this post was submitted on 16 Dec 2024
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[–] atro_city@fedia.io 6 points 6 days ago (4 children)

Is god also jesus and the holy spirit all at once?

[–] peoplebeproblems@midwest.social 13 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Ah, yes, the holy Trinity.

The only thing that made less sense than a virgin birth or resurrection.

It still doesn't make sense. Like from a narrative view either. It doesn't help the story, or the belief it's just a useless... Thing?

[–] cerement@slrpnk.net 18 points 6 days ago (1 children)

a virgin birth

parthenogenesis – Jesus is a clone of Mary – which also make him canonically a trans man

[–] lime@feddit.nu 16 points 6 days ago (1 children)

the perfect push over the edge for the doubting christian in your life: was Jesus trans or was Mary an adulterer?

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -1 points 5 days ago (2 children)
[–] Enkrod@feddit.org 6 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

Virgin births exist in nature. There are entire species of lizards that are only composed of females, for example the mourning gecko lepidodactylus lugubris only reproduces via virgin birth.

Due to how parthogenesis works, individuals born through virgin births are always clones of the mother. Thus they are all females.

If (big if) Jesus existed and IF (even bigger if) he was conceived through a virgin birth, he therefore must have been biologically female since there were no male chromosomes involved in his conception. Hence, Jesus sex must have been female but his gender was male (he/him pronouns)... ergo he was a trans man.

If Jesus existed and was a biological male, he could not have been conceived through a virgin birth, the best explanation then is that either a) Mary had sex with Joseph, but then why the virgin birth story? Or b) Mary was an adulterer who concocted the "virgin birth" story to hide her adultery from Joseph.

Since explanation a) falls flat on it's face, we are left with either 1) trans man or 2) Mary the adulterer.

Edit: correcting spelling mistakes

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 0 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

Scholars unanimously agree that Jesus existed, was baptised and crucified. His followers had reason to believe that He rose from the dead as well.

You also left out explanation 0, which is that Jesus was conceived via the Holy Spirit. Jesus did have a Father - God. He is God from God. Joseph was also visited by an angel and I think we could probably take it as fact that they didn't divorce (as we have records of Jesus being referred to a boy of Joseph) So no, this can't cause a crisis of faith for a believer.

Miracles are called miracles for a reason- you are right that a virgin cannot give birth to a male without divine intervention (except from artificial insemination)

[–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Why did God create a bespoke Y chromosome just for Jesus? Why couldn’t Jesus have been born female? What would that change?

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Did they crucify women back then?

[–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Yes, there is evidence that women were crucified.

One Roman punishment if a slave killed their master was often that all slaves in the household were crucified. I imagine there were less women crucified overall and that it was less common, but I don’t think there’s evidence that women were exempted.

[–] Trollpakk@sopuli.xyz 1 points 18 hours ago

This happened to the slaves of Lucius Pedanius Secundus when he was murdered by one of his slaves. All 400 of his slaves including whomen and children were crucified.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Because God is male. Man was created in God's image, Jesus refers to God in heaven as Father, Jesus is a male (He was circumcised) and the Holy Spirit is also Male (as the Holy Spirit impregnated the Virgin Mary)

[–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Why is God male? Does God have a Y chromosome? Does God produce sperm? Does God have testes?

Where is your textual support for the trinity?

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 0 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Matthew 28:19

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Name is singular, and He is equating the Son and the Holy Spirit to the Father who is clearly God. Jesus also claims to be God numerous times.

[–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Matthew does have a “higher” Christology, but how does that mesh with Luke, Mark and John? Can we perhaps notice some patterns in when different gospels were likely written, and how there’s clear evidence of escalation in the claims about what Jesus was, as the texts get further and further away from his actual life?

If the Trinity and Jesus’s divinity are so clearly established in the text, why did it take centuries to come to an agreement on what Christ’s divine nature was? The gospels contradict each other.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 0 points 4 days ago

The divinity of Jesus was affirmed at the first Council of Nicea in 325ad. 3 people out of the 318 attendants denied Jesus' divinity. It was already a consensus, the council was just to solidify it. It was hardly considered debatable. That's like claiming that "If the bald eagle was America's national bird since 1776, then why did it only get solidified in law in 2024". The bald eagle wasn't invented as the national bird in 2024, it was simply made official.

