[QUOTE=Zoe]
You find the questions simple, but provide no answer. The question is not simple to a believer. I don’t even agree with the use of the term intercessor, but responded instead to the way it was used here.
This statement ( by CP: “not a hijack or a slam”) is often a sign that was is to come is one or the other.
Then why did you say the question is simple? You contradict yourself. Besides, you have no way of knowing what understandings each Christian has.
Who promised you consistency? To the contrary, I said that Christians would have varying opinions. What authority do you use in your broadbrush generalizations? Why do we need an “authority” other than our beliefs? The question WAS, after all, directed to believers.
It was interesting to see a few non-believers licking their chops in anticipation.
Your posts on these topics are eye-rollingly predictable. The OP doesn’t even matter as long as it’s a question relating to Christian theology. You might as well cut and paste.
[/QUOTE]
If you reread my posts you will see that I did provide an answer to the OP.
No one promised consistency, nor would I expect it. My point is that Christian theology has been made up as the development of the faith has gone along. It has been created by multiple people trying earnestly to reconcile what are accepted as facts, but facts which frequently and outrageously contradict one another.
No authority at all is required, and all may choose their particular “authority”–even oneself–which is my point about saying that there is no answer. There are simply an assortment of opinions. I have no way of knowing what each Christian’s understanding is, but the diverse number of mutually contradictory “understandings” is evidence that they are all wrong.
To the point of the OP:
The dilemma of Christianity is that until the arrival of Jesus, the Faith was monotheistic. In fact, that monotheism in Judaism is one of its distinguishing features. The arrival of Jesus and the promise of a Holy Spirit created an unresolvable paradox: Monotheism but three persons. All the same; all different. This is what gave rise to the the theology of the Trinity to “solve” this absolute dilemma. And of course nowhere in Scripture is the term Trinity or an elaboration of the concept. The fact that it is such an obvious oxymoron to have a Monotheistic religion with three godheads is why it is termed a “mystery” since oxymoron would not be an acceptable term.
Fine points, such as where to turn when you pray, and whether or not one godhead is required to intercede with another when they are all the same God, make lovely fodder for discussions around “understandings” but to the outside observer are the equivalent of arguing over how the turtle holds up the world.
:rolleyes:?