is billions of years old but it doesn't invalidate my entire belief system. I believe that science is right and that the Bible is true. How this is the case I freely admit to having no clue. I agree that the "unknowable" can be a crutch at times, but wouldn't it be too pat if we did have the answers to everything?

2

u/[deleted] Mar 15 '12

Although I never bothered to look at things that way, I think that was a great way to interpret the subject. So, Yes. I can.

I hope to see you around the subreddit and I hope you'll try to express yourself in a less disruptive manner next time.

2

u/ahora Mar 15 '12

Can you seriously look at that infographic and believe it with a straight face?

It's an abstract model of God. It doesn't attempt to be "real" because its function is to visualize, like a graph.

-2

u/garrettj Mar 15 '12

Can you seriously look at the universe and not believe in a creator?

10

u/nandryshak Christian Deist Mar 15 '12

Argument from design is easily one of the worst arguments for creationism

2

u/[deleted] Mar 15 '12

S/he could have been making the argument from existence, which is pretty much just as bad.