[–] LookBehindYouNowAndThen@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

"Miracles" are only compelling to people who already believe.

They're utterly unconvincing to anyone not indoctrinated, as proven by the fact that you don't believe in Hindu, Buddhist, Mormon, or Muslim miracle accounts.

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I disagree. I believe because I’ve witnessed miracles.

So have Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, Pagans, and witches.

So that's clearly a bad way to know what's true.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

In this scenario, it was with someone who doesn't believe.

And even then, if a dude performed a miracle in front of you like rising from the dead, wouldn't you believe him?

I don't believe in Hindu, Buddhist, Mormon or Muslim miracle accounts as I cannot find any compelling ones. I don't believe in Islam because it completely contradicts the Bible whilst claiming the Bible is a correct revelation from God, and I don't believe in white islam/mormonism because it hinges on one dude who was a known liar and con artist. Both of these prophets also conveniently lifted the polygamy rule. Hinduism claims Jesus is divine but just another way, while Jesus said He is the only way, and Buddhism claims Jesus was a good teacher and Bodhisvatta when Jesus Himself claimed to be God.

If you can find me compelling islamic, mormon, buddhist or hindu miracles, I'll consider it.

[–] LookBehindYouNowAndThen@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

You missed the whole point.

Yours aren't compelling either, you've just been indoctrinated otherwise.

If someone "raised from the dead" in front of me I'd need stacks and stacks of evidence to validate it, not merely a narrative from two thousand years ago where the author had an agenda to convince people that the laws of nature briefly stopped in a time when everyone believed in magic.

What do you have other than stories written a generation after the purported events by four anonymous authors that contradict in major story-breaking ways?

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

There are no "story-breaking" contradictions. The contradiction here is you claiming the authors had an agenda, but then they all contradicted. Which one is it?

And what else could I have? Should I expect there to be a 2000 year old VHS tape lying about?

Or should I be reasonable about it and expect an abnormal amount of written accounts for a society where paper or writing wasn't cheap in which most notable people like kings and such have 1 or 2 accounts about them written centuries later, or archaeological evidence and writings from people who lived closer to the time and believed in the events?

[–] LookBehindYouNowAndThen@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

They had different agendas, as each gospel account was written to a different audience. This is uncontroversial; are you really disputing this?

And they do have story-breaking contradictions. Why is Matthew the only account that mentions dead people rising and roaming the city when Jesus died? That sure seems like an important part of the story to me, and most certainly worthy of the one sentence that it takes to express. If you were reading four different accounts of a mugging and one of them said there were a bunch of zombies around but nobody else mentioned them, wouldn't you find that a bit unbelievable?

Not if you've been indoctrinated to believe it in the first place. But again, why should anyone believe four anonymous contradicting accounts of a cult leader rising from the dead? It's only compelling if you already believe it.

How many people have you converted from non-believers to Christians? Why do you think it's so hard to convince people who weren't brought up in the church?

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

And they do have story-breaking contradictions. Why is Matthew the only account that mentions dead people rising and roaming the city when Jesus died? That sure seems like an important part of the story to me, and most certainly worthy of the one sentence that it takes to express. If you were reading four different accounts of a mugging and one of them said there were a bunch of zombies around but nobody else mentioned them, wouldn't you find that a bit unbelievable?

Either the others didn't have enough paper to do so, knowledge of it, or didn't see it as important. Matthew has already written it down anyway.

How many people have you converted from non-believers to Christians? Why do you think it's so hard to convince people who weren't brought up in the church?

Most of my Christian friends including my girlfriend were non believers who converted. I, personally, stopped practicing Christianity for a period of my life before re-examining my faith again and realising that yeah, it was rational and held up.

[–] LookBehindYouNowAndThen@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Either the others didn't have enough paper to do so, knowledge of it, or didn't see it as important. Matthew has already written it down anyway.

