Triforce and Trinity

[Etoh*the*Greato]

Sooo... I've been thinking, if I were to get a tatoo, I'd like to design something that has the Triforce and some correlation to Christianity in it. A few years ago, I started thinking about the correlations between Hyrule mythology and Christian Mythos/Theos/etceteros. While doing a seach to see who had put what together I came across this link on the issue. I, like the author, was gonna work up a big fancy schmancy essay on the issue, but why bother when someone already has? Anyway, thought it was cool, and I thought I should share.

[Tenshi no Ai]

Hmmm well the trinity/triforce symbol has been around WAY back before Christianity began. Remember that it's a pagan symbol firsthand, which makes sense to the natural elements that make up the Triforce in the Zelda universe. of course there's no REALLY relation, just maybe some collerations as you've said.

I actually find that tattoo design in itself... VERY overdone^^ (No offense in the least, of course^^) This one popular website site has probably at LEAST 30 people with the symbol itself, and many... don't look so good^^ My other suggestion would be to find a worthwhile tattoo artist. I've seen quite a few BAD tattoos around and well, I GUESS the customers like it but I swear they pay to do them themselves >_< Still, for something to have on forever should be in the best quality as you'd like it^^ Personally, I used to think that tattoos with bad with the ink etc, but I know there ARE safe methods (and still dirty needles around though). If I were to ever get one, I'd want a phoenix (because of the symbolism in the topic topic, plus they're just plain awsome^^) and/or a span of bird/angle wings spread across my back (since I've always had a thing for wings and some of those tatoos look AMAZING^^)

[Nate]

Remember that it's a pagan symbol firsthand,

Uh...wrong. The symbol of the Triforce is actually the clan symbol for the Hojo clan of Japan.

Anyway...*cracks knuckles* Hate to rain on the parade, but...

The reason why parallels between God and the Triforce simply do not work are numerous. Where shall I start?

1. Depending on the game, the Triforce is merely an object. In some games, the Triforce is represented as sentient, but for the most part, it is a relic representative of the goddesses...the best parallel would be the Ark, for Christianity/Judaism. It isn't actually God, merely representative.

2. Each piece of the Triforce represents one element and one element alone...the Triforce of Wisdom, for example, cannot give its wielder power, nor can the Triforce of Power give its wielder courage. Conversely, each part of the Holy Trinity represents God fully, not partially.

3. And the most important, as far as I'm concerned, the Triforce grants the wishes of whomever touches it, good OR bad. The Triforce does not differentiate between good and evil, which is completely opposed to God, who hates and despises evil and embodies only good.

I'm sure there are others, but no, there is no Christian parallel between the Triforce and the Holy Trinity. And, don't take this personally, but it is a severe pet peeve of mine for Christians to look for Christian meaning in everything. Sometimes things are what they are and there's no Christian parallels, ESPECIALLY when the thing in question comes from Japan where less than 2% of the population is Christian.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

Nate - Any metaphor, when taken far enough, will not match up. And I was making the comparison more to the concept of the Hylian mythology itself than the Triforce specficially. The gods themselves, are, yes, separate but each takes an aspect similar to each persona of the Trinity. Plus, the scripture verse was neat.

Second, I'm not inferring that a Christian message was put there by the creators. I'm saying parallels between my religion and my favorite game franchise can be drawn, I'm saying I like the Triforce, and I'm saying I'm a Christian. What I didn't say, unfortunately, is that if I get a tat, my Fiancee will kill me. :p

Drawing lines between Christianity and popular culture is an important thing, if you ask me. Know why? The four leaf clover. This is more of an instance than an application. An anecdote. St. Patrick used the concept of the clover (well, three leaf, actually) to explain the trinity to the people of the emerald isle. Knowing popular culture and how it can be used to help in spreading God's word is not such a bad thing to do. You may look down on it, but I think of future discussions that might unfold because of it, and people whom I might help to better explain my faith... Perhaps even plant a seed that would grow in to their own future faith.

[Nate]

The gods themselves, are, yes, separate but each takes an aspect similar to each persona of the Trinity.

But each persona of the Trinity does NOT have a separate aspect. Each one, God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are ALL God incarnate, completely God, and not "part God." That's why the analogy fails completely, because the three parts of the Triforce are all just "part Triforce." None of them alone are omnipotent, and none of them alone encompass all three aspects of the true Triforce.

The three personas of the Trinity are not "different Gods." They are all the One and the same God.

