Gnosticism In The Broader Context Of Mysticism

"Come, look at this glittering world, like unto a royal chariot; the foolish are immersed in it, but the wise do not touch it."

"This world is dark, few only can see here; a few only go to heaven, like birds escaped from the net."

I do not adhere to any specific religion, but find I am drawn to all out of curiousity. The Internet is a wonderful tool to accumulate a variety of concepts of all religions. Recently, I discovered an interesting ebook about the symbology used in most religious texts evolving from ancient Egypt. Honestly, I am still reading it. while at some points I think the author is too involved with his/her own research, I have to admit that his connections has given me a new perspective in my reading religious symbolism. I believe you will find it a very interesting read too.
Free PDF ebook link

Note: from my reading, I can see where the nag hammadi library has definitely assisted this individual in reaching his conclusions and comparisons. Hope you enjoy.

Edit add: I must admit what the author says about embracing the idea of reincarnation did give me food for thought. Basically, if we know we are going to return into this world in the future and not knowing where we will end up (third world or war torn country), we would all work harder at ensured the world would be a better place rather than hell on earth!

a reply to: TheJourney

You need to differentiate between Gnosticism and Gnostic Christianity, because they are not the same thing. Gnosticism pre-dates Christianity by several centuries, and is, essentially, the religious extension of Platonism. So, if you want to dig deeper into Gnosticism, go read Plato.

Gnostic Christianity, which is what most of the texts in the Nag Hammadi Library are representative of, was the attempt to merge Gnosticism and Christianity, though in the end, they pretty much just merged the person of Christ into Gnosticism, made up some mythology that surrounded him, named him the "Bringer of Gnosis" and created a minority religion that lasted a couple of centuries before it died out.

The problem with Gnostic Christianity is that we know it cannot possibly be correct, because we know where it came from -- the writings of Valentius in the mid-Second Century. Building on the writings of Marcion about twenty five years earlier, Valentinus and his followers completely made the whole thing up, all of the mythology and theology. Why did he do that? Because he had been passed over for the office of Bishop of Rome (the Pope,) left the church as a result and founded his own religion, despite the fact that he couldn't have possibly known what the Gnosis was, if ever such existed, because Christ had been dead for over a hundred years when he came on the scene.

In a very real way, Gnostic Christianity was the Scientology of the Second Century.

originally posted by: adjensen
In a very real way, Gnostic Christianity was the Scientology of the Second Century.

adjensen just gave you a massive clue OP.

Concerning Plato, studying philosophy to learn about the spiritual realm makes very little sense.

Plato wrote fiction.

Socratic philosophy represents a dead end in any search for ultimate truth. Its reputation as the pinnacle of Western thought is undeserved. ~ Richard Schwartz

The same analogy applies to Gnosticism as well...

Like adjensen said, studying it makes as much sense as studying Scientology.

A complete waste of time...

a reply to: nOraKat

Then they come back down again as Bodhisattvas.

a reply to: TheJourney

Over the years I have studied quit a few religious systems, to include Wicca, Christianity, Shinto, Buddhism and Hinduism.
What I believe is that karma and reincarnation have to do with us learning many lessons through our lives and choices during those lives and that we will keep coming back until we learn those lessons.

The Bible does not deny nor refute reincarnation although it does not openly endorse it either (which I blame on the editing done by the early church). The protestant churches seem to follow very closely the Catholic Church in philosophy and practice when it comes to anyone questioning their teachings and beliefs but I have noticed that they ALL cherry pick the Bible.

Karma is about learning lessons based upon your own actions but I think everyone could also identify someone who has passed on without reaping what they have sown, the fact that we have child prodigies, idiot savants and those with birth defects (mental and physical) seems to be the strongest evidence for karma and reincarnation.

