Question for Mr. Cheese or Another Gnostic?

I saw Mr. Cheese in another post say Gnostics generally don't believe in an afterlife. What is your take on this saying from the Gospel of Mary?

Peter asked him: "Teacher, will matter be destroyed or not?" Jesus answered him: "All forms will be dissolved to their original state."

You stated, Mr. Cheese, that suggests no afterlife to you. How do you know this wasn't Jesus saying that when everything is dissolved to it's original state, it will all be God? You know, the idea of God within all things. Is there another way one could view this?

What difference does it make what it says in an old book? There is no evidence of an afterlife regardless.

Ah well guess there are no Gnostics willing to offer me their perspective?

Yosef1986 said:

You stated, Mr. Cheese, that suggests no afterlife to you. How do you know this wasn't Jesus saying that when everything is dissolved to it's original state, it will all be God? You know, the idea of God within all things. Is there another way one could view this?

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I called myself Gnostic once, and this is pretty much what I believed. That the divine spark would be reunited with God, like a drop of water re-entering the ocean. But I didn't think of that as an afterlife. "I" wouldn't exist anymore, just my "soul" fusing with the rest of God.

Well I think it's possible that even if the divine spark rejoined with God, which I don't think it's entirely seperate even now, only the physical body makes one think so, I think a higher plane like Plato spoke of could exist, because if this world is within God, could not another world also be? I know many religions speak of the worlds of the gods, which the gods are also just lower manifestations of the one.

Yosef1986 said:

Well I think it's possible that even if the divine spark rejoined with God, which I don't think it's entirely seperate even now, only the physical body makes one think so, I think a higher plane like Plato spoke of could exist, because if this world is within God, could not another world also be? I know many religions speak of the worlds of the gods, which the gods are also just lower manifestations of the one.

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It's possible, but I don't think many gnostics believe that.

From The Gnostic Catechism by + Tau Stephanus I (Stephan A. Hoeller) of Ecclesia Gnostica:

72. What are the further benefits of salvation by Gnosis?

A turning away of the soul from the attachments of life, a constant straining upwards to the pure Divine Spirit, wherein is our true home. Also, God's friendship in this life, a good death, and after that a swift passage through cleansing regions to God's presence in the Fullness (PLEROMA) of divine glory, goodness and love.

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I don't know of any statements concerning the afterlife by other modern Gnostic Churches, and I imagine there is diversity among modern Gnostics.

Regarding the views of ancient and mediaeval Gnostics, there are differing views and interpretations of their writings, views and beliefs.

Sorry for posting, I misread gnostic for agnostic.

dogsgod said:

Sorry for posting, I misread gnostic for agnostic.

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Well, Robert M. Prince saw similarities between the two.