It sure seems like God could have remedied all of those, as the harmony of the Bible is often mis-cited as another miracle.

Most of my Christian friends including my girlfriend were non believers who converted.

I don't believe you, because Christians have a habit of embellishing their stories. Every "former non-believer" I've ever met were really just non-practicing Christians who had been indoctrinated but fell away then later reaffirmed their faith for social reasons.

I've never heard a good rational reason based to believe any of it. You could change that, but I don't think it's a challenge that can be fulfilled because people don't believe in religion for rational reasons, the do it for social reasons.

It's a big reason why most people stay in the religion they were indoctrinated into: otherwise they'll lose their social network and become ostracized. It's why people join a religion: they want that social network.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 0 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I don't believe you, because Christians have a habit of embellishing their stories. Every "former non-believer" I've ever met were really just non-practicing Christians who had been indoctrinated but fell away then later reaffirmed their faith for social reasons.

😂😂😂 Somebody likes to make assumptions

I don't believe in your strawman interpretation of Christianity either, don't worry.

I know. I never really believed you were going to think critically about your religion.

Thanks for the discussion.

[–] lime@feddit.nu 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)
[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 0 points 5 days ago (1 children)

How does it debunk Christianity?

[–] lime@feddit.nu 3 points 5 days ago

it doesn't debunk, it raises additional questions. if you're all in, "it's a miracle" is a good enough explanation.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -3 points 5 days ago

It makes sense in the context of an infinite being existing in numerous places at once. It's not useless as it shows God Himself died for our sins

[–] Diplomjodler3@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

He is whatever you want them to be.

[–] Teal@lemm.ee 2 points 5 days ago

No! It can’t be!

What is it?

It can’t be!

What did you do Ray?

Oh no!

It’s the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man.

[–] Clent@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

That's all retconning.

Dude showed up with a message for peace, was murdered and his murder is celebrated. Literally, a bunch of people running around pretending that's what he wanted. The propaganda is so strong that everyone just accepts it as fact.

It's really not much different than claiming a women wanted to be sexually assaulted because of what she was wearing.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

No?

Mark 15:29-30 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!”

Even the old testament shows it was voluntary

Isaiah 53:6-9 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Jesus claimed to be God

John 10:30 "I and the Father are one."

John 8:57-58 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

[–] Clent@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Yeah, no shit. They wrote a bunch of books with varying accounts claiming exactly this. All retcon. All written decades after the events. The Bible is bullshit.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -1 points 5 days ago

All written decades after the events.

Unlike most of history for that time, which was usually written centuries after the events.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -4 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Yes.

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith unless every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the catholic faith is this: that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father infinite; the Son infinite; and the Holy Ghost infinite. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty. So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the catholic religion; to say, There are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity. Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation; that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess; that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Substance [Essence] of the Father; begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the Substance [Essence] of his mother, born in the world. Perfect God; and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood. Who although he is God and Man; yet he is not two, but one Christ. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh; but by assumption of the Manhood into God. One altogether; not by confusion of Substance [Essence]; but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man; so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell; rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies; And shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe truly and firmly, he cannot be saved.

[–] angrystego@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Thruth is, opinions differ a lot among christians when it comes to trinity. You should respect other views (and not just the christian ones).

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Apart from whether or not The Holy Spirit proceeds from the son as well as The Father, opinion doesn't differ and all Christians agree on the triune God.

[–] angrystego@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

That's simply not true, unitarians disagree with the trinity thing.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 0 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Unitarianism is a completely different religion 🤦 even Islam is closer to Christianity than to Unitarianism

[–] angrystego@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Also not true. The Unitarian church is a reformed Christian branch, and there are more than one unitarian branches. The fact they seem like heretics to you doesn't mean they're not Chistians.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 0 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Christians worship Christ. Unitarians do not.

[–] angrystego@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Unitarians are a Christian branch whether you like it or not. For anyone interested, here's more info: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitarianism

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 0 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Then I am an Atheist who believes in God

[–] angrystego@lemmy.world -1 points 4 days ago

That's actually what I am. I believe in God in people's minds, a natural phenomenon.