That being said I see the Christ spirit as a goal to be earned through many lives, not necessarily by everyone claiming to be a messiah but rather as a stage we must go through to advance, people such as Gandhi and Mother Theresa come to mind as people who if not having attained that level of spirituality are very close to it. As the Christ said “no man (person) can come to (know) the Father (God) except through me (the Christ Spirit).
Now I expect flames for some of this post.

a reply to: RedmoonMWC

from me, you only get the flames of that star up there.

well said, I'm growing weary of extreme and/or conflicting views.

a reply to: RedmoonMWC

The Bible does not deny nor refute reincarnation although it does not openly endorse it either (which I blame on the editing done by the early church).

No.

The Bible doesn't endorse reincarnation because the Bible is a Jewish document, and the Israelites believed in resurrection (one life, one death, one resurrection,) not reincarnation. It doesn't refute reincarnation because the entire notion was foreign to them.

originally posted by: adjensen
a reply to: RedmoonMWC

The Bible does not deny nor refute reincarnation although it does not openly endorse it either (which I blame on the editing done by the early church).

No.

The Bible doesn't endorse reincarnation because the Bible is a Jewish document, and the Israelites believed in resurrection (one life, one death, one resurrection,) not reincarnation. It doesn't refute reincarnation because the entire notion was foreign to them.

Well, common beliefs among Jews today do include re-incarnation...which is taught in the Kabbalah...which they will say has always been a part of Jewish belief, it was just not spoken of entirely openly in scripture, but was understood and a part of the oral tradition...although they also do have a few bible verses which they will say alludes to reincarnation...which I'm sure you will deny this was actually an original part of the teachings, but the idea of these oral traditions is really impossible to prove or refute.

a reply to: TheJourney

Kabbalah is not mainstream Judaism, and never has been.

originally posted by: adjensen
a reply to: TheJourney

Kabbalah is not mainstream Judaism, and never has been.

Kabbalah is generally accepted in Judaism today...you could argue that it wasn't originally part of the tradition, as I used to, but it's plenty mainstream nowadays.

originally posted by: TheJourney
My spiritual approach for a while now has been one of basically reading up on anything and everything, taking what I like regardless of the system underlying the source of the information. An idea I have had is that there is a common truth or reality which all spiritual systems point towards.

Amen. I've been on that path for over ten years and it always comes back to consciousness. Every field of knowledge is based on consciousness, just like every spiritual path, and everything else in existence...


Check this out: www.abovetopsecret.com...

It's something gnostic-like that was originally posted on the Astral Pulse forums and a member here put a commentary to it showing how it has a lot in common with gnosticism and other traditions. Whoever wrote the original piece seems like they must have been coming off of some kind of crazy trip, and that's what makes it an interesting read.

Gnostic is a spiritual attribute of a seeker who has arrived at the truth.

All the great masters were Gnostics which is basically The Science of Knowing--gnosis

Buddhism has a word for it (probably Arhat) Sufism uses the word directly and Hinduism has a word for it

a reply to: TheJourney

We are all in comas. They've been trying to wake us up for years. Shortly, they are going to pull the plug. What can be done anymore? Those of us left here are too stubborn or stuck on stupid to wake up.

a reply to: adjensen

Paul had his encounters with Christ a good many years after he was gone... at least so he claimed

The writers of these books could very well have had their own encounters with apostles and past what they taught down through a century or two.... Or even had their own encounter with Jesus...

It seems to be a regular thing in the bible...

Why not a few hundred years later?

a reply to: TheJourney

I personally think gnostic writing is generally the things that were not talked about when Jesus was preaching... things he kepts from the general public and only gave to his closest companions... and for good reason in many cases...

The people that followed him barely understood what he was saying while he was preaching to anyone that would listen... Why would he tell them of things they would never Understand...

HE even reiterates this idea in the gospels while talking to Nicodemus...

Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

Now I can't say that everything found in gnostic writing is from Jesus... but I do believe a lot of it most definitely was...

Especially Thomas... but again, likely not all of it...

And By the way... the "gnosis" that these writers speak of can be found In the gospels of the bible...

When I first trod on the path of gnosis this formula was an inspiration to me.

