Gnostics, Politics and Hot Button Issues

[ELoWolfe]

A part of me thought of making a topic to discuss where everyone was on "hot button issues" like abortion, homosexuality, war, etc. It was more of a curiosity than anything. But I have also been pondering the thought of politics and the Church. It wasn't until I came across the Alexandrian Gnostic Church (which I am interested to know more about) that I thought more about this topic, especially when I feel somewhat weird at their bishop, +Thomas Langley, and his twitter account.

Nothing personal against him. I will not comment on his personal politics, whether they are the same or differ from my own. But his twitter is very, very, very political and passionate. On the one hand, I think it is commendable for him to have the passion to speak out. Often change has been done from the pews and pulpits. But on the other, I feel a little weird that there is such activism and wonder if it takes away from his ultimate appeal.

Reader: Do you feel a Gnostic has any place in politics? Is it our place to do anything?

On the one hand, we know the "temporality" of the world. This world wasn't created by the Father, but an inferior Creator. On the other hand, I am sure we're all smart enough to know that power can be a good thing. Would Christianity have been spread so far if it hadn't married the Roman Empire, and all it's children? Was the spread of Christianity a good thing? At the cost of the "heretical" Gnostics?

There is definitely a love/hate relationship with politics. A lot of good can come from it. But so can a lot of evil. Is it better to influence it, or is it better to ignore it?

 

[Bunny]

I think we should do what we can to make our world a better place for others. Some people might to choose to do that through politics, and others might choose to do it in other ways. Compassion is a virtue that comes from the Father, and we should use it as often as possible.

BUT we should also never get too attached to either our actions themselves or the fruits of them in order to avoid incurring karma that'll continue to bind us to this transient world.

If that makes sense at all....:sarcastic

 

[frangipani]

I think when we start thinking about politics we are starting to attempt to combine Gnostic Christianity with worldly matters. I think it is prudent we remember what the Truth is. That is, the matter creation (the chaos) was made in error and is not perfect. In that chaos this world exists (hell). Many of us by the nature of inheritance have an eternal Living Spirit and Soul, which means we are trapped here in these perishable bodies because everything in this world lives off dead things and by necessity things must die in this world for new life (replication) to occur. This issue is, when our bodies perish our Spiritual selves are freed from it. As we ascend the heavens we can be caught up at the various levels, depending literally on our mindset. If we are caught up by the demiurges’ archons we will be cast back down into the earth, reborn into another body. We seem to retain no conscious memory of past lives on earth, but it is a never-ending cycle of damnation. Christ came in Jesus and now through the Holy Ghost to show us, or at least remind us of the being we really are and to show us the way out of hell to peace and rest with the Ineffable One. Just His coming here, descending into hell to help us escape the eternal cycle by giving us the knowledge of the Truth is an incredible act of love. Why, because God is not willing that any should perish, even though inevitably many will. In the Gospel of Matthew (11:29/30) Jesus said, “Take my Yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light”.
While we are here, yes by all means let us do good toward each other, but let us not lose sight of the Truth and become caught up in worldly matters, after all the demiurge has designed it so that this world is full of all manner of things to occupy our mind and fill us with concerns for anything and everything but the Truth. (The curse for mankind as written in the Hypostasis of the Archons. The nature of the Archons threw mankind into great distraction and into a life of toil, so that mankind might be occupied by worldly affairs, and might not have time to be devoted to the Holy Spirit). This is not the eternal realm and I hope and pray, whether I’ve been here before or not that this time here is my last. I don’t want a return trip. I want to go home to peace and rest when I leave here.