This is the First Commandment: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20). In every rendition of The Bible, some variation of this is said. It is important to note that, given the old translation, "before" actually means, "besides". It was just how they spoke back then, like "Thou" means "You". Some versions of The Bible even re-translate this.

Now, this is an image of Jesus Christ.

Question: Are you allowed to worship Jesus Christ? He's not God, but he is worshiped constantly, almost like one.

3096852

He's not God (despite what some people say)

Can you support your statement with anything or are you just asserting this?

3096852 Weren't Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit one and the same? Either way, all the worship has to go to God, from what I know anyway.

3096852

despite what some people say

You shouldn't say that, people take the meeting of all those people that created what is accepted as the official bible today, for no reason other than it sounded nice, very seriously.

3096876 I'm pretty sure the bible says Jesus is God's son, therefore, he can't be God.

3096876 Which part? The "He's not God", or "People say he is"?

3096879 Jesus didn't create the universe. We know when he was born, and God is supposed to be eternal. They can't be the same thing.

3096889 I can cut it out, if it makes you feel better.

3096879
That is only the commonly accepted interpretation of the scripture that was chosen to be kept in the book.
There is no real reason to believe that over the other possible interpretations other than one is commonly accepted over the others simply because a bunch of people in a meeting hundreds of years ago said that that is the correct version and the only correct version.

3096902
I was being sarcastic.

3096895 Well, we know when Jesus was born into the world as we know it, but even then he could havee existed long before in the heavens, but I wouldn't know about that. I only pray to God, but the end prayer ends as such: in the name of the son, the father and the holy spirit, amen.

I think it's said somewhere in the bible that they're all one, but I can't remember where...

3096913 But then who was Jesus's father? As I recall, it clearly says that Jesus is the Son of God. They even made a movie about Jesus called, "Son of God". So Jesus is either his own father, or the author of the New Testament should really read the old one sometime, because nothing makes any sense.

3096912 I took it out anyway. Sounds nicer.

3096928 This comrade explains it better than me.

3096852 Some believe they're the same entity manifest in different ways. I believe the Holy Ghost, Jesus, and God the Father are 3 separate entities with one united purpose and only worship God the Father.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23)

"We must trust in Jesus with everything we have and everything we do. "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference" (Romans 3:22).

You can ignore Jesus if you want, but you won't see heaven if you do.

3097037 They're not separate entities, though. Look at my links!

3096994 Okay, this is what I got from this.
The Bible constantly contradicts itself, but in order to save the sanctity of our religion, we must therefore state that God is three separate entities combined into one person. Which makes no sense.
This therefore leads me to two conclusions: Either this incredibly complex and convoluted scheme is real, and we just can't understand it because our minds are too "primitive", or...... The Bible clearly has no internal logic, contradicts itself constantly, and therefore cannot possibly be made by God, because of God actually tried to tell us something about how the world is made, than I'm pretty sure a being of unlimited power could make his message a little bit more clear.

3097039 Actually, if there was one thing Jesus taught, it was forgiveness. He loved everyone, even the people who ended up betraying him. That was his way. So, thinking of Jesus as a real person, I doubt that man would condemn me to a flaming pit for eternity just because I have a logical reason to doubt his existence, especially given all of the advancements in astronomy, geology, anthropology, and so forth, all of which dispute claims made by the Bible. And, even if he did sentence me to Hell, Jesus has long hair, and as it says in Corinthians 11:14, "Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him,". So Jesus can join me in Hell with the flaming homosexuals, freed slaves, and 99% of the population of Earth who have also unknowingly broken some unknown guideline which no one should really care about.

3097102 The bible is not meant to be clear, though. It's meant to be deciphered and pondered thoroughly, just like the teachings of Jesus when he came to earth. He only taught in parables, meant to be pondered and deciphered. The bible is a labyrinth with its exit being salvation, made easier to trek by those who obey its teachings. There are no contradictions, but as you said, our minds can't grasp the words of a God in their entirety.

Ever tried to picture God existing before everything else? We can't understand that, because we are not God.

