»Calling all Gnostics«

OK, Aaaaaages ago, the subject of gnostic and gnosticism came up and being something I know little about, I decided to read up on it.

Well I eventually got 'round to it and so have been reading up on it.

gnosis.org…

Now it's pretty shocking stuff - as far as religion goes anyway White laugh

It turns a lot of traditional Christianity on it's head.

The basic idea (as far as I get so far, and please feel free to refine this) is there is one True god - the perfect uncorruptable one, who created four deputies (for want of a better word). One of these created the first immortal being, which seeing no other decided it must be God.
It was then this creature which (with the help of some friends it cooked up) made the worlds and us.

Then the deputy of the True god gave us something which bonds us to the true god and that's who we should be concentrating on.

However the Immortal Being tries to convince us that we should be worhiping it, hence some call it the evil god (though the scriptures apparantly say "blind" God)

Now I know we have some scholars of all things Gnostic out there and wondered if they might just help out a little, by identifying which god did what (according to the gnostic belief) in the main biblical events.

For example;

It was the Bad God that made the earth and Adam, but the True God (or his representative, which may or may not have been a snake, a posessed snake or something else) that told them to eat the apple. The Apple gave them the knowledge to be able to tell good from Evil and thus the difference between the True God and the Evil God (you can see why an Evil god wouldn't want this)

It was the True god that told Noah to build the Ark, but the Bad God that flooded the earth. The True God knows all things and so knew what the Bad god was planning.

Anyway, I'm curious which was which when it cam to other things

Burning Bush, Tower of Babel, Soddam and Gommorah etc.

But haven't seen any mention of them yet.

posted by Marl64

in-my-opinion.org -> Religion and Mysteries, from worship to werewolves -> Religious & Philosophical Topics -> Calling all Gnostics

What's even more interesting is not the myth taken literally, but the deeper meaning behind it; the Gnostic view of our reality and our self.
I recommend that you read the book "the Gnostic Gospels" by Elaine Pagels ♣.

posted by tozy

Jackanory

fatpie42:

Well I'm glad you're taking an interest in gnosticism.

IT was probably one of your posts that started it Very Happy

fatpie42:

..it is generally believed to be the basis for the Matrix story... Very Happy

I can see how that wouls work, many layers of power/control, different levels, each with a specific motivation or agenda, all trying to get us mere mortals to like them White laugh

My first impressions were along the lines of "Hell I can see why this would be rejected by mainstream christianity - it's so damned complicated"

As I read each segment and related it to the traditional Biblical account, it was like compairing a major sporting event to the edited highlights.

Not to say this is the way it it, there is simply no way to know if the Bible is a "watered down" version of the story or the Gnostic Gospels are an "enhanced" version, since the major swing factor is Jesus - both sides reckon he supported their version so we'll probably never know.

Interesting though to see the familiar characters in contrasting roles, and the Gnostics do go a long way to answering some of the contradictions in the traditional texts.

I'll check out that book, thanks for the tips Thumb Up

posted by Marl64

The time now is 24 May 2012, 17:01
php B.B.