Gnosticism

ShintoMale

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GNOSTIC TEACHINGS
The radical and subversive nature of Gnosticism can best be appreciated when contrasted with the teachings of Scripture. The Bible reveals that an all-powerful God created the earth and the universe (Genesis 1:1). This magnificent creation was produced according to a well-thought-out plan (Psalm 139:14; Proverbs 8:22-31; Job 38). Everything God made was very good (Genesis 1:10, 18, 21). God created human beings in His own image (Genesis 1:27). Male and female were created as separate genders for the purpose of marrying and reproducing in a family context (Genesis 1:28, 2:22-25). Satan, in the form of a serpent (Ezekiel 28:13), deceived the first human beings by insinuating that God was a liar and was withholding valuable information from them (Genesis 3). Adam and Eve were banished from the garden paradise for disobedience. Jesus Christ died for the sins of mankind, making it possible to be reconciled to God, receive the Holy Spirit, gain eternal life and participate in the future kingdom of God (John 3:16-17; Acts 2:38; Mark 1:14-15).

Gnostic teaching totally reverses nearly every detail of these biblical accounts! Gnostics taught that the real God is unknowable and incomprehensible. This world "is a stupendous mistake, created by a foolish or vicious creator-god" (Mystery Religions in the Ancient World, Godwin, 1981, p. 84). Humans are merely "fragments of the universe... sediment from a lost heaven" (Lacarriere, pp. 16, 19). This evil, incompetent god was self-conceived by Sophia (goddess of wisdom) and later seduced Eve, who then gave birth to Cain and Abel. The serpent was actually sent by the true God to teach wisdom to Adam and Eve before they were unmercifully expelled from the garden. This wicked god, the Jehovah of the Hebrew Scriptures, tricked people into worshiping him as the true God, and the Old Testament "is the story of his tyranny and egotism" (Ibid., p. 85). The villains of the Bible (Cain, Esau, the Sodomites, etc.) are regarded as heroes by Gnostics for standing up to this evil god!

In Gnostic belief, salvation is obtained not by accepting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins and changing our life, but by learning secret knowledge. For Gnostics, knowledge comes from within oneself—not from revealed Scripture, yet the Bible says just the opposite (Proverbs 3:5; John 17:17)! For Gnostics, this world is evil; the body is the evil—a corrupt prison for the soul—from which one must seek to escape. Marriage and procreational sex are also seen as evils dreamed up by the wicked creator-god. The real hope, to Gnostics, is not to see the future kingdom of God, but to regain an imagined past, freed from the fetters of this world (spirit from matter, light from darkness) in a timeless and incorporeal Kingdom of Light. It is not hard to see why the ideas of Simon and his followers "flew in the face of the whole Apostolic doctrine and the teaching of Jesus" (Lacarriere, p. 47). Gnostics literally turn the Bible upside down!

..............

one faction as anti-sex another faction is sex without boundaries

PERVERTED PRACTICES
Some of the most controversial teachings of the Gnostics had to do with the lifestyle they advocated. Marriage and procreational sex were scorned as the distractions of a wicked god. This led to drastic extremes! Certain teachers, such as Marcion and Valentinus, advocated asceticism (self-denial). They forbade marriage and taught that Gnostics should remain celibate. Initiates already married were told to abstain from sexual relations for life (After Jesus, Reader's Digest, 1992, p. 132). Since some Gnostics taught that Adam was created without gender, the ideal state one should aspire to is androgyny—where sexual identity is suppressed or eliminated. The Gnostic Gospel of Thomas states, "when you make the male and female into one, so that the male is not male and the female is not female... then you shall enter the kingdom" (Unearthing the Lost Words of Jesus, Dart and Riegert, 1998, p. 54). Celibate asceticism—denying one's sexuality and abhorring marriage—was a way of achieving this androgynous ideal and becoming like the true God.