I hope it can assist others or add to others information


The Three Degrees of Knowledge (Gnosis)

Ilm al-yaqîn (the knowledge of Certainty) The first degree is referred to by the name ‘ilm al-yaqîn (the knowledge of Certainty), which means that Certainty is the result of knowledge. At this degree the object of Certainty is knowledge just as the aim of knowledge is Certainty. Both together are in the soul uniquely, such that Certainty is the first degree of spiritual life and the last of speculative experience. This particular degree of mystical yaqîn is the result of divine theophanies in Act at the level of existence and also the result of theophanies of lights of nature at the gnostic level.

Ayn al-yaqîn (the eye of Certainty) The second degree of yaqîn is what one calls in Sufi terms ayn al-yaqîn (the eye of Certainty), that is, Certainty as a consequence of contemplation and vision. At this level, the object of Certainty is present in front of the gnostic and is not only a speculative concept. Here knowledge becomes what one calls 'ilm-e-huzuri’’ (Presence of knowledge), and that is the second aspect of Certainty in the spiritual way and in liberating experience. By this kind of knowledge, the man of the Way is distinguished from philosophers and learned men. This particular degree of spiritual Certainty is the result of divine theophanies of Attributes at the level of existence, just as it is e result of theophanies of lights of the intellect at the level of gnosis.

Haqq al-yaqîn (the total reality of Certainty) Finally, the last degree of yaqîn is called haqq a1-yaqîn (the total reality of Certainty), that is, Certainty as supreme truth. Here, Certainty has a particular coloring: it is the fruit of an all-embracing experience because the object of Certainty is identical to the one who is experiencing it, knowledge being transformed into actual experience and actual experience into knowledge. At this stage, in fact, knowledge is not limited to the intellect, nor to the vision of the one who is contemplating it, it becomes one with the human being. This is the final phase of yaqîn, the apotheosis of the spiritual and intellectual journey. This high degree of Sufi Certainty is the effect of the Emanation of the divine Theophanies in Essence at its existential level and that of the diffusion of the Light of lights (Dazzling Irradiations) at the level of the theophanies of the gnostic

en.wikipedia.org...
www.fonsvitae.com...

a reply to: TheJourney

Thank you very much for pointing me to 'verses on the faith mind'.
didn't know such beautiful writing exists. Thank you.

peace.

Very intresting, Gnostic saw the earth like a living organism this why we call even today mother earth they see it as a female trappet in a planet and the sun male guarding it.

But Egyptians belived that life was a magic trick like a curse- u needed to live your life right so when u got judged in the after life you could pass to the next level and thats why they practised alot of magic and rituals here on earth to prepare for the after life.

Now freemasons and the occult is very influence with the mystic schools and they have similiar look at life that the planet is a prison- that our soul is trappet - we live and die over and over again- otherwords reincarnation

But if life is a learning experince why cant we remember our misstakes so we can be better human in the next life. But our brain is programmed not to remember.

So kind of the same thing..

Now looking back in history all this info comes from using diffrent kinds of magic mushrooms and herbs to connect the pineal grand and soul mostly done with the shaamans . Using these kind of methods can get u in to the spirit world.. And get info from the spirits or heal the sick and so on.

But people are not connected with nature anymore and have bills and jobs to think about, i think this a way to control people aswell without knowing it. Debt..

This knowledge was widely spread from siberia to south america but the Vatican burned most the books and suppressed alot of info.. That been said they are them self practising with alot of things but keeps it to them self- For control and power

But there is a Dark side aswell- demons - Looking at the world today there is people working with these dark sprits to promote war greed blood rituals to gain power control money. Only using right side of brain and wanting to become god himself. This is were karma doesnt work.. There is a lot of bad people on this earth but they work together with the dark forces.

But knowledge is the key.. I think its very important to study everything, because knowledge is not the power its everything.

a reply to: TheJourney

I have read that some people dispute whether the Gospel of Thomas is Gnostic. Then again, this all ties into what I still don't fully understand, is Gnosticism a fairly specific system, or can it be a generic term for mystical Christianity. Yes though, I really like the Gospel of Thomas. Definitely says some deep truths pretty directly.

With the exception Gospel of Thomas I just don't see Gnostic texts as being enlightening nor teaching the same message so don't spend a lot of time reading them (they just don't grab me).