[Another in the series of “Responding to Bumper Stickers,” or “Long Answers to Short Questions,” in which I try to give a Latter-day Saint response to a question or accusation commonly lobbed against us on X.]
The impetus of this post is a recent exchange on X, spawned from a longer third-party thread:
And that was where my correspondent stopped answering, naturally.
I cannot presume, of course, to tell my correspondent what he personally believes. But I can point out that the doctrinal stance which he declares to be one of the “[v]ery basic tenets of Christianity” simply isn’t so for the past two thousand years. In fact, it’s specifically disclaimed by just about every formulation of the Trinity put forth by Protestant, Catholic or Orthodox faiths. We can (and have) have debates on the Biblical foundation of ideas of “essence,” “coeternal,” “consubstantial,” etc., and how (or whether) worship of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost defines “monotheism”… But pretty much every faith tradition I know of, in all of Christendom, is united in distinguishing the persons of the Trinity or Godhead.
I mean, no matter how one formulates the relationship of the Trinity, the New Testament becomes incomprehensible if one attempts to read back into it the idea that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one person:
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is myself, in whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:17)
He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me, which is also me. (Matthew 10:40)
All things are delivered unto me of myself: and no man knoweth me, but myself; neither knoweth any man me, save myself, and he to whomsoever I will reveal myself. (Matthew 11:27)
I love me, and have given all things into my hand. (John 3:35)
Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from me; neither came I of myself, but I sent me. (John 8:42)
I and myself are one. (John 10:30)
Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto myself: for I am greater than I. (John 14:28)
I am one that bear witness of myself, and I that sent me beareth witness of me. Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor me: if ye had known me, ye should have known me also. (John 18:18-19)
But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on His own right hand. (Acts 7:55)
I think that’s enough to demonstrate the point.
I post this here not to mock my correspondent, but because it’s so disappointing. This man doesn’t know the Bible firsthand. He doesn’t know the second-hand creeds and formulations that his own faith, whichever it is, holds as authoritative. He’s got a bad third-hand (at best) grasp of his own doctrine, but nonetheless he’s completely certain that he’s right, and that his unsupportable misunderstanding is essential to being a Christian.
Or, as I later commented:
