How weird is the whole concept of the Holy Spirit? The "Holy Trinity" is supposed to be three gods in one and yet how slighted must the Holy Spirit feel? Sort of this vague ball of energy no one really cares about. He doesn't seem to do much more than hang around and glow for some reason. At least Jesus got a name, and "God the Father" sounds like a name. And God is usually represented as this wise old man with a big white beard, sort of like Santa after Slimfast. And he's usually dressed in a long white gown. No colorful adornments for God. His sparkling personality is colorful enough. And Jesus always looks like Dan Fogelberg giving the peace sign, in some fine silk robe with a little pastel sash across the front. The Holy Spirit is sometimes represented as a small burning flame, or a white dove, or an RTD bus (I made that last one up). Sometimes called the Holy Ghost, which would imply that it was alive at one time. If you go to heaven Jesus might introduce you, "And this is the Holy Ghost, who used to be Don the sandal maker, who lived next door to me in Bethlehem." (Then under his breath) "You don't really have to listen to him."
In my former life, I knew a minister by way of his politics and human rights work. He was a very sincere person but we did not discuss religion. You should have seen the furor when in discussing the trinity he openly took the position that "Jesus is not God". I thought of him when I read this post so I looked him up only to find that he passed less than a year ago. I believe he is the only clergy I have ever had any respect for. I guess you know the truth now, Bill.
The idea of a trinity is a very ancient one, occurring in almost all religions
Ka Ba and Anku in ancient Egypt (Body, soul and spirit)
Hecate the three headed queen of the dead
The maiden the mother and the crone in in paganism
Morrígan, Badb and Macha the three sisters in the Celtic religions
Ja Bul and On in ancient Kabaalism
Nimrod, Semiramis & (the virgin birth) Tammuz in ancient Babylon
Isis Osiris and Horus
and many others (see below)
Christianity in its quest to be all things to all people quickly adopted the idea and claimed their version was the real one and all others were satanic imitations who just happen to have done it before they did.