Newton on Christianity

[Jibran]

Peace,

Here is a very interesting excerpt from a book I am reading and just felt like sharing with folks here.

"During the 1670s, he (Newton) began a serious theological study of the doctrine of the Trinity and came to the conclusion that it had been foisted on the Church by Athanasius (1) in a specious bid for pagan converts. Arius (2) had been right: Jesus Christ had certainly not been God and those passages of the New Testament that were used to 'prove' the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation were spurious. Athanasius and his colleagues had forged them and added them to the canon of scripture, thus appealing to the base, primitive fantasies of the masses.

"Tis the temper of the hot and superstitious part of mankind in matters of religion ever to be fond of mysteries, and for that reason, to like best what they understand least."

In his book called The Philosophical Origins of Gentile Theology, Newton argued that Noah had founded the primordial religion....that had advocated a rational worship of One God. Later generations have corrupted this pure religion....and had fallen back into idolatry and superstitious. Yet God had sent a succession of prophets to put them back on course. Jesus had been one of these prophets sent to call mankind back to the truth but his pure religion had been corrupted by Athanasius and his cohorts.

"This strange religion of ye West, 'the cult of three equal Gods'- as the abomination of desolation." (Isaac Newton)

*****

1. Athanasius and his-like advoated the doctrine of Trinity, Incarnation etc Check this link for detailed info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athanasius_of_Alexandria

2. Arius and group was against the Athanasius' teachings as you have read in the excerpt above. here is a link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arius

*****
From: "A History of God", by Karen Armstrong, pg 350-351

 

[Bandit]

Peace,

Here is a very interesting excerpt from a book I am reading and just felt like sharing with folks here.



"Tis the temper of the hot and superstitious part of mankind in matters of religion ever to be fond of mysteries, and for that reason, to like best what they understand least."

boy, aint that the truth.

 

[Quahom1]

Peace,

Here is a very interesting excerpt from a book I am reading and just felt like sharing with folks here.

"During the 1670s, he (Newton) began a serious theological study of the doctrine of the Trinity and came to the conclusion that it had been foisted on the Church by Athanasius (1) in a specious bid for pagan converts. Arius (2) had been right: Jesus Christ had certainly not been God and those passages of the New Testament that were used to 'prove' the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation were spurious. Athanasius and his colleagues had forged them and added them to the canon of scripture, thus appealing to the base, primitive fantasies of the masses.

"Tis the temper of the hot and superstitious part of mankind in matters of religion ever to be fond of mysteries, and for that reason, to like best what they understand least."

In his book called The Philosophical Origins of Gentile Theology, Newton argued that Noah had founded the primordial religion....that had advocated a rational worship of One God. Later generations have corrupted this pure religion....and had fallen back into idolatry and superstitious. Yet God had sent a succession of prophets to put them back on course. Jesus had been one of these prophets sent to call mankind back to the truth but his pure religion had been corrupted by Athanasius and his cohorts.

"This strange religion of ye West, 'the cult of three equal Gods'- as the abomination of desolation." (Isaac Newton)

*****

1. Athanasius and his-like advoated the doctrine of Trinity, Incarnation etc Check this link for detailed info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athanasius_of_Alexandria

2. Arius and group was against the Athanasius' teachings as you have read in the excerpt above. here is a link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arius

*****
From: "A History of God", by Karen Armstrong, pg 350-351

...same guy that got knocked on the noggen...and discovered something that had always been there...namely gravity?

As a scientist he was brilliant. As a theologian, less so.

v/r

Q

 

[iBrian]

It's sad to see when some Muslims come in here with nothing better to say than criticisms aimed at other religions.

Newton was certainly not a mainstream Christian, and his theological interests are more famous for their fringe element (ie, his chasing up Alchemy) rather than any profound insights into the religious condition.

Some more on Newton's beliefs here:
http://www2.evansville.edu/msa/PagesForNonMuslims/Dialogue/NLITEN3.htm

 

[johnp.]

Hello Jibran nice to meet you.

We prove the Trinity from scripture not science, from prophets not scientists. The bible tells us, To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.. Isaiah 8:20.

Newton stood on the shoulders of giants when forming our understanding of the laws governing the universe and, if your quotes are correct, should have done so when forming his opinion on the nature of God.

Regardless of the opinions of others but with them in mind we should check the scriptures to see if Jesus Christ is God or not.

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Romans 9:5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

That's what scripture says Jibran.

john.

 

[wil]

I think it valuable to read the references that the original post included. As it's indication is that the texts have been tampered with for the purposes of creation of doctrine.

That search leads to more information that also concludes that the results of the vote at the council and the council itself are in question.

Which if has any validity then we can't use the texts that have been altered as proof.

 

[johnp.]

The OT was completed by the Jews, Jesus did not question them but used them as they stood.

LK 24:25 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

Anything amiss in the NT would contradict the OT and no contradictions are found.

Nothing was altered that God did not want altered and what God has said is protected by God.

ISA 55:11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

john.

 

[wil]

I believe according to history the old testament was completed and cannonized by the council as well. Yes their were the Judaic texts that were used as a basis, but the books were shuffled for convenience (and to alter the ending) and the text itself is not 100% the same. Even in various versions of the bible we have a variety of 10 commandments based on the vagaries of the particular religion. King James Version was King James' version after all.

Therefor by

Nothing was altered that God did not want altered and what God has said is protected by God.

anything altered or interpreted differently now is also protected and accepted as God would not allow it to be altered if not. Hence the Jeffersonian Bible/Gospels is true (President Thomas Jefferson removed the trinity, Jesus as God, and the resurrection to name a couple of modifications during his rewrite)

Now tbh I can completely accept your statement as fact...as what we believe to be true makes it so in our mind and as long as we can maintain our faith is larger than a mustard seed that makes it so, no matter what it is.

Still think it valuable to research the position of the original post prior to simply relying on existing programming. I think it would make the discussion more valuable for all, although chapter and verse is fun too.

 

[iBrian]

Nothing was altered that God did not want altered and what God has said is protected by God.

That's just an Islamic strawman - Islam claims the Qur'an was never tampered with, so he's using an Islamic standpoint to disprove Christian beliefs. Not very subtle.

As for the topic of the compilation of the New Testament - I believe we have some better threads just on that subject around here.