If I might interpose myself into this celebration of Gnosticism and do so as a devout Catholic which might give another perspective, or provide
someone for Gnostics to sink their teeth into :p Many comments here have been “anti-Church/organised religion” in their nature so here come’s
Holy Mother Church, or at least one of her servants. Fear not, I am not warming any irons or piling up faggots.
Originally posted by LeoVirgo
The gnostics resonates with me for this very reasons. They teach that the MOST HIGH is not, ever was, nor ever will be, capable of wrath, greed,
jealousy or pride. Everyone wants to jump up and quote a scripture...but its not even logical to me.
Catholicism, in two major strands of discussing the divine works apophatically and cataphatically (via negativa, via positiva). The Angelic Doctor,
Thomas Aquinas, had a marvellous description of the via media between the two. We can use human language to discuss attributes of the divine as long
as we recognise that such a use of language is only approaching a description of that which is totally other to us, the divine. In ST I, q.13, a.1
www.newadvent.org... he says:
in this life we cannot see the essence of God; but we know God from creatures as their principle, and also by way of excellence and remotion. In
this way therefore He can be named by us from creatures, yet not so that the name which signifies Him expresses the divine essence in itself.
Any positive description of God needs qualified by this sense of remotion when employed. The 9th Century Theologian/Philosopher Eriugena had a neat
formula for such expressions, taking love for example: “God is love (as we understand it), God is not love (as we understand it), God is beyond love
(as we understand it). The fully understood revelation of the Divine is remote from our understanding in our current circumstances. Claims to the
contrary, and Gnosticism in particular, patches the veil in the Temple torn by Christ’s sacrifice and puts God back in the darkness of the Holy of
Holies where only the elect can enter and see Him, while the hoi poloi remain outside slaughtering their sheep and one another.
Originally posted by Hallberg Rassy
It was organized Christianity that usurped the message of Christ from a personal relationship with the Divine, and replaced it with a relationship to
an organized theocracy.
This claim is made a few times here in this thread (and I encounter it frequently in other threads) “One soul good, a billion souls bad”, that
notion that the Church deliberately became an obstacle between God and humanity. One benefit of Catholicism’s much maligned multiplicity of saints
is that their stories are the stories of people from every background, race, profession and suffering. In continuing communication with their stories
(and them in their heavenly proximity to that we cannot yet encompass) we see the full potential of the human heart in, despite (or often because) of
the vagaries of life, which find success in their struggle to find God and remain faithful to Him. A quick read of the poetry of St John of the Cross
shows the depths of intimacy one can find with God in this life. The saints are upheld not as an example of what we can never be, nor as an exclusive
club of the elect but as “this great company of witnesses (who) spurs us on to victory.” (Roman Missal, Preface of Holy Men and Women I). There is
always, always, a personal relationship with God, a relationship with God that is in communion with the Mystical Body of Christ which is the Church.
The Gnostic “I know” is replaced by the “We believe” of the Church in which one submits one’s insights to the sensus fidelium. Those
insights thus submitted may be confirmed or may need correcting. This sounds appalling to modern sensibilities and the relativism of our age, it also
makes those who feel they have a particular personal knowledge blanch but gives the person the protection of the Mystical Body inspired still by the
Holy Spirit and ensures phantoms are not worshipped in personal, and accidentally ignorant, preference of the Truth.
The Lord’s Prayer was mentioned earlier in the belief that the Church denuded it of its full splendour by making it a matter of rote recitation
rather than a formula that liberates prayer. To this contention I offer St Augustine’s letter to Proba (Letter 130, paras 20-22)
www.newadvent.org...
Originally posted by Myrtales Instinct
No matter what they have controlled the content of Jesus' teachings and of course, I'm of the opinion, that Jesus knew this would end up happening
and this is the very reason there is an elect group of people, that he makes known his mysteries to.
I’m afraid I would completely reverse this interpretation. Christ knew there would be those who would claim particular election to know the
mysteries of the Divine so He established His apostolic Church by the particular gift of the Holy Spirirt (the ruach elohim “breath of God”) which
He breathed upon the Church at her creation prior to the inherent disunity and chaos of Gnostic claims.
Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
It's the real message...
The "holy church" drove the Gnostics, Cathars and a host of other truth tellers underground because the "holy church" wanted people to remain in
spiritual darkness.
Gnosticism made the proclamation of faith an assertion of knowledge which, unavailable to all, countered the divine commission to bring people to
Christ by Baptism. Gnosticism was a direct contradiction to the Mystical Body of Christ by fragmenting its baptismal nature and openness to all
people. It’s why the Church today persists in its contradiction of modern sensibilities which commodify the weak and vulnerable as disposable.
(cont. ...)