I'm saying parallels between my religion and my favorite game franchise can be drawn,

It's a tenuous, EXTREMELY tenuous parallel at best, and as I was saying, you can't just go around saying "It has three parts so it's like the Trinity!" Well, you can, but you'll sound ridiculous.

I'm saying I like the Triforce, and I'm saying I'm a Christian.

Then say that. Don't say "This game has Christian parallels." I like God of War, and I'm a Christian, but I don't go around looking for Christian themes in God of War. The creators did not intend them, and anything I found that would qualify as a parallel would be grasping at straws.

The Hyrule mythology is a story, nothing more. It's not meant to represent anything greater, in fact, the Triforce really started out as TWO items. Remember, the third Triforce didn't exist until the second game, and they didn't exist as a combined force until the third. They're merely the means to provide a backstory to a game, it's not like an involved, detailed mythos existed for the Triforce, they simply made up stuff to make sequels.

St. Patrick used the concept of the clover (well, three leaf, actually) to explain the trinity to the people of the emerald isle.

A common plant hardly qualifies as "popular culture." Also, a plant is a natural occurrence, therefore created by God, as opposed to an unnatural video game created by men who more than likely are not saved and therefore would not be based on anything resembling Christian theology.

You may look down on it, but I think of future discussions that might unfold because of it, and people whom I might help to better explain my faith... Perhaps even plant a seed that would grow in to their own future faith.

I don't look down on it, but I think when you want to draw a parallel between Christianity to ANYTHING, you have to do research to make sure your parallel does not contradict Christian theology, in this case the fact that the Triforce does not distinguish between good/evil, and that when separated each Triforce is incomplete, both very serious setbacks to any claims that the Triforce in any way represents God.

And I'd say a discussion is unfolding because of it right now...albeit not in the way you intended.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

The plant and common culture? For the irish it was a part of their culture. An intrinsic part. It was held as deeply symbolic beforehand, and he just added another layer to it.

And I will say this again. It is a metaphor. Any metaphor, when taken far enough, will be incomplete. How can we ever hope to explain God with something so limited as a Videogame concept. Also, you're stuck on the idea that I was referring to the Triforce, and the Triforce alone. Observe:

A few years ago, I started thinking about the correlations between Hyrule mythology and Christian Mythos/Theos/etceteros.

A likeness can be drawn between the three godesses of the Hyrule creation myth and the concept of God. Yes. They ARE three separate goddesses, and God is not separate, though he has separate persons. Yes, they ARE multicolored, though I'm pretty sure God could be any color He wanted to be. There is a bare bones there, though. Courage, Wisdom, and Power were the three things that the three goddesses represented (and thus embodied in their individual facets of the Triforce). God the Father is often seen as the wisdom (though the Spirit is often beleived to whisper wisdom to the Christian's soul), The Holy Spirit is said by many evangelicals I've spoken with to be the power behind Miracles and such, and a tenuous string can be drawn to Courage and the courage the Christ had in His work on earth.

The Triforce was not intended as a Christian metaphor, no. But neither was the Clover. Nor were many of the other things we use as symbols today. Anything we use to represent God is going to be inherently flawed because it can only be a small metaphor or limited glimpse at the true magnitude of what He really is. I saw that parallels could be drawn, so I drew them. Clearly I'm not the only person to think this and I even walked away with a nifty verse. I'm truly sorry this offends you so deeply, but I really just see no problem with taking metaphors from popular culture and applying a Christian theme to help when talking to others about Christ.

[Ashley]

I think you have both made your respective sides quite clear, and it looks like neither of you are going to back down. So before things get ugly, let's keep it friendly, okay gents?

[Tenshi no Ai]

Uh...wrong. The symbol of the Triforce is actually the clan symbol for the Hojo clan of Japan.

I did say Triforce/Trinity. A little different I guess, but I was referring to those old-age symbols that were involved in goddess worship.

[Stephen]

the best parallel would be the Ark

Leave me out of this.

[Fish and Chips]

Now I'm tempted to find that article again, where the Legend of Zelda is Aryan propaganda and Ganondorf is Jewish.

[Slater]

Lol, I think that article was a joke... at least, that's what everyone at eBaum's said.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

Now I'm tempted to find that article again, where the Legend of Zelda is Aryan propaganda and Ganondorf is Jewish.

I'd be tempted to read that... And now that you mention it, I can see a case for it. Of course I've been saying the same thing about DbZ for years. To become more powerful you must become ARYAN!