Plato a Gnostic? (followers, atheist, pagan, God, religion)

[Buttons*]

Originally Posted by Godfather89

Literalism and fundamentalism is what the faith of Gnosticism is definitely against. The world can only accept the truth in forms and images any other way is impossible, what a fundamentalist and literalist will do is is look at the form and image and say thats truth when its only a representation of the truth. An example is: Imagine a painting of a valley, a literalist would say "that valley is real" but someone who understands that the painting is only representing the valley.

Yes I know... is this in response to anything in particular?

[Buttons*]

Originally Posted by Somkid

Plato was not religious (perhaps in the sense that many people don't care about religion or go to a place of worship but they may declare them selfs this or that) you and all the other Gnostic's are reading into it.

I don't think he was religiously Gnostic, you have me all wrong. I do think that his philosophies (which, actually has a HUGE amount to do with Gnosticism since one of our leading ladies is Sophia...) are of a Gnostic nature EVEN though he never knew of Gnosticism. I think that he can be counted as one only because anyone can be Gnostic. If one has the Gnostic way of seeing life, to me, they're Gnostic. It's not that I read into it, it's that I see deep philosophies concerning the Good. - Which was later also captured in scripture that Gnostics had.

Some of his writings touch on what you might consider to be Gnostic in nature but it was not a "faith" for him. I'm not giving you my opinion I'm telling you what encyclopedia of philosophy has to say about the subject.

Yes, I know this. I didn't ever say that he practiced the faith.

And furthermore if you know the answer why bother to ask the question?

Well, a year ago when I asked the question, it was to get actual opinions on the subject flowing. It was to see if other Gnostics saw what I saw when I read a dialogue of Socrates. I was learning to connect the dots, having only had one actual philosophy course, and the rest of my research being done on my own.

[doppelgänger]

It's hard to tell for sure because that term has so much modern connotation to it, but he was an Orphic and participated in the mysteries. His Timaeus is full of intriguing symbolism.

Was Pythagoras a gnostic?

[Godfather89]

Yes I know... is this in response to anything in particular?

Well, I don't think so... To be honest Im not sure where that came from... Maybe it was from any earlier post in this thread.