However, other Gnostic teachers advocated just the opposite! Simon Magus appears to have rejected marriage and promoted free love! Gnostics saw laws given by an evil creator-god as restrictive and inhibiting. They taught the "practice of free love must be the means of bursting out of the social straight jacket specifically invented to stifle its [love's] liberating spontaneity... in the promiscuity of men and women lies the true communion" (Lacarriere, p. 51). Some Gnostic sects participated in orgiastic rites of almost indescribable perversion. The idea was that to extirpate evil, it must be practiced until it is exhausted! This stood in marked contrast to the biblical admonitions to "flee sexual immorality" (1 Corinthians 6:18-20) and avoid all forms of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magaz...fferent-gospel


Why do many Early Church Fathers talk negatively about sex & marriage?

Let us glean some of the ideas presented by these early fathers of Christianity:

Women are the root of all evil -
(This contradicts God's own words in Genesis 1:31 and also contradicts directly 1 Timothy 6:10)

Those who have sex with their wives for pleasure are adulterers -
(This contradicts the definition of adultery in Greek and Hebrew, not to mention many scriptures, such as Leviticus 18:7-23)

Marriage only exists only after the Fall of Man -
(This contradicts Genesis 1:23-24, as it states the marriage design and that Eve was one flesh with Adam, both prior to the Fall)

Christians marry only to produce children -
(Although this one is less in error than most of the other statements above, it does contradict the Song of Solomon, which has nothing to do with producing children and everything to do with the joys of love and sex.)

Women are the Devil's Gateway. Meaning, sin was a result of you, via sex and temptation. -
(Here we see the influence of Gnosticism and Platonism on sex. Apples were considered the fruit, as it symbolizes sex in ancient times. Hence the woman had sex with the man early, and this is where sin came from. And it is assumed the man is somehow without sense when a woman seduces. However, none of this is from scripture. This is all a cleverly devised fable, which we are warned against believing. Further, it contradicts Genesis 3:1-8, as it says they ate a fruit, not that they had wild premarital sex or ate an apple. Last, God created woman as a helper, not as a devilish gateway to sin. Today, we laugh at this viewpoint, however, this is the ground on which many ideas in the church derive. )

Women are temptresses. -
(When I read this, it reminds me of the mindset of many muslim societies. It is not the man's fault, that he wants to have sex with a woman, but rather the woman for tempting him. This is just passing blame. Every man is responsible for his actions, as is made clear in these passages: 1 Peter 4:5, Matthew 3:8-12, Ezekiel 3:18. Further, this assumes a general state of evil within woman, which is greater than sinful nature, which is not accounted for within scripture).

Women's only function is to bear children. -
(Again, this would contradict both God's design of woman as a "helper", equal to man, contradicts Song of Solomon and simple common sense).
 

French Patriot

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GNOSTIC TEACHINGS




Women are the root of all evil .


You have expresses out Gnostic Christian myths well but not so much the modern Gnostic Christian beliefs. We are not literalists to any holy books or even ideas as we are perpetual seekers. As an evolving ideology, it would be best perhaps to ask one some questions. I as here for that.


In evolutionary terms, women is the root of all evil, in the sense that they are the prize of male competition.

If we are to call evil that which triggers harm to human, women must bear that label, but we should all recognize that they do not create that condition. Nature does.

In evolving, competition creates losers and they would see their lose as evil coming their way.
Cooperating, on the other hand, does not create victims and is thus thought of as good and is our natural default choice.

Let me describe the name of my god to you and that might draw a question or dialog.

Modern Gnostic Christians name our god "I am", andyes, we do mean ourselves.

You are your controller. I am mine. You represent andpresent whatever mind picture you have of your God or ideal human, and so do I.


The name "I Am" you might see as meaning somethinglike, --- I think I have grown up thanks to having forced my apotheosis throughGnosis and meditation.


In Gnostic Christianity, we follow the Christian traditionthat lazy Christians have forgotten that they are to do. That is, becomebrethren to Jesus.

That is why some say that the only good Christian is aGnostic Christian.



Here is the real way to salvation that Jesus taught.

Matthew 6:22 The light of the body is the eye: if thereforethine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man loveme, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come untohim, and make our abode with him.

Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also didpredestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be thefirstborn among many brethren.

Allan Watts explain those quotes in detail.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=alRNbesfXXw&feature=player_embedded

Joseph Campbell shows the same esoteric ecumenist idea inthis link.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGx4IlppSgU

The bible just plainly says to put away the things ofchildren. The supernatural and literal reading of myths.

