|
|
Post by gnosticbishop on Feb 16, 2014 17:24:11 GMT -5
I would say yes and no. Yes there is a time and place for debate and pointing out the false teachings in orthodoxy. However if we spend all our time fighting theological battles then what is the point? What more would the demi-urge, whatever it is, enjoy than to have us fighting other Christians, instead of serving Christ in whatever capacity he calls us? We are Gnostic Christians. Is our first duty not to try and heal our own sick Christian brethren? Those who have been deceived by literalism into following an idol.
What did Jesus tell his disciples that time they chastised him for hanging with the publicans? I came for the sick and not the well. Or some such thing. Yet you would have us spend most of our time with the well.
We do all enjoy fellowship my friend but must balance our desire to be among friends and the needs of the sick. The sick should take priority but we all crave a home base. So to speak.
This place is not bad at all so far.
Last word. Jesus had a two sided sword emanating from his mouth.
Regards DL
|
|
|
|
Post by gnosticbishop on Feb 16, 2014 17:30:13 GMT -5
Pretty much, to "fight the empire is to become the empire". I don't judge, or try not to; I try to just let my light shine in the darkness. I don't believe catholicism is our "parent religion" though. Gnostic is a catch all for pre-catholic christians from a variety of sects. We are the goats who judge. You want to be a sheep who does not judge and just follows.
You are no Gnostic Christian. 
Get thee behind me Satan. 
Regards DL
|
|
|
|
Post by xpistissopheiax on Feb 16, 2014 17:34:32 GMT -5
I would say yes and no. Yes there is a time and place for debate and pointing out the false teachings in orthodoxy. However if we spend all our time fighting theological battles then what is the point? What more would the demi-urge, whatever it is, enjoy than to have us fighting other Christians, instead of serving Christ in whatever capacity he calls us? We are Gnostic Christians. Is our first duty not to try and heal our own sick Christian brethren? Those who have been deceived by literalism into following an idol.
What did Jesus tell his disciples that time they chastised him for hanging with the publicans? I came for the sick and not the well. Or some such thing. Yet you would have us spend most of our time with the well.
We do all enjoy fellowship my friend but must balance our desire to be among friends and the needs of the sick. The sick should take priority but we all crave a home base. So to speak.
This place is not bad at all so far.
Last word. Jesus had a two sided sword emanating from his mouth.
Regards DL
You didn't respond to anything I actually said. |
|
|
|
Post by xpistissopheiax on Feb 16, 2014 17:55:40 GMT -5
Pretty much, to "fight the empire is to become the empire". I don't judge, or try not to; I try to just let my light shine in the darkness. I don't believe catholicism is our "parent religion" though. Gnostic is a catch all for pre-catholic christians from a variety of sects. We are the goats who judge. You want to be a sheep who does not judge and just follows.
You are no Gnostic Christian.
Get thee behind me Satan.
Regards DL
It's nice to have new regular posters here, but you're going to get banned on this forum also. I doubt there are many forums, of any sort, that will want you with an attitude this poor. |
|
|
|
Post by rmcdra on Feb 16, 2014 22:43:35 GMT -5
Pretty much, to "fight the empire is to become the empire". I don't judge, or try not to; I try to just let my light shine in the darkness. I don't believe catholicism is our "parent religion" though. Gnostic is a catch all for pre-catholic christians from a variety of sects. We are the goats who judge. You want to be a sheep who does not judge and just follows.
You are no Gnostic Christian.
Get thee behind me Satan.
Regards DL
I love your enthusiasm but PKD was right. To fight the empire is to become the empire. We heal by being passerbyers. We break the system not by conquering the old system but being a companion for those who are ready to wake up and not lose sight of who we are while living in the system. The proof is in the pudding. If you want people to see what you see, show them what works for you and how it makes you whole. Literalism makes many cracks. Show to those who are seeking to become full how your way makes one full and doesn't leave cracks. The tricky part is doing it because you genuinely care about the person who is suffering. If you don't care about the person other than being someone as a body who will "spread the word", it's not going to last or being meaningful for anyone. |
|
|
|
Post by Soulgazer on Feb 17, 2014 9:03:26 GMT -5
Pretty much, to "fight the empire is to become the empire". I don't judge, or try not to; I try to just let my light shine in the darkness. I don't believe catholicism is our "parent religion" though. Gnostic is a catch all for pre-catholic christians from a variety of sects. We are the goats who judge. You want to be a sheep who does not judge and just follows.
