Christianity and Gnosticism

[django]

Originally Posted by Honza

Gnostic or Christian....either way I find it all very confusing and frightening too. There is no 'easy' answer. We need to find our way amongst it all. As I say I have accepted I AM. But I just wonder how true it is. I practice I AM too because it helps.

Blessings to everyone. Have a safe journey.

What do you find frightening Honza?

[white pegasus]

sky-you post statements that you obviously have no understanding-and yet as simplistic as you like to say it is you lack understanding, but attempt to present yourself as one who has understanding. and then when you are questioned you seem to attempt to play it off as someone else not understanding.

the answer is yes there were gentiles in the first few chapters of the book of acts-

perhaps before you add your posts you should research the very subject in which you are attempting to post-because you are posting inaccurate statements which if people blindly accept what you say you are leading people incorrectly.

but again as I said never mind-you again misunderstood the error of your ways,

[Honza]

Originally Posted by django

What do you find frightening Honza?

I find it frightening that I am God. There is so much wrong in the world and I find it hard to accept it and frightened that I might be responsible for it.

The Eastern teachings completely caught me by surprise when I first heard about them.

[sky]

Originally Posted by white pegasus

sky-you post statements that you obviously have no understanding-and yet as simplistic as you like to say it is you lack understanding, but attempt to present yourself as one who has understanding. and then when you are questioned you seem to attempt to play it off as someone else not understanding.

the answer is yes there were gentiles in the first few chapters of the book of acts-

perhaps before you add your posts you should research the very subject in which you are attempting to post-because you are posting inaccurate statements which if people blindly accept what you say you are leading people incorrectly.

but again as I said never mind-you again misunderstood the error of your ways,

I was taught at the age of 7 that the first Christians were Jews, it's obvious. I was posting links for YOU as you didn't know We are not discussing Gentiles but Jews, big difference, I suggest you do a little research to help you understand the beginnings of Christianity, it is very interesting.


Can you point out the inaccurate statement please? Or mybe more easy for you is that you can correct my inaccuracies, I like to learn.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Honza

I find it frightening that I am God. There is so much wrong in the world and I find it hard to accept it and frightened that I might be responsible for it.

The Eastern teachings completely caught me by surprise when I first heard about them.

You are not responsible for the world Honza, we can only do what we can do to the best of our abilities.
Regarding Eastern Teachings, once you get into them you will see they are basically all the same only expressed though different Cultures using different words.

I look at it as....
We are all different instruments in the Orchestra, when they all come together the Mucis is beautiful. Each instrument is different but the Symphony unites them.

[django]

Originally Posted by Honza

I find it frightening that I am God. There is so much wrong in the world and I find it hard to accept it and frightened that I might be responsible for it.

The Eastern teachings completely caught me by surprise when I first heard about them.

An intellectual conclusion that you are God is inherently unstable, to come to that conclusion after decades of spiritual striving, to realize it for yourself in your body mind and soul, would be inherently grounded.

Maybe it's like saying 'I am a Nobel prize winning physicist because I know the formula E=MC2, but of course in reality I don't know Jack**** about it, it's just words to me, because it is someone else's work and their conclusion. Being just words, you can get yourself all knotted up by more 'just words,' and your original intellectual borrowing becomes dangerous to your own mental health.

One of the reasons the Jews were so annoyed with Jesus is that he claimed he was the Son of God, and maybe even that he was God (or maybe this was added later, who knows). This was unthinkable in Judaism, but Jesus was a special case, he was a miraculous healer and miracle-maker, I imagine he channeled God energy completely, and He is an example of our potential to at one with God, but it is only potential in us until it is realized.

[white pegasus]

sky- I was very aware that the early Christians were jews(the disciples) however, I also understand from the books of Acts(the chapter of the Bible that you quoted in your original post) also talks of gentiles.

There was no need for you to post links because I did know. And yes I understand the difference between a jew and a gentile. And yes I understood the scope of the conversation-however-you excluded the gentiles in reference to the book of Acts.

I understand the very beginnings of Christanity-I do not need to do research. However, I made the suggestion to you that if you are going to use a chapter from the Bible(Acts) to support your posts-you need to read it and understand that the gentiles were also involved in the early start of Christianity.

please try and research the book of Acts and you used it as a reference to your post and excluded important information.

[sky]

Originally Posted by white pegasus

sky- I was very aware that the early Christians were jews(the disciples) however, I also understand from the books of Acts(the chapter of the Bible that you quoted in your original post) also talks of gentiles.

There was no need for you to post links because I did know. And yes I understand the difference between a jew and a gentile. And yes I understood the scope of the conversation-however-you excluded the gentiles in reference to the book of Acts.

I understand the very beginnings of Christanity-I do not need to do research. However, I made the suggestion to you that if you are going to use a chapter from the Bible(Acts) to support your posts-you need to read it and understand that the gentiles were also involved in the early start of Christianity.

please try and research the book of Acts and you used it as a reference to your post and excluded important information.

This might help you WP.




Mission to the Gentiles: 1st century AD

One of the witnesses of Stephen's violent death, bestowing on it his full approval, is a keen upholder of Jewish orthodoxy - Saul of Tarsus. More familiar now as St Paul, he becomes after a dramatic conversion the first great Christian missionary.

He introduces to Christianity one startling new element, as he travels through Turkey and Greece. The early Christians are all Jews. But Paul now begins to convert people of non-Jewish descent - known collectively as Gentiles.










Gentile converts to Christianity face one very real problem. They are joining a Jewish sect, and to be Jewish involves circumcision - an unappealing rite of initiation for any adult male convert.

Their dilemma poses, in an oblique way, a crucial doctrinal question: is the new religion to be just for Jews or for everyone? The issue is discussed at a gathering of the leaders of the early church in Jerusalem in about the year 50.








Both Peter and Paul are in favour of relaxing the requirements for Gentiles, and their arguments carry the day. It is agreed that circumcision and the full Jewish dietary restrictions are not compulsory for Christians. A letter to this effect is sent to all Gentile Christians.

[Honza]

Why does it matter whether the first Christians were Jews or Gentiles? I'm not sure what the big issue is.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Honza

Why does it matter whether the first Christians were Jews or Gentiles? I'm not sure what the big issue is.

I'm not sure either why WP has an issue.

For me it's interesting to see where some Christian Rituals and prayers come from, just performing them and reciting prayers is more fulfilling when you understand there originality and background. I don't like to be a robot