Is there any possible way to explain the Trinity to a non believer?

"The Trinity is an outrageous piece of semantic flummery designed to confuse, not enlighten. And it follows a basic rule in religion that, ideally, not only should the thing you believe be absolutely impossible, but any explanation of it should be impossible to understand. And the Trinity obliges handsomely on both counts, as these three entities - the father (God), the son (Jesus), and the holy spirit (your guess is as good as mine) become as one (miraculously, of course) while remaining separate, so that each is uniquely God, yet each is completely God. I know. You could listen to an explanation from now until next week and be none the wiser, which is, of course, the whole idea."

Of course.

The problem is that so many people - both Christian and non-Christian - expect God to have the same characteristics - that is, the same nature - as natural, material beings such as ourselves. That is: most people cannot imagine something outside of their own very limited experience.

Me? I have a degree in Physics, and **because of that** I can understand the doctrine of trinity without batting an eye. Is it because Physics is so complicated? Well - no, that's not why! Physics is, indeed, a very difficult subject of study. However, the important thing about physics relative to this discussion is that studying physics teaches you that very much about nature is outside of our personal experience and (to the layman) "nonsense" or "illogical"!!!

The important point about the doctrine of trinity is that it is describing the nature of a supernatural being! **Given this fact**, a reasonable person *should expect* that nature to be dissimilar to the nature of a material (natural) being such as ourselves.

What we have, though - with people who have difficulty with the trinity doctrine - is "material-world-centrism". They attempt to force the essence of the doctrine into material terms so that they can understand it more easily when - in fact - it can be understood easily (really, it can) only if it is NOT explained in terms of things with a material nature.

Here is my standard spiel. This includes only the very fundamentals of the doctrine, not the full megillah. This is the part that most people find difficult but **should find extremely simple** *IF* they can grasp the idea that God is a being with a nature that is not like the nature of material beings or objects.

The spiel:

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Below I will describe two of the most basic, fundamental teachings of the doctrine of trinity. Before you read them, I want you to keep in mind that this is describing the nature of God. God is not a rock, or an orange, or an armadillo or even a human being. God is a supernatural being, and because he is a supernatural being his nature is *not* like the nature of any natural (material) being or object.

a) God is one, united, indivisible God.

b) God exists as 3 separate persons or individuals: the Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit. Even though God exists as 3 persons, God is *still* one, united, indivisible God. That is: all of these persons are **the very same one God**.

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- Jim, Bach Sci Physics 1989

Consider this rational challenge to the non-believer in the "mystery" of the Trinity;

Why would an infinite God, that existed outside of time and space, be bound to the same nature as the creatures created in his image and likeness?

Trinitarian dogma expresses the belief that one God in "being" (What God is) is actually three divine "Persons" (Who God is). Simply because finite man is bound by his nature to one "person" to each "being" (We are ourselves alone...we can not be another) Why would the creator being be bound to the same nature? It's essentially anthropomorphism. If this God existed...it's reasonable to assume he would not be bound by the same nature as the nature he created.

Hope that helps.

weather you believe or not, the Holy Trinity is something beyond our experience that we can't really explain because we can't fully understand it.

You see, all of the beings we interact with in this physical world have either one person or none. God however is a being with 3 persons. We have no experience with anyone like that. We also have a weak understanding of what it means to have a person at all. People have a person, animals and plants don't.

Why bother it's not even biblical. Ask ur pastor or priest to show u the bible verses to back up the trinity DOCTRINE (man made) and then go find someone (online if need be) who has done a scriptural study showing otherwise. I think you'll find that there a lot more to support the later!

I more than likely can not explain to a non believer of the trinity what the Trinity is as it is a matter of faith. The Trinity was never taught to explain it completely but to be accepted as a matter of faith in who is God. God speaks in the first book of the Bible Genesis where he says let us make man in OUR image. Johns Gospel starts out in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was GOD. Jesus then commands his Apostles to Baptize in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit. We just have to realize Gods ways are not our ways and trust in him with faith,and stop trying to create a GOD in our image.

Why try to explain a big lie? Why explain a thing you cannot QUOTE FROM SCRIPTURE? IF IT IS TRUE, IT IS WRITTEN in Scripture. Now they can twist and twist, but not one verse says what they say.

So it is a bunch of lies.

Neither is God just 1 person. God is A SPIRIT and that spirit is a full kingdom. God is innumerable.

Now explain that one. use 1Cor 12 and Romans 12. There you go. btw, the son is not God. there is their first big mistake. The son is a man.

Can't even explain in to themselves. I heard it expressed as the "Mystery of the Trinity" and you're just supposed to accept it.

The only "mystery" that I can see is that Christians believe they're monotheistic.

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There is one God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal persons. God is

immortal, all powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human

comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship, adoration,

and service by the whole creation. (Gen 1:1-2; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; I Pet. 1:2; I

Tim. 1:17; Rev. 14:7)

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All-knowledge; they're unified by all-knowledge.

If you think the bible is enough of God's word, you're right; it's enough to send you to hell...?

It's a good book, and is evidence of God.

But if you think it's enough, you'll be damned in the realm of "want to, but can't."

It is a nonsensical concept and doctrine. VERY intelligent people have tried to explain it to other very intelligent people. It cannot be understood, because it simply makes no sense.

No one will ever understand it.