You are no Gnostic Christian.
Get thee behind me Satan.
Regards DL
If you want to go all looney tune, don't do it on this board. Consider this a warning. |
|
|
|
Post by gnosticbishop on Feb 19, 2014 18:49:19 GMT -5
Be still my heart. Only one who does not know what a Gnostic Christian is all about would say such things.
Regards
DL
|
|
|
|
Post by xpistissopheiax on Feb 19, 2014 22:35:40 GMT -5
Be still my heart. Only one who does not know what a Gnostic Christian is all about would say such things. Regards DL If you aren't being constructive your words are a waste of time. |
|
|
|
Post by Soulgazer on Feb 19, 2014 22:37:00 GMT -5
Be still my heart. Only one who does not know what a Gnostic Christian is all about would say such things. Regards DL If you think that is what a gnostic Christian is, you haven't made it off the bottom rung. We aren't here to fight anyone---we are here to patch those up who have foolishly engaged in battle. Yes, we do enlighten those who have been decieved, but only when they are ready to hear it. We patch the hurts caused by the god of this world. You have a choice. You can either admit you have a lot to learn, or you can continue to present yourself as a butt hole, in which case bye bye. 2nd and final warning. |
|
|
|
Post by phantasman on Feb 20, 2014 9:02:36 GMT -5
Be still my heart. Only one who does not know what a Gnostic Christian is all about would say such things. Regards DL It appears that "creating a name" becomes more important than seeing the message. Categorizing what is Gnosis, or what a Gnostic is, are just words in which I find limited importance. But truth brought names into existence in the world for our sakes, because it is not possible to learn it (truth) without these names. Truth is one single thing; it is many things and for our sakes to teach about this one thing in love through many things. The rulers (archons) wanted to deceive man, since they saw that he had a kinship with those that are truly good.-Philip Truth being (so) many things, that no one person can say they have it all, IMO. We continuously learn while in this world. And no one knows truth in one single thing. |
|
|
|
Post by gnosticbishop on Feb 20, 2014 14:29:41 GMT -5
You do not mean real as in real archons. As in characters. Right?
You mean archetypal type of real. Right?
You do not read our myths literally do you?
Regards
DL
|
|
|
|
Post by xpistissopheiax on Feb 20, 2014 20:38:55 GMT -5
The big thing now seems to abandon all literalism in favor of myth and metaphor. While that might be what is most useful, and even accurate with in the context of the original texts, I personally see no reason to all of it. The Secret Revelation of John lists a different archon that afflicts each part of the human body. That is a very literal belief. So while the Gospel of Philip explains that "truth entered the world in forms" it seems obvious that there is precedent that Gnostic thought was at times literal and metaphorical.
|
|
|
|
Post by Soulgazer on Feb 21, 2014 11:53:26 GMT -5
You do not mean real as in real archons. As in characters. Right? You mean archetypal type of real. Right? You do not read our myths literally do you? Regards DL The myths relay IMPORTANT truth on a variety of levels, to teach us about having a relationship with the true God, to prepare us for life both here and when we finally walk out the door. "Archons" means "rulers". There are all kinds of archons all around us, from the boss at work, to the legislatures that right our laws, to the nationalism that drives nations, to the religious dogmas that fill houses of worship. You can fight one archon and drive it back, but six more will take it's place. The only way to defeat them is on a personal spiritual level, by rejecting the entire creation of the demiurge and not letting falsehood define us, going with what is proven real physically and spiritually. To let the inner be as the outer can mean changing ones inner self to reflect the caring persona that we show the world. Most of life is made up of illusions and deceptions, and in that regard we are our own demiurge, and what makes us Christian gnostic is the work that we do on ourselves. (3) Jesus said, "If those who lead you say to you, 'See, the kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty." ~Thomas My son, accept the education and the teaching. Do not flee from the education and the teaching, but when you are taught, accept (it) with joy. And if you are educated in any matter, do what is good. You will plait a crown of education by your guiding principle. Put on the holy teaching like a robe. Make yourself noble-minded through good conduct. Obtain the austerity of good discipline. Judge yourself like a wise judge. Do not go astray from my teaching, and do not acquire ignorance, lest you lead your people astray. Do not flee from the divine and the teaching which are within you, for he who is teaching you loves you very much. For he shall bequeath to you a worthy austerity. Cast out the animal nature which is within you, and do not allow base thought to enter you. For ... you know the way which I