Regards
DL



 

ShintoMale

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French Patriot

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pagans also practice child and human sacrifice and sex rituals that involves child sex abuse. from the aztecs, incas, vikings, celtics, etc


http://darrowmillerandfriends.com/2015/06/08/post-modernism-return-pagan-sexuality/


http://thefederalist.com/2016/09/20...from-antiquity-about-living-in-a-pagan-world/


Custom and fashion blips in time and the baby sacrifices were done where resources were finite. It was that or starve a worker. Who cares today?


And what does that have to do with Gnostic Christianity?


I thought G C issues were the purpose of the O.P.?


You started with "The radical and subversive nature of Gnosticism"


What subversion and radical views are you thinking of?

Regards
DL
 

ShintoMale

Electoral Member
May 12, 2008
438
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Toronto, Canada
Custom and fashion blips in time and the baby sacrifices were done where resources were finite. It was that or starve a worker. Who cares today?
And what does that have to do with Gnostic Christianity?
I thought G C issues were the purpose of the O.P.?
You started with "The radical and subversive nature of Gnosticism"


What subversion and radical views are you thinking of?
Regards
DL



gnosticism twist Christianity by mixing paganism with it and it claims the physical world is evil
 

ShintoMale

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French Patriot

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gnosticism twist Christianity by mixing paganism with it and it claims the physical world is evil

You have that backwards although I can understand why you would believe the lies that Christianity propagated to justify their use of the Inquisitions on us. It is not that cut and dry. Have a look at what they preach as compared to what we preach. You will find that we love matter.

I will also give you my scientific take on things.

TheChristian reality.
1 John2:15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any manlove the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust ofthe flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of theFather, but is of the world.
Gen 3; 17 Thoushalt not eat of it; cursed is the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eatof it all the days of thy life.

-----------

The GnosticChristian reality.
GnosticChristian Jesus said, "Those whoseek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will bedisturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will reign over all.[And after they have reigned they will rest.]"

"Ifthose who attract you say, 'See, the Kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds ofthe sky will precede you.

If they sayto you, 'It is under the earth,' then the fish of the sea will precede you.

Rather, theKingdom of God is inside of you, and it is outside of you.

[Those who]become acquainted with [themselves] will find it; [and when you] becomeacquainted with yourselves, [you will understand that] it is you who are thesons of the living Father.

But if youwill not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are thatpoverty."

As you cansee from that quote, if we see God's kingdom all around us and inside of us, wecannot think that the world is anything but evolving perfection. Most justdon't see it and live in poverty. Let me try to make you see the world the wayI do.

Here is a mind exercise. Tell me what you see when you look around. The best that can possibly be, given our past history, or an ugly and imperfect world?

Candide.
"It isdemonstrable that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for as allthings have been created for some end, they must necessarily be created for thebest end.”

That meansthat we live in the best of all possible worlds, given all the conditions athand and the history that got us here. That is an irrefutable statement givenentropy and the anthropic principle.

Regards
DL
 
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ShintoMale

Electoral Member
May 12, 2008
438
14
18
Toronto, Canada
The GnosticChristian reality.
GnosticChristian Jesus said, "Those whoseek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will bedisturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will reign over all.[And after they have reigned they will rest.]"

"Ifthose who attract you say, 'See, the Kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds ofthe sky will precede you.

If they sayto you, 'It is under the earth,' then the fish of the sea will precede you.

Rather, theKingdom of God is inside of you, and it is outside of you.

[Those who]become acquainted with [themselves] will find it; [and when you] becomeacquainted with yourselves, [you will understand that] it is you who are thesons of the living Father.

But if youwill not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are thatpoverty."

As you cansee from that quote, if we see God's kingdom all around us and inside of us, wecannot think that the world is anything but evolving perfection. Most justdon't see it and live in poverty. Let me try to make you see the world the wayI do.

Here is a mind exercise. Tell me what you see when you look around. The best that can possibly be, given our past history, or an ugly and imperfect world?

Candide.
"It isdemonstrable that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for as allthings have been created for some end, they must necessarily be created for thebest end.”

That meansthat we live in the best of all possible worlds, given all the conditions athand and the history that got us here. That is an irrefutable statement givenentropy and the anthropic principle.



Question: "What does it mean for salvation to be a gift from God?"

