THE PAGAN PUZZLE: A further look at things Christians are not supposed to find put. By Richard Snell.
"Whenever I force my mind to try to understand the Trinity, and the more I write, the less capable I am of expressing my thoughts." (Athanasius)
This from the mouth of Athanasius, the Deacon and probably the recording secretary to the Bishop at Alexandria whose name was the same as that Egyptian city, "Alexandria." Obviously they were co-conspirators, but Anthanasius could be called "the Father of the Trinitarian Doctrine," for it was contained in a creed that bore his name. (Bernard Katz)
Athanasius was also a member of the Nicene Council (325 A.D.) - an honor for a mere deacon. This council was convened by Emperor Constantine for the purpose of interpreting this new doctrine, deciding the accepted date for celebrating Easter, and drawing up Canons that related to matters of discipline. (Historical View of the Council of Nice, p. 54)
If the good Jew Deacon pondered much and found it difficult to understand this doctrine that he had borrowed from the pagans, then how much more have sincere students, across the centuries, struggled as they tried to puzzle out an idea that is incomprehensible to a rational mind?
Picture, if you will, the thought of a man and has son, and they were exactly the same age, yet the son was "begotten of the father." Perplexing? Ponder some more. This father and son of the same age had a partner...kinship, "self"...no, that's not correct either...well, yes it is...in a way, sort of, and this partner {co-equal} had a body only at times. He was often described as a "ghost," for now maybe you saw him and maybe you didn't, for maybe it was only his "manifestation," not him. And this father, son and ghost {maybe} dwelled in the same body, but not all the time for they were different {I think} and had different work to do. Do you understand all this? If not, don't feel lonesome, for neither did its author. But then, this being unable to understand the un-understandable was summarily explained as being "a mystery" and we were not supposed to understand - just accept. Selling bridges didn't begin in Brooklyn!
A great thinker of later years rightly declared, "Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities." Undoubtedly, this has proven to be true, for tens of thousands of the faithful were executed for not accepting this foolish doctrine.
We only have space to look at two things in this brief presentation of the Pagan Puzzle. First, the explanation of "mysteries" as taught in the Scripture, and just how mysterious are they meant to be? Second, just how "pagan" can Pagan be; or perhaps better asked, just how deep are the roots of this doctrine in paganism?
"TRINITY" (the word): This mystery is more mysterious when we find that the term "trinity" is not to be found in Holy Writ. In this sense, it is kin to another famous term you know - namely, "the rapture." Neither are found in the Word. But since we are going to be using the term quite frequently, for your enlightenment we will give its origin.
The word "trinity" is a compound of two Latin words: tres (three), and unitas (unity), the idea being "three in unity" or "three in one."
In the compounding of these words they have been made to amalgamate and assimilate into one another. In Latin, the word is "trinitas," and has been translated into English with the change of the last syllable, "tas" into "ty" as is usually with the Latin nouns ending in "tas," e.g., "libertas" (liberty), "amitas" (amity), "qualitas" (quality), etc. The idea actually expressed by the word "trinity" is, "that three gods are one god," through the proponents of the trinity doctrine would not so express it. Rather, they prefer to say "three persons are one God."
No less confusing of course, and since they claim that each one of the three is "God," their doctrine actually implies that "three Gods are one God." And of course these three persons are "the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" - hence "the Trinity.
"MYSTERIES" TO BE UNDERSTOOD: We are aware that both Yahshua (Christ) and the Apostles spoke of "mysteries," but we also know that they were not understandable and unexplainable. The Word plainly tells how we may be able to understand.
The following is a list of Scriptures in the New Testament where the Greek word "mysterion" is used - from which our English word "mystery" is derived. It is found 28 times. Look up each and read for yourself as space does not permit us to refer but to a few. You will find that these "mysteries" are neither UNREASONABLE nor UNEXPLAINABLE to those who have been begotten of His Spirit. They are as follows: (Matt. 13:11; Mark 4:11; Luke 8:10; Romans 11:25; 16:25; 1 Cor. 2:7; 4:1; 13:2; 14:2; 15:51; Eph. 1:9; 3:3-4, 9; 5:32; 6:19; Col. 1:26-27; 2:2; 4:3; 2 Thess. 2:7; 1 Tim. 3:9, 16; Revelation 1:20; 10:7; 17:5-7)
Upon reading these Scriptures, we are quick to observe that all is not as we have been taught by our creedal churches. It is not the "simple gospel" that any and all can understand in this age. From the reading of Matthew 13:11; Mark 4:11 and Luke 8:20 we find that Yahshua deliberately spoke in parables - not that "whosoever" may understand, but so they would be unable to understand. Christ did not intend that the Jewish Priests, Scribes and Pharisees should understand the parables. Thus, it is easier for us to understand the many admonitions to have patience with one another in "brotherly love."
Origin said, "...exegetical difficulties in Scripture were placed there by their ultimate author - God," in the way that similar obstacles to faith were placed in the Cosmos so that man could use his mind." (Origin 185-253 A.D. Early Christian theologian and exegete of the Bible). But with even this formidable task that we have as enlightened Israel, we can realize that at no time are we expected to accept, without thought, the unexplainatinable and unreasonable.
Is Yahweh unfair for not making it easy for all to understand? No indeed! If one has a welfare mind, desiring only the "loaves and fishes" without any effort, then one doesn't deserve to know. But if one is "willing and obedient," then a key is given whereby these mysteries of the Kingdom can be unlocked. What could be more fair?