teach. ~Teaching of Sylvanus Speak concerning the truth to those who seek it and of knowledge to those who, in their error, have committed sin. Make sure-footed those who stumble and stretch forth your hands to the sick. Nourish the hungry and set at ease those who are troubled. Foster men who love. Raise up and awaken those who sleep. For you are this understanding which encourages. If the strong follow this course, they are even stronger. Turn your attention to yourselves. Do not be concerned with other things, namely, that which you have cast forth from yourselves, that which you have dismissed. Do not return to them to eat them. Do not be moth-eaten. Do not be worm-eaten, for you have already shaken it off. Do not be a place of the devil, for you have already destroyed him. Do not strengthen your last obstacles, because that is reprehensible. For the lawless one is nothing. He harms himself more than the law. For that one does his works because he is a lawless person. But this one, because he is a righteous person, does his works among others. Do the will of the Father, then, for you are from him. ~Gospel of Truth |
|
|
|
Post by gnosticbishop on Feb 21, 2014 12:54:54 GMT -5
The myths relay IMPORTANT truth on a variety of levels, to teach us about having a relationship with the true God, to prepare us for life both here and when we finally walk out the door. "Archons" means "rulers". There are all kinds of archons all around us, from the boss at work, to the legislatures that right our laws, to the nationalism that drives nations, to the religious dogmas that fill houses of worship. You can fight one archon and drive it back, but six more will take it's place. The only way to defeat them is on a personal spiritual level, by rejecting the entire creation of the demiurge and not letting falsehood define us, going with what is proven real physically and spiritually. To let the inner be as the outer can mean changing ones inner self to reflect the caring persona that we show the world. Most of life is made up of illusions and deceptions, and in that regard we are our own demiurge, and what makes us Christian gnostic is the work that we do on ourselves. (3) Jesus said, "If those who lead you say to you, 'See, the kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty." ~Thomas My son, accept the education and the teaching. Do not flee from the education and the teaching, but when you are taught, accept (it) with joy. And if you are educated in any matter, do what is good. You will plait a crown of education by your guiding principle. Put on the holy teaching like a robe. Make yourself noble-minded through good conduct. Obtain the austerity of good discipline. Judge yourself like a wise judge. Do not go astray from my teaching, and do not acquire ignorance, lest you lead your people astray. Do not flee from the divine and the teaching which are within you, for he who is teaching you loves you very much. For he shall bequeath to you a worthy austerity. Cast out the animal nature which is within you, and do not allow base thought to enter you. For ... you know the way which I teach. ~Teaching of Sylvanus Speak concerning the truth to those who seek it and of knowledge to those who, in their error, have committed sin. Make sure-footed those who stumble and stretch forth your hands to the sick. Nourish the hungry and set at ease those who are troubled. Foster men who love. Raise up and awaken those who sleep. For you are this understanding which encourages. If the strong follow this course, they are even stronger. Turn your attention to yourselves. Do not be concerned with other things, namely, that which you have cast forth from yourselves, that which you have dismissed. Do not return to them to eat them. Do not be moth-eaten. Do not be worm-eaten, for you have already shaken it off. Do not be a place of the devil, for you have already destroyed him. Do not strengthen your last obstacles, because that is reprehensible. For the lawless one is nothing. He harms himself more than the law. For that one does his works because he is a lawless person. But this one, because he is a righteous person, does his works among others. Do the will of the Father, then, for you are from him. ~Gospel of Truth I take this as a yes to my question.You show again that you are more Christian than Gnostic. Without apotheosis, all religions should be thought of as myths. RegardsDL |
|
|
|
Post by gnosticbishop on Feb 21, 2014 12:56:30 GMT -5
The big thing now seems to abandon all literalism in favor of myth and metaphor. While that might be what is most useful, and even accurate with in the context of the original texts, I personally see no reason to all of it. The Secret Revelation of John lists a different archon that afflicts each part of the human body. That is a very literal belief. So while the Gospel of Philip explains that "truth entered the world in forms" it seems obvious that there is precedent that Gnostic thought was at times literal and metaphorical. So you see no reason to use the more accurate and useful take on the myths. Ok.
Not too bright that but ok.
Regards DL
|
|
