Mr Cheese
Well-Known Member
As I keep getting asked (well occaisonally)
here is a set of links etc that can help a person who wants to discover Gnosticism
..........
What is Gnosticism?
Oh geez how long is a piece of string.... What is Gnosticism? Wel Gnosticism is a logical conclusion of paganism, a logical development. Starting in several places, arguably with the likes of Ancient Egypt and Zoroastrians. There are of course several strands. Gnosticism in modern times generally realtes to the writers of the Nag Hammadi texts... The Gospel of Thomas etc.
There are some universals between all the various strands however:
Gnostics value Gnosis (experiental knowledge of the divine) over book knowledge (inntellectual, episteme)
Gnostics see God as ineffable, unanamable, beyond conception
Gnostics know their cosmology (ie Jesus is an emanation, Sophia is a creator etc)is not to be taken seriously, it is the map not the territory
Generally the cosmology involves a being called the demi urge, who is essentially God's ego
and more....
http://gnosis.org/welcome.html
http://essenes.net/
http://www.johannite.org/ prolific modern church...one of many, not really soemthing i personally "dig"
http://www.gnostique.net/ french gnosticism... again not somethign I approve of personally all that much
http://www.palmtreegarden.org/ probably largest online group...again not somethign I fully approve of, but your choice
Mandaean texts http://www.egnu.org/~mandaean/
What is Gnosticism? 1. Ineffable « Prayers and Reflections
Reflection for March 6, 2009: The Chosen « Prayers and Reflections
Gender in Gnosticism « Prayers and Reflections
What is Gnosticism? Transcendence a Gnostic Perspective « Prayers and Reflections
Sophia « Prayers and Reflections
Archons « Prayers and Reflections
Aeons « Prayers and Reflections
Pleroma « Prayers and Reflections
The demiurge « Prayers and Reflections
and no doubt I'll post more
Gnosticism can be summed up in two quick verses:
I became water
and saw myself
a mirage
became an ocean
saw myself a speck
of foam
gained Awareness
saw that all is but
forgetfulness
woke up
and found myself
asleep.
– Binavi Badakhshani
It is I who am you, and it is you who are me. And wherever you are, I am there.
And I am sown in all; and you collect me from wherever you wish.
And when you collect me, it is your own self that you collect.
--The Gospel of Eve
As you can see Gnosticism is a syncretic thing..and is far from unique...
If you have further questions, please ask
In the Name of the Great Life! My good messenger of Light who travelleth to the house of its friends, come, direct my speech and open my mouth in praise that I may wholeheartedly praise the Living Gods.
In the Name of the Great Life! I worship Life and I praise my Lord Yeshu d-Hiya and that great Presence of Glory which emanated from itself.
The Gnostic Prayerbook
here is a set of links etc that can help a person who wants to discover Gnosticism
..........
What is Gnosticism?
Oh geez how long is a piece of string.... What is Gnosticism? Wel Gnosticism is a logical conclusion of paganism, a logical development. Starting in several places, arguably with the likes of Ancient Egypt and Zoroastrians. There are of course several strands. Gnosticism in modern times generally realtes to the writers of the Nag Hammadi texts... The Gospel of Thomas etc.
There are some universals between all the various strands however:
Gnostics value Gnosis (experiental knowledge of the divine) over book knowledge (inntellectual, episteme)
Gnostics see God as ineffable, unanamable, beyond conception
Gnostics know their cosmology (ie Jesus is an emanation, Sophia is a creator etc)is not to be taken seriously, it is the map not the territory
Generally the cosmology involves a being called the demi urge, who is essentially God's ego
and more....
http://gnosis.org/welcome.html
http://essenes.net/
http://www.johannite.org/ prolific modern church...one of many, not really soemthing i personally "dig"
http://www.gnostique.net/ french gnosticism... again not somethign I approve of personally all that much
http://www.palmtreegarden.org/ probably largest online group...again not somethign I fully approve of, but your choice
Mandaean texts http://www.egnu.org/~mandaean/
What is Gnosticism? 1. Ineffable « Prayers and Reflections
Reflection for March 6, 2009: The Chosen « Prayers and Reflections
Gender in Gnosticism « Prayers and Reflections
What is Gnosticism? Transcendence a Gnostic Perspective « Prayers and Reflections
Sophia « Prayers and Reflections
Archons « Prayers and Reflections
Aeons « Prayers and Reflections
Pleroma « Prayers and Reflections
The demiurge « Prayers and Reflections
and no doubt I'll post more
Gnosticism can be summed up in two quick verses:
I became water
and saw myself
a mirage
became an ocean
saw myself a speck
of foam
gained Awareness
saw that all is but
forgetfulness
woke up
and found myself
asleep.
– Binavi Badakhshani
It is I who am you, and it is you who are me. And wherever you are, I am there.
And I am sown in all; and you collect me from wherever you wish.
And when you collect me, it is your own self that you collect.
--The Gospel of Eve
As you can see Gnosticism is a syncretic thing..and is far from unique...
If you have further questions, please ask
In the Name of the Great Life! My good messenger of Light who travelleth to the house of its friends, come, direct my speech and open my mouth in praise that I may wholeheartedly praise the Living Gods.
In the Name of the Great Life! I worship Life and I praise my Lord Yeshu d-Hiya and that great Presence of Glory which emanated from itself.
The Gnostic Prayerbook
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