Misrepresentation of Holy Trinity

by c.pio

In our previous article Trinity of Pagan World?, we discussed the issue on the alleged Pagan doctrine adopted by Catholic Church – the Trinity as false doctrine. But then, in a closer look and proper examination of the entire context, we can see no any congruity except for external similarities (since they saw a bundle of three they conclude that it was trinity). 

Ancient Pagan religion did not profess the belief in ONE GOD; they were all polytheist they worship multiple deities (gods and goddesses). So, like the Egyptian gods Osiris, Isis and Horus, seeing it in a group of three does not correspond to ONE GOD in three persons, it is THREE gods (from 8700 gods and goddesses) that group into THREE!  

But another mistake made by this allegation is the representation of the HOLY TRINITY (which commonly used by INC-1914 and J. Witnesses in attacking the Trinitarian doctrine). I agree, yes to Mr. Conrado J. Obligacion aka Conrado Rsbk (INC-1914 member and anti-Trinitarian) whom some time during his exchange in Trinitarian topic coined the word ‘monster’.



The Holy Trinity in Art

CATHOLIC CHURCH CONDEMNED SUCH ILLUSTRATION! 

This is not what the Holy Trinity is. The correct teaching of the Trinity is one God in three eternal coexistent persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

To put on records, these wrong illustrations belong to heretical doctrine called Modalism, also called Sabellianism, the belief that God is one person who has revealed himself in three forms. Accordingly, God is one person and has merely manifested himself in three forms at various times. (as a Father during creation, Son during redemption and as Holy Spirit during Pentecost). This heretical dogma is exactly the same with Hindu Modalist belief: Brahma, Vishnu and Shivah – the morphing god: a changing god for changing times

"At the end of a thousand periods of four Ages, when the earth's surface is for the most part wasted, there arises a dreadful drought that lasts for a hundred years. Then all these earthly beings whose strength has declined perish completely through oppression. And so the imperishable lord Vishnu, who abides in himself, adopts the form of Rudra, and exerts himself to act in order to destroy all creatures. [...] When everything movable and immovable in the world has perished in the watery darkness, these vast clouds pour down rain for another one hundred years. So is it as the end of every Eon, O excellent seer, by the majesty of the eternal Vasudeva, the supreme Lord. [...] Wind blown out of Vishnu's mouth makes the clouds disappear in a hundred years. When the eternal lord, fashioner of all creatures, inconceivable, the condition of creation, the beginning of everything who has no beginning himself, has entirely consumed the wind, then, reposing on Sesa in the single ocean, the lord, first creator, rests in the form of Brahma, praised by Sanaka and others...A day of Brahma, born of the lotus, lasts a thousand periods of four Ages; a night, when the world is destroyed and made into a vast ocean, is of the same length. At the end of the night, Vishnu, unborn, having awakened, takes the form of Brahma in order to create, as it has already been told to you." (Classical Hindu Mythology, quoted pp. 82-84, David Adams Leeming, The World of Myth).

(a)Three Headed / Three Faced Trinity

Taking into consideration its monstrosity, the Three Headed Trinity or the Three Faced Trinity has long been condemned by our Church, they were rejected by J. Gerson the chancellor of Paris University in the 15th century, Saint Antonious - archbishop of Florence again in the 15th century, J. Molanus a theologian of Leuven University in the 16th century, Pope Urban VIII in 17th century prohibited such art, and finally Pope Benedict XIV in 18th century.

In 1477 the Summa Theologica wrote by St Antonious Archbishop of Florence addressed artists saying:

“Painters are blameworthy when they paint things which are against the faith, when they make an image of the Trinity one person with three heads, which is monstrous in the nature of things.”

(b)Surviving example

St. Maria of Ponte di Cerreto, Italy

Santuario della Madonna

Church of St. Agata, Perugia Italy

Old Prayer Manuscript

(c)Proper representation

ONE GOD in three eternal coexistent persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

 

Click Photo to enlarge

 

This is the oldest existing illustration of the Holy Trinity by Early Christian Church. The Dogmatic Sarcophagus, also known as the "Trinity Sarcophagus" (320–350 A.D.) Three similar bearded figures representing the Trinity, the middle enthroned representing God the Father, creating Eve from the rib of Adam, who lies on the ground.

A.B.C. Three persons represent the Father, Son and Holy Spirit D. Eve E. Adam

This really reminds us the biblical account on Genesis 1:26 

Then God said, "Let US make man in OUR image, in OUR likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

Wherein God speaks as a plurality that strongly suggests that there is more than one person in the Godhead. Same with Genesis 3:22; Genesis 11:7 and in Isaiah 6:8 – the singular speaker refers to himself in the plural.

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for US?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Another presentation (which I like most) the Old Testament Trinity icon by Andrey Rublev, c. 1400 (Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow). 

His illustration is base on another biblical account when Abraham visited by our God in the form of Three visitors [Genesis18:1-15]

The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.

Then lets us read the commentary of St. Augustine on this verse:

But under the oak at Mamre he saw three men, whom he invited, and hospitably received, and ministered to them as they feasted. Yet Scripture at the beginning of that narrative does not say, three men appeared to him, but, “The Lord appeared to him.” And then, setting forth in due order after what manner the Lord appeared to him, it has added the account of the three men, whom Abraham invites to his hospitality in the plural number, and afterwards speaks to them in the singular number as one; and as one He promises him a son by Sara, viz. the one whom the Scripture calls Lord, as in the beginning of the same narrative, “The Lord,” it says, “appeared to Abraham.” He invites them then, and washes their feet, and leads them forth at their departure, as though they were men; but he speaks as with the Lord God, whether when a son is promised to him, or when the destruction is shown to him that was impending over Sodom.