Any Gnostics on here?

Post Reply New Topic

I've taken a serious interest in Gnosticism over the past year or so. Its the idea that there is a demiurge (a false ego that constructs false laws out of fear and insecurity that inhibit liberation of the psyche), and that the true source of divinity is Gnosis,knowledge, enlightenment, illumination, etc (the dissolution of ignorance and the fear and insecurity that it brings to consciousness). Is there anyone else into Gnosticism or any of the Western esoteric lines of thought? This could include other traditions, like Kabballah, Freemasonry, Pythagoreanism, neo-Platonism, or even Thelema.

Gnosticism is Gnonsense.

ruveyn

That was a very thoughtful response ruveyn. Thank you for bringing such an educated, constructive, and well reasoned comment to the discussion. I mean, after all, that's what's you're best known for on here...

I only got so far into it but found the Gospel of Truth (as well as its reference to Plato's cave of education) very interesting but even moreso the Tripartite Tractate hooked me in more than anything else.

I just wrote a thread about the Seth Material, that's where I'm at 6 or 7 years later - you might enjoy research into Seth and Jane Roberts.

A problem I have with gnosticism is that believing the material world is evil discourages participation in the material world.

The material world is the only world there is.

ruveyn

What I meant is that I doubt Gnostic cultures will produce alot of scientists. What they will produce is alot of conspiracy theorists.

I've picked Buddism and the Tao as religions (although if I said I was a Taoist, it might defeat the purpose of actually following it). I go to school to address my educational needs, this is an objective process. My belief addresses the issue of my emotional stability, my emotional state is a subjective experience and I can't rely on science (at least current science) to address problems I deal with. That being said, the moment either religion talks about the afterlife, I tune out.

I thought Gonosticism was based on some type of hidden esoteric knowledge known only to them. If somebody decides to check out the cult kindly report back with any mysterious secrets uncovered. Thanks.

Well, its no longer hidden knowledge as the Nag Hammadi was found in the early part of the 20th century (and in a manner similar to the Dead Sea Scrolls it was likely esoteric to everyone until the archaeologists were able to fish it out of the right cave and paste it back together). You can get a reasonably inexpensive copy used on Amazon if you really want it.

Thanks. I have a copy. The Christians I hang with consider it an early precursor to the Sinai Legislation..showing that God did communicate with Man in oral written form prior to the Law being given to Moses. First I have heard the narrative cited as the hidden knowledge of Gnosticism. Interesting theory. What is about it which could make a person turn into a Gnostic? Kindly connect the dots for us. It appears more of set of rules for an orderly society. Law-Code as most call it seems like. Nothing in there which would make a person run out and decide to be a Gnostic..that I can see anyway..lol.

[/quote="techstepgenr8tion"]

Well, its no longer hidden knowledge as the Nag Hammadi was found in the early part of the 20th century (and in a manner similar to the Dead Sea Scrolls it was likely esoteric to everyone until the archaeologists were able to fish it out of the right cave and paste it back together). You can get a reasonably inexpensive copy used on Amazon if you really want it.[/quote]

When I did read it, what I liked at least from the Valentinean order was the abstraction, the stuff that seemed to really tell an epic story of reality and our creation with a much bigger universe in the telling than speaking strictly as if Earth were all there was in the history of God, angels, and other deities (The Tripartite Tractate in my opinion was mind-blowing in terms of the magnitudes it conveyed) . Also the gospel of truth painted a wonderfully deep symbolic picture of the subtle/hidden connections, the intuitive self, etc.. IMHO I could never have been an 'organized' Gnostic, especially when I really don't know what that means and when I've seen signs of people explaining what they organize they seem to ignore or gloss over my favorite books of the Nag Hammadi. As for fuel for the independently spiritual - it definitely has lots of that and in very high quality for those who really want a bigger picture or to see a much grander schematic of deity and the universe.

I keep in mind also that there were thirty-six early gospels, it was Irenaeus who narrowed it down to four. There were also considerable esoteric sects back then such as the Zealots and Essenes who had no doubt their own wealth of ideas.

Gnosticism is a subset of rules to the greatest role-playing game ever invented: Christianity.

how do you keep your schooling from corrupting your view of things? Do you tune out during history and english as well? I ask this in total curiosity, I'm taking another world religions course and so some of this doesn't make sense to me, or at least how its applied.

pretty

Arguably, Gnostic thought has influenced scientific thought, as well as many other aspects of western culture, more than we realize. One of the main ideas behind science is that were liberating ourselves through the attainment of new information and knowledge that we were formerly ignorant of. Even the modern Christian idea of moral virtue seems to have a kernel to Gnosticism behind it, in that bodily impulse is seen as this unwieldy force that enslaves an individual and confines their will.

I'll check it out