Criticism of the Trinity Doctrine - Collection 3

Criticism of the Trinity Doctrine - Collection 3: Initially, I named this upload: "Schisms in Christianity – Nontrinitarianism". But then I opted to label it "Criticism of the Trinity Doctrine - Collection 3" for it is a continuation to two previous ULs on the same subject: - Origin and Criticism of the Trinity Doctrine - A Collection, and - Criticism of the Trinity Doctrine - Collection 2 There are also 2 other ULs that are closely related to the subject: - The Nature of Jesus - Lord, Prophet or Legend, and - The Concept and Attributes of God This UL contains 17 titles. Titles 4-6 are of interest for they report the testimonies of about 360 scholars and free thinkers who rejected Trinity. 1- Wikipedia - Nontrinitarianism 2- Burnap - Doctrines of Christianity in Controversy between Unitarians and Other Denominations (1835) 3- Mitchell - The Safe Side: A Theistic Refutation to the Divinity of Christ (1887) 4- Wallace - Antitrinitarian Biography-Vol I (1850) 5- Wallace - Antitrinitarian Biography-Vol II (1850) 6- Wallace - Antitrinitarian Biography-Vol III (1850) 7- Servetus - Thoughts on Nature and Religion (1774) 8- Unitarianism - Its Origin and History: A Course of Sixteen Lectures (1890) 9- Williams - Beliefs and Opinions of a Unitarian (1885) 10- Wilson - Scripture Proofs and Scriptural Illustration to Unitarianism (1847) 11- Beard - Unitarianism Exhibited or Christian Anti-Trinitarianism (1846) 12- Yates - Vindication of Unitarianism (1850) 13- Yates - A Sequel to a Vindication of Unitarianism (1822) 14- Worcester - New Chain of Plain Argument Against Trinitarianism (1817) 15- McLachlan - The Methodist Unitarian Movement (1919) 16- Allen & Eddy - History of the Unitarians and Universalists in the United States (1894) 17- Harris - The A to Z of Unitarian Universalism (2009) The doctrine of Trinity is a major cause of schism in Christianity. It is also a major cause of schism between Christianity and the other Abrahamic religions: Judaism and Islam. We can confidently state here that the Trinitarians are the ones who departed from true Christianity because Jesus never claimed to be "son of God, begotten of God" or that he was part of "Three Gods". Jesus was from a Jewish family, was raised a Jew, and even became a Rabbi before starting his mission. He repeatedly insisted that He came to fulfill the Torah and the Prophets, not to destroy them. Interestingly, the Qur'an addressed the issue of Trinity in several places in Sura #5 (Al-Maidah or The Feast). First, in verses 72-76, we read: 5:72 Those who say, ‘God is the Messiah, son of Mary,’ have defied God. The Messiah himself said, ‘Children of Israel, worship God, my Lord and your Lord.’ If anyone associates others with God, God will forbid him from the Garden, and Hell will be his home. No one will help such evildoers. 5:73 Those people who say that God is the third of three are defying the truth: there is only One God. If they persist in what they are saying, a painful punishment will afflict those of them who persist. 5:74 Why do they not turn to God and ask His forgiveness, when God is most forgiving, most merciful? 5:75 The Messiah, son of Mary, was only a messenger; other messengers had come and gone before him; his mother was a virtuous woman; both ate food [like other mortals]. See how clear We make these signs for them; see how deluded they are. 5:76 Say, ‘How can you worship something other than God, that has no power to do you harm or good? God alone is the All Hearing and All Knowing.’ 5:77 Say, ‘People of the Book, do not overstep the bounds of truth in your religion and do not follow the whims of those who went astray before you– they led many others astray and themselves continue to stray from the even path.’ And then in verses 116-120, we read: 5:116 When God says, ‘Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to people, “Take me and my mother as two gods alongside God”?’ he will say, ‘May You be exalted! I would never say what I had no right to say – if I had said such a thing You would have known it: You know all that is within me, though I do not know what is within You, You alone have full knowledge of things unseen– 5:117 I told them only what You commanded me to: “Worship God, my Lord and your Lord.” I was a witness over them during my time among them. Ever since You took my soul, You alone have been the watcher over them: You are witness to all things 5:118 and if You punish them, they are Your servants; if You forgive them, You are the Almighty, the Wise.’ 5:119 God will say, ‘This is a Day when the truthful will benefit from their truthfulness. They will have Gardens graced with flowing streams, there to remain for ever. God is pleased with them and they with Him: that is the supreme triumph.’ 5:120 Control of the heavens and earth and everything in them belongs to God: He has power over all things. As to the idea that God begot a son or that He has a wife and children, it was strongly rejected and condemned in several Suras and Verses in the Qur'an. Here are few examples: 112:1 Say, ‘He is God the One, 112:2 God the eternal. 112:3 He begot no one nor was He begotten. 112:4 No one is comparable to Him.’ 19:35 it would not befit God to have a child. He is far above that: when He decrees something, He says only, ‘Be,’ and it is. 19:88 The disbelievers say, ‘God has offspring.’ 19:89 How terrible is this thing you assert: 19:90 it almost causes the heavens to be torn apart, the earth to split asunder, the mountains to crumble to pieces, 19:91 that they attribute offspring to God. 19:92 It does not befit God [to have offspring]: 19:93 there is no one in the heavens or earth who will not come to God as a servant– 19:94 He has counted them all: He has numbered them exactly– 19:95 and they will each return to Him on the Day of Resurrection all alone. 23:90 The fact is, We brought them the truth and they are lying. 23:91 God has never had a child. Nor is there any god beside Him– if there were, each god would have taken his creation aside and tried to overcome the others. May God be exalted above what they describe! 23:92 He knows what is not seen as well as what is seen; He is far above any partner they claim for Him. 17:111 and say, ‘Praise belongs to God, who has no child nor partner in His rule. He is not so weak as to need a protector. Proclaim His limitless greatness!’

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nedand (2012-09-02)

Thanks!