3097102 Actually, can you prove Jesus had long hair?

3097100 Are you open to being convinced one way or the other? I have plenty of scripture to back my beliefs up.

3097174 Fire away, comrade.

3097143 Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand that's why people still worship The Bible. Because, despite all of the absolute rediculous things it says in there (including going to Hell for growing long hair, touching pig flesh, not marrying the sister of your dead wife, not beating your slaves correctly, having a man sleep with another man, not raping and murdering everyone in a city including women and children when the voice in the sky tells you to, and allowing women to speak in a religious home, among other things), people can still say that it is open to interpretation. Honestly, I just cant believe that God would be so damn confusing. I don't care how advanced God is. If he's a being of unlimited power, than the least he can do, if he really wants people to worship him, is give a clear message. Otherwise, I'll stick with evolution, because we can all agree on what it is supposed to mean.

3097156 I can prove Samson had long hair. And that's even worse, because it was in the same testament of the book!

3097102 3097143
"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."
There's a comprehensible answer for every question, but we often need the Spirit to enlighten us properly. I propose that God is a god of reason and logic, that the contradictions in the Bible are errors of men, and that we can receive revelation from God though the Spirit to answer our questions.

3096852 Jesus was a part of the Holy Trinity (God, Jesus, Holy Spirit), which means he is both God and a separate entity at the same time. Thus when you worship Him, you worship God.

3097198 Cool. I'm gonna try and OCR something so it might take a while.

3097232 Everything in the Bible was from man. Didn't you hear about those other testaments of the Bible? You know, the ones made by Jesus's other followers, which were buried by the Roman's because they conflicted with their political interests? You know, the ones that they made three TV specials about, which exposed that we aren't being taught everything, including one particular testament that displays Jesus as someone with no connection to God?

At least when the scientific community argues about evolution, they're doing their job correctly.

3097240 So... Jesus is God, but he isn't God? Think about that for a minute, because that makes no sense. You can't be both nothing and something at the same time.

3097232 There are so many people that say that they have a direct connection to god. But as hard as this is to believe, they aren't all mutually consistent in what they say.

How do you tell apart someone who actually talks to god and someone that has schizophrenia?

3097261 It makes plenty of sense when you're talking about an omniscient and omnipotent being.

3097206 If we say it's open to interpretation, it's because it is. God's base beliefs are all clearly stated, but as you tread through the pages you see things that confuse you. I believe these things test your faith and resolve, really. You could just follow the literal meaning, and break the base beliefs and teachings, or you can use those teachings to comprehend what is meant to be understood.

3097253 Do you believe there's no revelation given to prophets or that mankind doesn't record those revelations? If so then how do you think God ever instructed his people?

3097280 The Bible is something that takes time to understand, not necessarily open to interpretation but partially. The more you study the book, the more the Holy Spirit reveals to you and teaches you.

3097275 No it doesn't. What knowledge do you have of an omniscient and omnipotent being? I didn't know one could be an expert in such a field, where we have absolutely no experience with one. At this point, you are literally just making up the rules of the universe as we go along. Conjecture is not what you should devote your religion to.

3097288 I don't think he exists, at least not in the form The Bible tells us. I think everything in the Bible was made up by a group of men who wished to answer questions about the universe. The Mayans had Gods. The Greeks had Gods. We consider those stories to be nonsensical. We wonder how people could come up with such a crazy explanation for the world, including one with a giant flying raven. But really, there is no way I can believe that a God randomly created the world for "reasons", constantly contradicts himself for "reasons", lets bad things happen for "reasons", can do anything he wants because of "reasons", and be insanely non-descriptive with his teachings, despite the fact that all who disobey him go to Hell, and it makes no sense, all because of "reasons". If the only way God makes sense is for "reasons" we don't understand, that I can't believe in him, or put any faith in him whatsoever. He's not God; he's a psychopath.

3097198 Pardon the typos. I thought it'd be easier to scan and convert text, but it wasn't really.

GODHEAD ONE IN PURPOSE NOT BODY

Three beings manifested at Jesus’ baptism: “And straightaway coming
up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit,
like a dove, descending upon him: and there came a voice from
heaven saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased.” MARK 1:10-11; LUKE 3:21-23; MATTHEW 3:15-17

“But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into
heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right
hand of God.” ACTS 7:55-56" 1-PETER 3:22

“Oh my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me! neverthe-
less, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” MATTHEW 26:39-42

“And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine ownself, with the
glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
JOHN 17:3-5

“Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven
saying, I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”
JOHN 12:28-29

“Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my
brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your
Father,—to my God, and your God.” JOHN 20:17-18

“Neither pray I for these alone, but them also which shall believe on
me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou Father,
art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, that the
world may believe that thou hast sent me:—that they may be one
even as we are one.” JOHN 17:20-22

“In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”
COLOSSIANS 2:9; EPHESIANS 1:23

“For my Father is greater than I.”
JOHN 14:28

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all”
2-CORINTHIANS 13:14

“While they beheld, he was taken up: and a cloud received him out of
their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as
he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into
heaven?
“This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so
come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
ACTS 1:9-11

“There is none other God but one. For though there be that are called
Gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be Gods many and
Lords many, but to us there is but one God, The Father, of whom
are all things,—and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things.”
l-CORINTHIANS 8:4-6; EPHESIANS 4:5-7;

“Who is like unto Thee, O Lord, among the Gods? who is like Thee,
glorious in Holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”
EXODUS 15:11; DEUTERONOMY 10:17; ISAIAH 46:9

“The comforter, which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in
my name; he will teach you of all things,” JOHN 14:26

“But when the comforter is come,—he shall testify of me:”
JOHN 15:26

“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ,
for remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost.” ACTS 2:88-39

Sin and blasphemy against the Holy Ghost cannot be forgiven, while
the sins and blasphemy against the Father and Son, can.
MATTHEW 12:31-32

The Holy Ghost was in existence before the time of Christ.
ACTS 1:16

Apostles commissioned: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, bap-
tizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost:” MATTHEW 28:18-20

“Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery
to be equal with God.” PHILIPPIANS 2:5-6

All right, I'm jumping in on this wagon. Let's give you guys some help here.

I'm going to give you the standings of three official Christian church bodies on the Holy Trinity: These will be the Catholics, the Mormons, and the Jehovah's Witnesses. I lived two of the three of these, and spent a good portion of my life learning about the teachings of the third by family who was involved with it (Catholicism).

Catholics believe the Holy Trinity is three separate beings, as evidenced in the three points on their body that they touch when they bless themselves with holy water. If I'm not mistaken, God is the head, Jesus is the right arm, and the Holy Spirit is the left arm... though, if you reverse it and make Jesus your left arm, maybe you'll go to Hell or something. Or maybe Jesus is supposed to be the left arm and you're damned if you make him your right arm. Catholics are confusing people. They think the Apocrypha is canon.

Anyway, they don't believe it's a contradiction because... well, because they say so. They also believe Mother Mary is worthy of worship, so go figure. They recognize three separate entities, however; I guess the reason that it's not a contradiction will differ from person to person.

Mormons (more properly known as Latter-Day Saints, or LDS) believe that the Holy Trinity is actually a combination into one entity known as the Godhead. They laud it as something that just sort of clicks in your mind, if you were historically involved with something like Catholicism that strictly states they are three separate entities--the Mormons actually recognize that having multiple gods is a little blasphemous.

So, what exactly is it, then? Well, God is God; He created the heavens and the earth, He screwed man out of eternal bliss by giving man free will so man would invariably fuck up, and He is the source of suffering and misery in the world because Eve was hungry and a snake told her it was totally cool.

Jesus, according to the Mormon belief, was chosen as the son of God over Satan (then known as Lucifer), which I can explain in detail if so desired. Jesus was eventually born in the world, led a life of trying to bring people closer to his father, and, when he died, because he was perfect, he was basically taken into God. Thusly, according to the Mormon belief, when you worship Jesus, you're worshipping the sacrifice that he made in life so that God may have mercy on us... which is technically God's sacrifice, seeing as Jesus is now God. God killed Himself. Mormon logic.

The Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost) is God's presence acting upon you. You can feel the Holy Spirit within you when you're being particularly good to others as a Christian should be, which can also be confused with the presence of Satan within you (once again, I can explain this in detail if you'd like). Suffice to say, the Mormon belief in the Holy Spirit, simply put, is God imbuing you with His presence when you are doing things that are worthy of His approval. Thus, the Holy Spirit is a part of God, therefore when you worship it, you are worshipping Him.

