What is "Gnosis"? (Jesus, ritual, gospel, followers)

[Buttons*]

lead the way *smiles* We're all willing to drown

[sandhill]

The Gnostic Library is a good online reference source and contains both the Nag Hammadi translations as well as the whole heresiological remains preserved by the Church.

I will be making references to this resource as I continue my discussion, as well as a few others.

[Godfather89]

The ends justify the means in the case... "The ends" is The Search for Gnosis and "The Means" is to understand it. To get a good idea read this:

"What makes us free is the gnosis
of who we were,
of what we have become;
of where we were,
of wherein we have been cast;
of whereto we speed,
of wherefrom we are redeemed;
of what birth truly is,
and of what rebirth truly is."

– Excerpta Ex Theodoto