Another Gnosticism Question (Jesus, ritual, mystic, virtual, Buddhism)

[mystic man]

Okay got it, I think...

[mystic man]

Alright so Gnosticism isn't a dogmatic religion? Swell.

[gnostic]

Originally Posted by mystic man

What is Gnosticism?

Originally Posted by halcyon

Good question, religious scholars are still arguing about that. I would say Gnosticism is the Abrahamic religions version of Buddhism.

Or the other way around, Halcyon - Gnosticism is a "Buddhist version of Abrahamic religions".

Is there a gnostic version of Islam?

[mystic man]

Originally Posted by gnostic

Is there a gnostic version of Islam?

Well... Sufism crosses over into Gnosticism a bit. But of course they believe God is perfect.

[ThePhoenixSisters]

Originally Posted by Random

It would, but belief is not gnosis, higher enlightened and secret knowlege is.

May I throw in a question or two?

This "secret knowledge", is it a "handed on" knowledge like that of an ancient mystery school?
Or is it a secret knowledge that comes from within?
(hidden God knowledge sourced/revealed from within the individual/gnostic directly).

Is part of "reading" as a gnostic, reading your own personally inspired interpretation of said scriptures?
Or are there "secret interpretations" that must be handed on/down to you?

Thank you for your answers!

*Nixxie*

[Random]

Originally Posted by ThePhoenixSisters

This "secret knowledge", is it a "handed on" knowledge like that of an ancient mystery school?

Originally it was, yes, many allied sects practicing in secret. But when Gnosticism went "public" (so to speak) after Christ and subsequently the RCC drove Gnosticism undergroud the traditions were carried on only by a few in deadly secret societies.

Originally Posted by PhoenixSisters

Or is it a secret knowledge that comes from within?
(hidden God knowledge sourced/revealed from within the individual/gnostic directly).

It is within and without. The Gnostic initiate learns to interpret Scripture and all of the associated myth-themes and symbolism with them, thru a graduation from the ignorant hylic state to pneumatic illumination. But he is free to bring new ideas to his own interpretation these revealed, hidden truths. He may also "Source" new information thru meditation, samadhi and philosophical exercise of the mind.

Is part of "reading" as a gnostic, reading your own personally inspired interpretation of said scriptures? Or are there "secret interpretations" that must be handed on/down to you?

Again, both. The secret meanings are revealed by a master if you progress and are trustworthy enough, but interpretations of their relationship to truth, self and reality in terms of depth and understanding are left to the initiate. To put it another way; no one Gnostic views the implications and consequences of the Truth in exactly the same way. This is how it is meant to be.

[gnostic]

Originally Posted by mystic man

But of course they believe God is perfect.

The Gnostics also believed in the First Aeon, known as the Parent of Entirety or Great Invisible Spirit, to be a perfect god. This Invisible Spirit had nothing to do with the creation of the physical world, or with the first humans.

Other perfect aeons were Barbelo and Autogenes.

The Creator of this physical world, however, is not perfect. This Creator was an offspring of Sophia, and the gnostics considered him to be a Demiurge, hence a false god. He is known by other names, Yaldbaoth (Ialdbaoth), Samael (Blind God), Chief Archon, Creator. This Demiurge could create humans, but could not give humans "life". This was Sophia's doing. She blew breath into Adam, giving Adam a soul.

Sophia plays the role, very much like that of Prometheus (Forethought), helper of mankind. Although, Sophia's name mean "wisdom", she was also referred to as Afterthought, a name given to Prometheus' brother, Epimetheus (Afterthought), while Barbelo, also a feminine principle, referred to as Forethought.

[Godfather89]

Originally Posted by mystic man

This is very confusing stuff lol. I WILL get to the bottom of this!

So would Buddhism be considered a Gnostic religion?

Believe me it can be very confusing... Trying to understand the Gnostic Cosmology and Salvation process. Gnosis means "Intuitive Knowing" which is basically not a belief, because a belief is something you just have no evidence for. Unfortunately, mainstream Christianity left this out, according to mainstream Christianity I am just supposed to be faithful in this life and be rewarded in the hereafter. However, to Gnostic Christian approach, now is the time for ones faith to be supplemented in the intuitive knowing of what God is.

Well the difference between Gnostic and Buddhist is Gnostic's have a God (albeit more so closer to an infinite verb) while Buddhist don't have a God. Since the Gnostic God is more like an infinite verb (actuality and potentiality) than we could say that the Gnostic God is more or less like the Buddhist state of Nirvana.

If God is infinite than God cannot be confined as a noun (person, place or thing) but rather as a verb (actuality and potentiality = Being and Becoming). From this I kind of laugh at both Theism and Atheism because they (dis)believe in the existence an entity or an abstract object called God. So from this I could say God is all the nouns, verbs and adjectives and God is none of them, Because God would transcend them.

So Buddhism could be consider a Gnostic Religion OR Gnosticism could be a Buddhist religion; their are reports that people from the Far East had come to the western world during the times of early Christianity. As far as I could tell Buddhism helping in the aiding of Gnosticism could be very real possibility.

[Godfather89]

Originally Posted by mystic man

Alright so Gnosticism isn't a dogmatic religion? Swell.

Gnosticism is more like a spiritual tradition. Gnosis is what founded Gnosticism, without Gnosis their is no Gnosticism. Because, of this Gnosticism is loose and based off of what an individual's own Gnosis reveals. It has some doctrines, however it is what I call minimally dogmatic because, of its very loose nature.

The spirit bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)

Spiritual revelation is the basis for a spiritual tradition. Now a spiritual tradition has two options: (1) Maintain its spiritual nature or (2) become a dogmatic religion. Gnosticism is a permanent spiritual tradition (as is Buddhism), this is why the world cant stand it because, it goes against their dogmatic religious nature and dogma is devoid of Spirit. The Counterfeit Spirit that the Gnostic's warn us about in The Secret Book of John is made manifest in dogmatic religions.