Gnosticism

[Triner]

I guess this is mostly aimed at Rev Keith, but any one else knowledgeable on the subject please chime in.

What would you say are the ideas & beliefs of Gnostic Christianity?

And where could one learn more about it?

Many of the things Reverend_Keith has said fascinate me and I'd like to learn more about it.

Gnosticism and Christianity are at ends when it comes to salvation. Gnosticism teaches that salvation is acquired through gnosis or knowledge, but the unknowable God has little to do with the world or the material universe since God is pure and perfect and all matter is essentially flawed and imperfect. It was made of material which has the seeds of corruption in it. God they say is pure in spirit and pure spirit can never touch matter at all. Therefore it was not possible for God to carry out the work of creation Himself so He put out from Himself a series of emanations that are further and further away from Him and, as the emanations get further and further away the less they know.

Christianity however, has always believed in what is called creation out of nothing. And do not believe that the world began with an essential flaw. It is our belief that behind everything there is God and God alone, and He is intimately involved in it. Where Gnostics put the blame for the evil of the world on the shoulders of its creator, Christianity believes that what is wrong with the world is due to human sin. And although sin has injured the world and kept if from being what it might of been, we can never despise the world, because its essentially God's.

The incarnation is therefore a problem area in Gnosticism, God is denied as the Son and Jesus is reduced down to a good moral teacher, but moreso since Gnosticism denies Jesus as God, Jesus' atonement is also rejected.

Some think that 1 John was written against the errors of Gnosticism and might be a good place to start if attempting to understand the differing views between the two.

If you're interested in Gnosticism Triner, I'm leaving for a week vacation however, when returning I'll ship you some books on Gnosticism if seriously interested. Just PM me your mailing address.

A more comprehensive.....

Question: "What is Christian Gnosticism?"

http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-gnosticism.html

Edited by SF Staff

Originally Posted by Triner

I guess this is mostly aimed at Rev Keith, but any one else knowledgeable on the subject please chime in.

What would you say are the ideas & beliefs of Gnostic Christianity?

And where could one learn more about it?

Many of the things Reverend_Keith has said fascinate me and I'd like to learn more about it.

The Nag Hammadi Library edited by James Robinson


That gives you the texts of the Gnostics.......


The Meaning however GROWS in your own Heart ~


Do not strive to memorize but rather...... LIVE the TRUTHs as best you can and then the Miracles of Understanding will begin to blossom~


Do not quit!
Do not get wrapped up in mens/womens beliefs nor interpretations, but find ..... INSIDE YOURSELF ~
You will fist feel somewhat lost..... but without feeling lost you cannot FIND! So ACCEPT all feelings as they arise and offer them up to the Divine. The false will be burned up and the Truth will be all which remains.

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by Racer X

Do not quit!
Do not get wrapped up in mens/womens beliefs nor interpretations, but find ..... INSIDE YOURSELF ~
You will fist feel somewhat lost..... but without feeling lost you cannot FIND! So ACCEPT all feelings as they arise and offer them up to the Divine. The false will be burned up and the Truth will be all which remains.[/i][/color]

Very powerful and insightful Racer X!

Originally Posted by TeeHee

Let us follow the Apostle Paul who said to “test everything. Hold on to the good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21), and this we do by comparing everything to the Word of God, the only Truth.

While I agree wholeheartedly with St Paul's advice there, I kind of have to wonder with regard to the rest of the sentence, how exactly the "only truth" was tested before it could be held on to as a good yardstick for everything else?

Originally Posted by contentest

While I agree wholeheartedly with St Paul's advice there, I kind of have to wonder with regard to the rest of the sentence, how exactly the "only truth" was tested before it could be held on to as a good yardstick for everything else?

Reminds me of Hebrews, where truth was in past times received by direct communication, at times by dreams, at times by visions, through a process known as revelation, by means of the prophets. And the revelation as a characteristic of truth, does not change into that which is different from that which began. Instead revelation is progressive continuing and furthering of the unveiling of unchanging truth. To test all things is whether or not it agrees with Gods word, the truth in the context of His works of creation and redemption.

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

[Triner]

Originally Posted by Racer X

Do not get wrapped up in mens/womens beliefs nor interpretations, but find ..... INSIDE YOURSELF ~
You will fist feel somewhat lost..... but without feeling lost you cannot FIND! So ACCEPT all feelings as they arise and offer them up to the Divine. The false will be burned up and the Truth will be all which remains.

No worries. I'm not wrapped up in beliefs or interpretations... I'm just curious about it. Especially some of the things Rev. Keith has said.

And yea, I knew about the Nag Hammadi texts. Are there any others?