Date Posted:12:24:02 03/21/02 Thu Author: Omega Subject: Re: False Argument In reply to:
Xanthor
's message, "Re: False Argument" on 12:13:53 03/21/02 Thu
The Old Testament does not teach a Trinity. But what it says can be used to be complementary to a Trinitarian belief. To get the Trinity of the OT one has to read the OT from a paradigm (Trinitarian) that was not had when it was written. That doesn't make the paradigm true or false, nor how it read the OT true or false, but just means that in itself and its own theology, historically, the OT did not proclaim the Trinity.
It did have some interesting mystical ideas, even some elements of polytheism, human sacrifice, and zoroastrian thought. The Kaballah is probably the best source to understand the OT's mystical side, and historical studies on the Canaanites will help show the continuity of the OT early faith with Canaanite centers of worship. The whole "golden calf" incident was in reference to a later re-creation of an old throne-of-El (canaanite God, who is used in the OT for God) that had a different ritual cult center, back to pre-Temple era, which the Temple Priests were trying to combat -- and so added, late in the development of the Pentateuch, the "Golden Calf" and condemnation of "idolatry."
To see the connection, one must look at the Ark of the Covenant, which was the throne of God in the Temple, and then read what Golden Calf's were used for in Canaanite El-ohist religions, and to see they are one and the same, just cultic rivalry.
