# 3 in 1 had a son? / Doctrine of the Trinity a logical contradiction? \[merged threads\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 11, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811 "2013-01-11T01:40:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![virtually\_yours](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a587f6/32.png) [@virtually\_yours](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/virtually_yours)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/1 "2013-01-11T01:40:58Z")
Hope this the correct forum for this I guess it’s a toss between a question and an opinion statement… here goes: Some Christians say God is three in one, does that mean whenever they say God did something, the three in one did it? i.e. when they say God almighty has a son (whatever type of son it is) doesn’t that mean three in one had a son? That the son along with the father and spirit has begot not made a son? if not who had the son? a non three in one god? can God be God without the three? virtually yours, Virtually Yours ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/2 "2013-01-11T01:49:56Z")
[The Three-in-One family.](http://vandercookpress.info/vanderblog/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/3in1-p_family.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/3 "2013-01-11T02:14:55Z")
These are mysteries taught only to 34th degree Masons… Well, they’re mysteries, anyway. The one that always strikes me as odd is the pre-existence of Jesus. Jesus was always there, even before he was begotten. (Not everyone believes this, but the Catholics consider a differing view to be heretical.) The best you can hope for is to envision the “Triple Point of Water” (where ice, liquid water, and steam all “co-exist,” and write it off as metaphor. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/4 "2013-01-11T03:54:02Z")
Yes. ---
**Author:** ![virtually\_yours](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a587f6/32.png) [@virtually\_yours](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/virtually_yours)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/5 "2013-01-11T05:57:00Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > [The Three-in-One family.](http://vandercookpress.info/vanderblog/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/3in1-p_family.gif) Your killing me heheheh ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/6 "2013-01-11T06:44:27Z")
You really can’t reduce it to a rational system. It’s a paradox that surpasses human understanding that you’re supposed to take on faith. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/7 "2013-01-11T06:58:22Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > You really can’t reduce it to a rational system. It’s a paradox that surpasses human understanding that you’re supposed to take on faith. kind of luck explaining what was there before the big bang. Yeah I know, the Simpsons. but before that. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/8 "2013-01-11T07:00:17Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > [The Three-in-One family.](http://vandercookpress.info/vanderblog/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/3in1-p_family.gif) Hey, I have a Frigidair furnace that I keep going with that stuff. I think the bearings on the blower came from a nuclear submarine drive shaft. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/9 "2013-01-11T07:00:24Z")
> [@virtually\_yours](#): > > Hope this the correct forum for this I guess it’s a toss between a question and an opinion statement.. here goes: > Some Christians say God is three in one, does that mean whenever they say God did something, the three in one did it? i.e. when they say God almighty has a son (whatever type of son it is) doesn’t that mean three in one had a son? That the son along with the father and spirit has begot not made a son? if not who had the son? a non three in one god? can God be God without the three? > virtually yours, > Virtually Yours It’s supposed to be that the son is the son of the father, not the son of the trinity. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/10 "2013-01-11T07:34:55Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > kind of luck explaining what was there before the big bang. Yeah I know, the Simpsons. but before that. Nothing. No paradox there. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/11 "2013-01-11T07:40:05Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Nothing. No paradox there. So what was there before the big bang. I was late to the opening act. Can’t have something from nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/12 "2013-01-11T08:17:18Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > So what was there before the big bang. What part of “nothing” are you having difficulty with? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/13 "2013-01-11T08:24:06Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > What part of “nothing” are you having difficulty with? The nothing part. Maybe a cite would help. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/14 "2013-01-11T08:52:55Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > The nothing part. Maybe a cite would help. [Nothing](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nothing) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/15 "2013-01-11T13:50:48Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > [The Three-in-One family.](http://vandercookpress.info/vanderblog/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/3in1-p_family.gif) Blessed be those who are anointed, and cursed be those of [the false faith](http://www.wd40.com/files/images/fam-shot32597148.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/16 "2013-01-11T19:18:13Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Blessed be those who are anointed, and cursed be those of [the false faith](http://www.wd40.com/files/images/fam-shot32597148.jpg). That one must be Catholic or Mormon. Look at all those kids! ---
**Author:** ![virtually\_yours](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a587f6/32.png) [@virtually\_yours](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/virtually_yours)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/17 "2013-01-11T22:12:23Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > It’s supposed to be that the son is the son of the father, not the son of the trinity. I know what it’s _supposed_ to be but it isn’t. if God is 3 in 1 and God had a son then 3 in 1 had a son. Or is he not 3 in 1 when it comes to the son? and wouldn’t that be more than one god then? the father had the son? but not the 3 in 1? vy ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/18 "2013-01-11T22:41:42Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > It’s supposed to be that the son is the son of the father, not the son of the trinity. At least he was a carpenter and not a son of a son of a sailor. Is it five o’clock somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/19 "2013-01-11T23:55:10Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > It’s supposed to be that the son is the son of the father, not the son of the trinity. Indeed - and according to the Nicene Creed, he’s ‘begotten, not made’ - the implication, as far as I understand it, being that the father-son thing describes the nature of the relationship, not the origin of the son. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811/20 "2013-01-12T00:27:56Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > [Nothing](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nothing) that’s not a cite of what was there before the big bang. Surely you have something to back up your statement. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-in-1-had-a-son-doctrine-of-the-trinity-a-logical-contradiction-merged-threads/646811.md?page=2)