Arguments Supporting Unitarianism
In this blog post, I will present the general arguments supporting unitarianism. It’s important for my readers to understand the arguments supporting unitarianism from one who previously was unitarian (at least in some form).
One of the difficulties that I see in general, is that people who sit on “the other side of the fence” in any discussion, tend to have a false view of what those who they oppose actually believe.
In my previous religion, I saw the present day possession of the holy spirit gifts as a room full of people engaging in a bunch of cocophonic nonsense where there was no respect for God. Now having experienced the presence of Holy Spirit in a room full of God’s Servants, I get it. This goes for those who promote one doctrinal position over another. It’s pretty rare that people get to hear from someone who has converted from one doctrine to another that is pretty much diametrically opposed.
Arguments supporting unitarianism
So, with that being said, here are the principal ways that I would have provided arguments supporting unitarianism or more correctly, arguments against the Trinity. There are no doubt positive ways to frame arguments supporting unitarianism, however, most of the argument from my perspective was more around refuting the Trinity as a doctrine. In the following brief summaries, I will merely present the refutation of the Trinity. I will force myself to refrain from arguing the contrary, because I intend to do this fully in a series of posts following this one.
Paganism
In this refutation, the position presented is that the doctrine of the Trinity originates from pagan beliefs. It is argued that the Doctrine of Trinity did not appear at all in the first three centuries of Christianity. It is argued that the doctrine of the Trinity originated in Babylon and was passed on to the religions of the world. The principal assertion in this regard links Plato to the earlier Babylonian religion and for example in Nouveau Dictionnaire Universel 1870 it is asserted “The Platonic trinity, itself merely a rearrangement of older trinities dating back to earlier peoples, appears to be the rational philosophic trinity of attributes that gave birth to the three hypostases or divine persons taught by the Christian churches… This Greek philosopher’s conception of the divine trinity… can be found in all ancient (pagan) religions.”
God doesn’t Change
I will deal with the declaration of God’s oneness below. In this argument supporting unitarianism, it is argued that there is no evidence for the Trinity in the old testament. That the Bible from the outset presents God as One. In essence, it is argued that the developed understanding of the Trinity that apparently culminated in the Nicean Declaration in 325AD amounts to a charge that God changed. This is in contrast to Malachi 3:6 “For I the Lord do not change…” or Jam 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” and many other quotations that can be used to argue that God doesn’t change. The Trinity represents a change in the God who does not change.
Jesus was imperfect
Hebrews 4:15 explicitly states that Jesus was tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. James 1:13 states that God cannot be tempted. The temptation presents an argument that Jesus had to be imperfect otherwise the temptation was meaningless. God is perfect, ergo, Jesus is not God.
Hear O Israel, The Lord is One LORD
Deut 6:4 proclaims the oneness of God, therefore God is not three in one.
The Trinity Creates Paradoxes
I have stated one argument to paradox above – that Jesus was imperfect, whilst God is not. Another is that Jesus died, whereas God cannot die. It’s an argument to logic that on the surface is pretty compelling.
Trinitarians manipulate the Bible
In this argument supporting unitarianism, it is argued that pretty much from the time of Constantine, there has been a determined effort to force the “Platonic” doctrine of the Trinity into Christianity, especially by manipulating translations of the bible to agree with this doctrine. A key manipulation is asserted in that it is argued that 1 John 5:7 does not appear in the original bible.
Where to from here?
In my next blog, I will present the Arguments that support the Trinity.