The History of the Development of the Trinity Doctrine
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1 With the passage of the centuries many ‘daughters’ were spawned as branches broke away from the ‘Mother’ Church at Rome. And in spite of their sometimes violent disagreement among themselves, they nearly always kept the adulterous mark of their Mother: many of her pagan-inspired doctrines and celebrations.
2 Speaking of the doctrine-forming ecumenical councils of the early Roman Catholic Church, starting with the Nicene Council of 325 we are told,
“Of these, the Protestant churches generally recognize [as authoritative today] the first four; the Church of England ... the first five .... The Greek church accepts the first seven.” - The American People’s Encyclopedia, v. 6, p. 6-395, 1954.
3 We have seen how God’s people never had even the hint of a three-in-one God concept throughout their history (see the ISRAEL study) while it was a common belief in many contemporary lands.
We have seen how the trinity idea was gradually introduced into Christendom through pagan “Christian” philosophers.
We have seen how, in 325 A. D., the still-pagan emperor and his Alexandrian-influenced trinitarian advisor forced the trinity idea on a reluctant church as the first official doctrinal change of a church that had, for the first time, become dominated by the secular government. In fact, church historian (and strong trinitarian) Cairns admits that
“[Christendom’s] association with the Roman state between 313 and 590 [A. D.] was to bring it many flaws.” - CTTC, p. 130.
We have seen how the most respected and most influential Church “authorities” were greatly pagan-influenced and insisted on the authority of state-dominated, pagan-inspired ecumenical council decisions over and above any scriptural authority (or truly Apostolic tradition).
We have seen how this same Roman Church adopted and taught other obviously pagan-inspired anti-scriptural doctrines during this very same time period through the efforts of these very same “Christians.”
We have seen how the Pope himself admits that although he has the authority to abolish an obviously pagan doctrine within his church he cannot go against such a strong tradition![132]
And we have seen how nearly all of Christendom today has inherited the traditions imposed by the first councils of that state-dominated, pagan-inspired Roman Church. (Nearly all of Christendom has come to blindly accept this paganistic tradition as completely natural and proper. Many of its adherents even claim that only the ignorant and uneducated - or intellectually dishonest - would dispute this essential doctrine.)[163, 164, 165]
4 Clearly this manifestation (or foremost representative) of Babylon the Great[161] seated upon the seven hills of Rome has spawned many daughters who share in her harlotry. And how clearly worshipers of the Only True God are commanded to get away from such idolatrous harlotry and touch not the unclean thing. - Rev. 18:4, 5; Is. 52:11; Jer. 51:9.
“... take care that you are not ensnared into their ways. Do not inquire about their gods and say, ‘How do these nations worship their gods? I too will do the same.’ you must not do for the Lord [Jehovah - ASV] your god what they do, for ALL that they do for their gods is hateful and abominable to the Lord [Jehovah].” - Deut. 12:29-30, NEB. (Cf. JB.)
“In the New Testament the word ... (idololatria), afterwards shortened occasionally to ... (idolatria) [‘idolatry’], occurs in all four times, viz., in 1 Cor. 10:14; Gal. 5:20; 1 Pet. 4:3; Col. 3:5. In the last of these passages it is used to describe the sin of covetousness or ‘mammon-worship.’ In the other places it indicates with the utmost generality ALL the rites and practices of those special forms of paganism with which Christianity first came into collision.” - Encyclopedia Britannica, p. 71, v. 12, 14th ed. [1 Cor 5:11 and Eph 5:5 fit into the latter category above also.]
(See how strongly these “special forms of paganism,” “idolatry” are condemned: Gal. 5:20, 21.) - Even the modern Roman Catholic Church admits the Bible’s condemnation of the acceptance by some early Christians of pagan teachings.[162]
The testimony of history, as well as the testimony of scripture, shows us the truly idolatrous nature of the trinity doctrine and why we must not even “touch” such an unclean thing![166]
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Note: Although Watchtower Society (WTS) research and scholarship is usually at least the equal of (and often superior to) that of other sources, I have tried to rely most heavily on other sources in Christendom itself (preferably trinitarian) or my own independent research to provide evidence disproving the Trinity doctrine being examined in this paper. The reason is, of course, that this paper is meant to provide evidence needed by non-Witnesses, and many of them will not accept anything written by the WTS. They truly believe it is false, even dishonest. Therefore some of the information provided in this paper may be in disagreement with current WTS teachings in some specifics. Jehovah’s Witnesses should research the most recent WTS literature on the subject or scripture in question before using this information with others. – RDB.
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