Answer: The word gift is an important one in the Bible, and it is good that we understand its definition and implications.

In the New Testament, there are several Greek words translated “gift.” Some of these words are used in contexts other than God’s gift of salvation, such as the reciprocal gift-giving of celebrants (Revelation 11:10), the things received from fathers (Matthew 7:11), offerings to a ministry (Philippians 4:17), and the gifts of the magi (Matthew 2:11).

However, when it comes to the matter of our salvation, the New Testament writers use different Greek words—words that emphasize the gracious and absolutely free quality of the gift. Here are the two words most commonly used for the gift of salvation:

1) Dorea, meaning “a free gift.” This word lays particular stress on the gratuitous nature of the gift—it is something given above and beyond what is expected or deserved. Every New Testament occurrence of this word is related to a spiritual gift from God. It is what Jesus offers to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:10). It is called the “free gift” in Romans 5:15. It is the “unspeakable [or indescribable] gift” in 2 Corinthians 9:15. This gracious gift is identified as the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:38; 8:30; and 11:17.

The adverb form of this word is dorean, translated “freely” in Matthew 10:8; 2 Corinthians 11:7; Revelation 21:6; 22:17. In Romans 3:24, immediately following God’s pronouncement of our guilt, we have this use of dorean: “Being justified FREELY by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” The gift of salvation is free, and the motive for the gift is nothing more than the grace of the Giver.

2) Charisma, meaning “a gift of grace.” This word is used to define salvation in Romans 5:15-16. Also, in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT [charisma] of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” This same word is used in conjunction with the gifts of the Spirit received after salvation (Romans 12:6; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Peter 4:10).

Obviously, if something is a “gift of grace,” it cannot be earned. To work for something is to deserve it, and that would produce an obligation—a gift of debt, as it were. That is why works destroy grace (Romans 4:1-5; 11:5-6).

When presenting salvation, the New Testament writers carefully chose words that emphasize grace and freedom. As a result, the Bible could not be more clear—salvation is absolutely free, the true gift of God in Christ, and our only responsibility is to receive the gift by faith (John 1:12; 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).
 

French Patriot

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that youtuber video relies on the Codex Sinaiticus which along with Codex Vaticanus are corrupt texts which are used to crat modern bibles like the NIZ and the standard versions and I am a christian



I was speaking of Christianity changing the Chrestian to Christian.


That shows the truth of Christianity using the bible as a consolidation of many other older religions.


Christianity stole from a number of ideologies.
including Gnostic Christianity.


Regards
DL
 

ShintoMale

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May 12, 2008
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I was speaking of Christianity changing the Chrestian to Christian.
That shows the truth of Christianity using the bible as a consolidation of many other older religions.
Christianity stole from a number of ideologies.
including Gnostic Christianity.
Regards
DL



Christianity never plagiarised older religions that was brought up by new agers in the 19th century no credible historians and related professionals believe that.



http://nehandaradio.com/2014/11/16/religions-plagiarized-christianity-way-round/


Other religions plagiarized Christianity, not the other way round
 

French Patriot

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Sep 17, 2012
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Question: "What does it mean for salvation to be a gift from God?"

Answer: The word gift is an important one in the Bible, and it is good that we understand its definition and implications.

In the New Testament, there are several Greek words translated “gift.” Some of these words are used in contexts other than God’s gift of salvation, such as the reciprocal gift-giving of celebrants (Revelation 11:10), the things received from fathers (Matthew 7:11), offerings to a ministry (Philippians 4:17), and the gifts of the magi (Matthew 2:11).

However, when it comes to the matter of our salvation, the New Testament writers use different Greek words—words that emphasize the gracious and absolutely free quality of the gift. Here are the two words most commonly used for the gift of salvation:

1) Dorea, meaning “a free gift.” This word lays particular stress on the gratuitous nature of the gift—it is something given above and beyond what is expected or deserved. Every New Testament occurrence of this word is related to a spiritual gift from God. It is what Jesus offers to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:10). It is called the “free gift” in Romans 5:15. It is the “unspeakable [or indescribable] gift” in 2 Corinthians 9:15. This gracious gift is identified as the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:38; 8:30; and 11:17.