We find the key in John 14 beginning with verse 15: "If you love me keep my commandments, and I will pray the father and He shall send you another Comforter...even the Spirit of Truth...the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit...shall teach you all things..." (John 14:15-17, 24)
The Apostle Paul devotes the entire second chapter of 1 Corinthians to explaining the necessity of Yahweh's Spirit if we are to comprehend. So we are promised comprehension for the mysteries. This is easy to understand, for immediately when we find out that the word "iniquity" used in 2 Thessalonians 2:7 means "lawlessness," we understand that "mystery of iniquity: - "mystery of lawlessness."
Students of the Word, and Church History are well aware that the church contaminated and corrupted the purity of Yahshua's message long before the phony conversion of the pagan emperor Constantine and the founding of the "Holy Catholic Church." This church of the government soon, as was expected, became the only church allowed by law. Perhaps the only thing "Christian" about it was the use of the word.
This is why our forefathers placed the First Amendment to the Constitution; to prevent evil men in government from once again forcing a "state" church upon the people of the United States. And yet even with all the safeguards they provided our American Government has its own religion and it is called "Humanism" and has been declared a religion by the courts many times.
Lest you think I am making a special effort to castigate Catholics, I am not. The heathen Catholic rituals that protestants abhor so much are actually no more pagan than the many silly rituals in existence in every creedal Protestant Church in the world today.
There were many throughout the Catholic {universal} Church who remained faithful to the truth, even among the clergy. Some just could not understand why they should exchange one lame horse for another. This is true even today among our race in the Catholic ranks. There is a mighty awakening taking place as to the truth o four Heritage and Kingdom principles. If we can only discard our creedal blinders we can see this awakening among our people everywhere and take heart, for indeed the trumpet call has sounded, "and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven {creedal churches} to the other" (Matt. 24:31)
When Martin Luther, in anger and frustration, took a hammer and nailed his ninety-five theses to the door of the Church in Wittenberg in 1517, he helped set in motion the reformation that ultimately has led to where we are today.
But, none can say with honesty that "where we are today" is all good. Although this reformation unchained the Bible from the altar and put it in the hands of the common man {who couldn't read it and still won't}, if also unchained this varmint called "the mystery of lawlessness," and turned it loose on an unsuspecting society. What is it? Why, "sweet grace only!" By "only believing!" It is a "come as you are," "do as you please" religion. We are witnessing insanity compounded upon insanity.
THE ROOTS IN PAGANISM: We must now trace the roots of this heathen doctrine. Where do we start? It is always best to start at the beginning if one knows where to find the beginning. In this particular study we will have no problem, for the science of archaeology has brought us to the place where the picture is starting to come in sharp and clear. Along with the Apostle Paul, and perhaps better than Paul, we can now understand the "mystery" of the blindness upon Israel (Romans 11:25)
The first triune god can be found in the ancient kingdom of Babylon, often thought to have been established by Nimrod. Now we know that Nimrod only succumbed to what could be called "The Early Traditions of the Elders," when he tried to erect the Tower of Babel. This early version of "the traditions" can be traced all the way back to one some would call the "Head Elder": Cain. Remember him? He was the first of Mother Eve's children to defiantly reject Divine Law. Archaeology has found evidence that, under the name of "Sargon the Magnificent," Cain established the ancient kingdom of Babylon. In Mrs. Sydney Bristow's book titled, Sargon the Magnificent, on page 70, the first trinity is listed: Anu, Mul-lil and Ea. It is thought that they probably represented Adam, Eve, and Satan {or Cain}.
From Babylon, where this trinity was shown in three images in the Temple of Belus, we follow it to Assyria and to the Chaldeans where the names were slightly changed to Anos, Illinos and Aos. The Phoenicians' trinity was Ulomus, Ulosuros and Eliun. That of the Egyptians was Kneph or Ammun, Phtlas and Osiris. That of the Romans was Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto.
Israel, dispersed among the nations. fell into the same trap, for the trinity of the heathen Irish was Kriosen, Biosena and Shiva. The trinity of the heathen Scandinavians was Thor, Wodan and Frisco. The Germans' trinity was Odin, Thor and Freya.
From Western Europe and the Mid-East we go the Far East and find the same roots for the Chinese whose Emperor offered yearly sacrifice to "the spirit of the trinity." Confucius (550-479 B.C.) said: "Tao (god) is by nature ONE; the FIRST begat the SECOND: both together brought forth the THIRD; these three made all things." The Japanese view is similar. We find that the money of the Dalai Lama (Tibet) is stamped with a picture of a three-fold deity.
A Tartar coin is stamped with a human figure with three heads, which, according to the superscription on the reverse side, represents their trinity. The trinity of India (Trimurte) is Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, worshipped as three persons, through originally the Divine principle (Brahma) was but one. One of its sacred writings declare: "The great unity is to be distinctively recognized as THREE GODS IN ONE PERSON." One of its hymns declares: "There are THREE DEITIES; but there is only ONE GODHEAD; the Great Soul."
From the Far East we can swim the oceans to the Americas and again find the same roots. Briefly, we find this in variance: from North to South America they worshiped the sun under three images which they called Father, Son and Brother Sun. Their three-in-one god was Tangalanga (one in three and three in one) and Trinimaka (trinity).
Long roots indeed! Don't you think it's time to wield the Sword of Truth and sever these roots of paganism? "Hear O Israel, Yahwah our God is one" (Deut. 6:4). "In that day Yahweh will be one and His name one" (Zech. 14:9)
THEREFORE, IT IS CLEAR THAT EVEN THE ANCIENT PAGAN RELIGIONS RECOGNIZED THAT GOD THE FATHER, CHRIST - THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE ONE THE SAME!