The Jehovah's Witnesses believe that there is one God and only one God, and His name is Jehovah. They believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins... sort of. They believe more that hard work will get us into heaven than telling Jesus "I screwed up for the eighth time, please forgive me." Their belief in the most basic sense is that the only way to God is to appeal directly to Him; that means virtually no sinning, no blasphemy, and no negotiations. Either you're a man of God or you're a sinner.

The Jehovah's Witnesses also believe that only 144,000 people will make it to heaven. Why? I have no idea. If you're not one of the chosen, however, you're going to burn in Hell. I question why so many of them still follow the religion if they know they'll suffer for eternity anyway.

Jehovah's Witnesses, in my opinion, are the most estranged of the Christian religions because they deny that Jesus or the Holy Spirit are even a separate means of worship. According to them, Jesus and the Holy Spirit have always been part of Jehovah's plan; seeing as Jehovah is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, there's only one being you should worship, and that's the guy who literally has created and masterminded everything. Not his son, not some ancestral ghost, but Him and Him alone. Why thank anyone but Him for something that He put for our sake?

Of course, seeing as this refutes all seeming biblical logic, the Jehovah's Witnessses prefer instead to believe in their modern-day publications in the Watchtower magazine.

Basically, the belief in the Holy Trinity is a matter of debate. All Christian religions say it exists because the Bible says it exists, but it varies greatly from one person to another even within the religions themselves. You'll find no answers until you die and finally figure out for yourself whether Hell exists or not. I'll see you there!

3096852
3098081
Let me add the MB stance. From the British Columbia Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith:

We believe in God as eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created and sustains the universe. The eternal purpose of God the Father is to create a people who will bring glory to God forever. God alone is worthy of worship.

We believe that God became human in Jesus Christ. Jesus came to restore the world because humans have rejected God in disobedience. Jesus taught and modeled the way of God’s kingdom. He died on the cross, making it possible for us to accept a renewed relationship with God. He rose from the dead, broke the power of sin and death, and frees us to live in obedience to God’s will.

We believe that God the Holy Spirit invites all people to be reconciled with God and to join the global family of faith. Believers confess their faith, are baptized, and join in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and guided by the Bible, members of the church seek to live as followers of Christ and invite others to experience this new life.

As Christians we are called to turn:

from ignorance of God to a personal relationship with God
from bondage of sin and past mistakes to freedom, forgiveness, and healing
from individualism to interdependence with others in the local church
from lifestyle choices that harm us, others, and the earth to choices that nurture wholeness, healing, joy and peace
from hating enemies and ignoring neighbours to showing love and justice to all
from loving possessions to sharing with all in need
from aimless existence to a mission of representing and proclaiming God’s kingdom on earth.

As Christians we look forward to the day when God will once again send Jesus to bring all things under God’s eternal rule.

3098081
>tfw I got a downvote for trying to explain the three religions I know best as I understand the Holy Trinity
Why do I even opinion.

3099306
Maybe I'm looking into this too shallowly... you're saying that Mennonites believe Jesus is God in mortal flesh? I'm not quite getting where the Holy Spirit fits into this... is it a separate entity? A tool of God? An extension of God?

If I'm getting this right, God has always been all three of these things according to Mennonite belief, right? That God is Jesus Christ, so praying to Jesus is equal to praying to God. That God came and suffered as one of us to better show His love for us. That the Holy Spirit is something we find that invites us closer to God. This all accurate? I'd actually quite like some more explanation.

Skeptical as I am of religions in general, comparisons of the differences and similarities with different faiths fascinates me.

3096852

that is stupid question since Jesus IS God and he constantly claimed to be one. Best examples can be found in gospel of John.

48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’[a] 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

-John 8:48~59

so yeah it is not an Idol worship since Jesus IS God and that is part of reason why Jewish leaders weren't happy with him.

3101193
The best way I can explain the Godhead is this: Think of the image of the complete Triforce of Zelda lore. It is three pieces, each separate, and yet, together, a complete Whole Singular. It is Father, Son, and Spirit in such perfect community that, despite being separate, they are, in fact, one Being. This is the grand paradox of the Trinity.

That's about the best imagery I can come up with for what exists.

3102161
And God is Power, Jesus is Wisdom, and the Holy Spirit is Courage!

3104955
I don't exactly know what their designations would be, but... that's as good as any. Oh,, and their community cannot be broken.

3096879 I gotta admit, the bible is confussing