The adverb form of this word is dorean, translated “freely” in Matthew 10:8; 2 Corinthians 11:7; Revelation 21:6; 22:17. In Romans 3:24, immediately following God’s pronouncement of our guilt, we have this use of dorean: “Being justified FREELY by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” The gift of salvation is free, and the motive for the gift is nothing more than the grace of the Giver.

2) Charisma, meaning “a gift of grace.” This word is used to define salvation in Romans 5:15-16. Also, in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT [charisma] of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” This same word is used in conjunction with the gifts of the Spirit received after salvation (Romans 12:6; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Peter 4:10).

Obviously, if something is a “gift of grace,” it cannot be earned. To work for something is to deserve it, and that would produce an obligation—a gift of debt, as it were. That is why works destroy grace (Romans 4:1-5; 11:5-6).

When presenting salvation, the New Testament writers carefully chose words that emphasize grace and freedom. As a result, the Bible could not be more clear—salvation is absolutely free, the true gift of God in Christ, and our only responsibility is to receive the gift by faith (John 1:12; 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).


Define that as you like. To a Gnostic Christian, we have never been condemned by some Yahweh who is a genocidal son murdering demiurge, who would not be able to judge properly in the first place.


After all, Yahweh's first judgement as a judge was to set a bribe price for his changing his usual justice from punishing the innocent to punishing the innocent instead of the guilty.


1Peter 1:20 0 Hewas chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these lasttimes for your sake.


The only salvation we seek is to save our minds from poor thinking or adoring a genocidal son murderer.


Regards
DL
 

French Patriot

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ShintoMale

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Define that as you like. To a Gnostic Christian, we have never been condemned by some Yahweh who is a genocidal son murdering demiurge, who would not be able to judge properly in the first place.


"As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live" (Ezekiel 33:11)


After all, Yahweh's first judgement as a judge was to set a bribe price for his changing his usual justice from punishing the innocent to punishing the innocent instead of the guilty.


Deuteronomy 1:16-17 ESV
And I charged your judges at that time, ‘Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him. You shall not be partial in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be intimidated by anyone, for the judgment is God's. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.’



The only salvation we seek is to save our minds from poor thinking or adoring a genocidal son murderer.

Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.

— Genesis 9:6 (ESV)


Gnostics believed that in order to acquire salvation one must possess a certain knowledge, or gnosis, which must be delivered to a person by a messenger of light. However, to receive this knowledge, one must be trying to reach beyond the evil, dark, material, physical earth and body toward that of the good, light, immaterial, and spiritual worlds.

teh gnostic version of salvation is a form of elitism and snobery
 

ShintoMale

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Jesus was what, the 6th man born of a virgin?
You research without thinking.
Regards
DL





Sorry the virgin birth only exists in Christianity


the gods he listed are NOT results of virgin births

Krishna was not born of virgin, Bhudda was not born of virgin


In Krishna Charitas, Krishna is born to Devaki and her husband, King Vasudeva of the Yadava clan in Mathura.


Gautama(Buddha was born as a Kshatriya,[90][note 12] the son of Śuddhodana, "an elected chief of the Shakya clan",[6] whose capital was Kapilavastu, and who were later annexed by the growing Kingdom of Kosala during the Buddha's lifetime. Gautama was the family name. His mother, Maya (Māyādevī), Suddhodana's wife, was a Koliyan princess. Legend has it that, on the night Siddhartha was conceived, Queen Maya dreamt that a white elephant with six white tusks entered her right side,[92][93] and ten months later[94] Siddhartha was born. As was the Shakya tradition, when his mother Queen Maya became pregnant, she left Kapilavastu for her father's kingdom to give birth. However, her son is said to have been born on the way, at Lumbini, in a garden beneath a sal tree.



those so called Gods are results of the sexual unions between thier fathers and Mothers

Hercules (/ˈhɜːrkjuliːz, -jə-/) is a Roman hero and god. He was the equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, who was the son of Zeus (Roman equivalent Jupiter) and the mortal Alcmene. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.

Zeus had other children

Dionysus's mother was a mortal woman, Semele, the daughter of king Cadmus of Thebes, and his father was Zeus, the king of the gods. Zeus's wife, Hera, discovered the affair while Semele was pregnant.