THE TRINITY
Many people say that the trinity is incomprehensible to us. Our puny brains are not sophisticated enough the understand the complexities of the trinity. They call it “the mystery of the trinity.” And they just leave it at that. Well, I'm sorry but I refuse to accept that response. I am determined to understand the trinity.
There are six facts of the trinity, which can be summarized in the form of mathematical equations:
| 1. |
the Father |
= |
God |
| 2. |
the Son |
= |
God |
| 3. |
the Holy Spirit |
= |
God |
| 4. |
the Father |
≠ |
the Son |
| 5. |
the Father |
≠ |
the Holy Spirit |
| 6. |
the Son |
≠ |
the Holy Spirit |
From these six facts, we can derive the following proof. (The explanations for the lines of the proof are provided in the box on the right.)
| 1. |
the Father = God |
fact |
|
|
| 2. |
the Son = God |
fact |
|
reflexivity of equality: ∀x: x = x |
| 3. |
the Holy Spirit = God |
fact |
|
|
| 4. |
the Father ≠ the Son |
fact |
|
symmetry of equality: ∀x,y: if (x = y) then (y = x) |
| 5. |
the Father ≠ the Holy Spirit |
fact |
|
|
| 6. |
the Son ≠ the Holy Spirit |
fact |
|
substitutivity of equality: ∀x,y: if (x = y) and f(x) then f(y) |
| 7. |
God ≠ the Son |
1,4 subst = |
|
|
| 8. |
God ≠ God |
2,7 subst = |
|
definition of inequality: ∀x,y: if (x ≠ y) then ((x = y) = false)) |
| 9. |
God = God |
refl = |
|
|
| 10. |
(God = God) = true |
9 |
|
law of the exclusive middle: ∀p: (p = true) or (p = false) |
| 11. |
(God = God) = false |
8 def ≠ |
|
|
| 12. |
true = (God = God) |
10 sym = |
|
idempotence of “or”: ∀p: if (p or p) then p |
| 13. |
true = false |
11,12 subst = |
|
|
| 14. |
∀q: (q = true) or (q = false) |
excl mid |
|
|
| 15. |
false = true |
13 sym = |
|
|
| 16. |
∀q: (q = true) or (q = true) |
15,14 subst = |
|
|
| 17. |
∀q: (q = false) or (q = false) |
13,14 subst = |
|
|
| 18. |
∀q: q = true |
16 idemp or |
|
|
| 19. |
∀q: q = false |
17 idemp or |
|
|
So, line 18 tells us that all propositions are true, and line 19 says all propositions are false.
So what can we conclude from this analysis? ... Uh... I'll let you know when I figure it out.