Questions for my Gnostic Friends! (Jesus, ritual, procreation, reincarnate)

[Halcyon]

Originally Posted by beckysoup61

Currently, I'm reading the

The Book of Mormon - 2nd Nephi
The Bible - Old Testament - Genesis
Nag Hammadi Library - Apochryphon of John

I have a lot on my plate.

Thats just weird, i'm at the same points as you in both BoM and Bible.
But it does take me months to read even a novel, let alone a scripture which you need to concentrate on, so you'll probably be finished by the time i'm onto Exodus

Originally Posted by beckysoup61

Anywho. So a question about what you said here. So what sort of things keep you from the 'truth' and what is this 'truth'.

Ignorance, ususally self created ignorance is what keeps us blind to the truth. But also by our very nature we are blind, we're 'designed' that way in order to function in this world.

What is the truth? Well, we don't know. We won't know until we acquire Gnosis, and even then we won't be able to explain it to you - unfortunately that is the nature of Gnosis. Up until then we have our myths and teachings which are little more than theories created to (hopefully) aid us in getting Gnosis.

Originally Posted by beckysoup61

Could it be any religious teachings that are good or is it only Gnostic?

We believe all religious teachings are of some merit and are worth studying.
Its when those teachings, or our interpretation of them, lead us into blind faith that problems arise.
I believe we must always question anything we are told, even if it is God who is supposedly speaking. We must always ask, does this make sense?
When we find something that doesn't make sense or is contradicted by evidence we must re-evaluate the validity and so the worth of that teaching. Thats the attitude i take to every bit of scripture i read, both Gnostic and others.

[Revasser]

Oh, what an interesting thread! Hello, my gnostic friends! I thought I'd come check out your sub-forum here.

Originally Posted by Halcyon

The spirit is immortal and is essentially a little bit of God, unchanging and unchangable. The soul is the personality, it is linked to the body more directly and changes over time, it might also be destroyed at death along with the body.

This concept feels very familiar to me. It's not all that dissimiliar for the Kemetic concept of ka and ba. Would you agree, Halcyon?

[gnostic]

Originally Posted by Halcyon

Its when those teachings, or our interpretation of them, lead us into blind faith that problems arise.
I believe we must always question anything we are told, even if it is God who is supposedly speaking.

I couldn't agree with you more. I would prefer people to question more than just accept everything written at their face value.

The comparison of the Apocryphon of John and Genesis (and that of all other versions, including that of Qur'an) leave a lot of questions to be asked.

[Karl R]

Originally Posted by beckysoup61

What does the voice that John hears saying, "I an the one who is [with you (pl)] always. I [am the Father], I am the Mother, I am the Son" ? Why isn't daughter included in this, or is it just my book?

I've just been reading a book by Elaine Pagels, a scholar of the gnostic gospels.

According to Pagels, this is a version of the trinity. The holy spirit is interpreted as being female (hence the mother) instead of asexual. The greek word for spirit (pneuma) is neuter. The hebrew word for spirit (ruah) is feminine.

Originally Posted by beckysoup61

Also, what does Against Heresies by Ireabaes have to say about this (if you know)?

Pagels delves quite deeply into Irenaeus comments, but doesn't draw direct connections from the gnostic passages to Irenaeus' responses.

Indirectly, Pagels claims that verses like these led gnostic circles to have a high degree of equality between men and women.

Pagels notes Irenaeus' dismay with how the gnostic teacher Marcus had attracted "many foolish women" from his own congregation

Irenaeus says, Marcus "addresses them in such seductive words" as his prayers to Grace, "She who is before all things," and to Wisdom and Silence, the feminine element of the divine being.

Bishop Irenaeus seemed indignant that Marcus encouraged women to prophesy and help serve & consecrate the eucharist.

[Halcyon]

Originally Posted by Revasser

Oh, what an interesting thread! Hello, my gnostic friends! I thought I'd come check out your sub-forum here.

This concept feels very familiar to me. It's not all that dissimiliar for the Kemetic concept of ka and ba. Would you agree, Halcyon?

Yeah kind of, although its been a while since i read up on kemetic concepts. Isn't Ba the mortal soul and Ka the immortal spirit self? I forget.
Also, i remember there being 7 parts to the human being in kemetic beliefs, or am i just imagining that?

[Revasser]

Originally Posted by Halcyon

Yeah kind of, although its been a while since i read up on kemetic concepts. Isn't Ba the mortal soul and Ka the immortal spirit self? I forget.
Also, i remember there being 7 parts to the human being in kemetic beliefs, or am i just imagining that?

Switch 'em around and you're right. Ka is the mortal spirit tied directly to the body, Ba is the immortal. The way I usually hear it described is something like: Ka is your "this life" soul, Ba is your "all life" soul. Those are the two most often thought of and talked about, the "main" bits, if you will. You are correct, however, there are thought to seven distinct parts, not including the khat, or physical body.

Despite that, I find the similarity of the two "main" parts intriguing!

[Halcyon]

Originally Posted by Revasser

Switch 'em around and you're right. Ka is the mortal spirit tied directly to the body, Ba is the immortal. The way I usually hear it described is something like: Ka is your "this life" soul, Ba is your "all life" soul. Those are the two most often thought of and talked about, the "main" bits, if you will. You are correct, however, there are thought to seven distinct parts, not including the khat, or physical body.

Despite that, I find the similarity of the two "main" parts intriguing!

Yes they are very similar. Gnosticism was popular everywhere in ancient times, including Egypt. Perhaps ancient kemetic beliefs filtered their way into Gnostic texts, who can say?

[Revasser]

Originally Posted by Halcyon

Yes they are very similar. Gnosticism was popular everywhere in ancient times, including Egypt. Perhaps ancient kemetic beliefs filtered their way into Gnostic texts, who can say?

Indeed! It may simply have been an idea whose time had come at that point and a few groups maintained it.

And since this is a question thread, I have a question about the demiurge (is that title that should be capitalised?)Namely, where did it come from and does it have a purpose or is it an accident of some kind?