Is anyone here Gnostic?

It is a rare occasion that I meet a fellow Gnostic, and just wanted to know if anyone here is also one. (In fact the only other one I have met, or at least that would admit it, was a staff member at my college.)

P.S. For those that don't know, no I did not mean agnostic, that is opposite of Gnostic

[edit on 31-10-2008 by goldbomb444]

Hi Im not an gnostic (I dont think) I was drawn here cos its a word I was unfamilar with and had to google it! I would probably class myself as agnostic. I dont 'believe' in any religion nor of a singular supreme being or existence, however i do belive there are other levels of existance,thought and consciosness. so who knows where this catorgrises me in the 'belief' system:bnghd:

Yes, you sound like you would fit under the agnostic label, or perhaps even Deist. Wikipedia: Gnosticism (Greek: γνώσις gnōsis, knowledge) refers to a diverse, syncretistic religious movement consisting of various belief systems generally united in the teaching that humans are divine souls trapped in a material world created by an imperfect god, the demiurge, who is frequently identified with the Abrahamic God. In other words, we believe that since the world is not perfect, a perfect God could not have created the world. We believe there is one God above all others, but he did not create the world, but rather the demiurge did. This demiurge is refered to as God in the old testimant of the bible. The new testimant refers to the God that is above all things.
Gnostics also read the books from the Nag Hammadi library, which depicts the true creation of the world (among many other things), but was thrown out during the First Council of Nicaea.

Well wouldn't you say receiving enlightenment through the Holy Spirit would be a form of gnosis?

I absolutely love the Gospel of Thomas, in fact, I really think it's the Lord's words. I hear the same authoritive voice, that I hear in the NT Gospels (I believe it's the Roberts?Patterson translation). But some of the Gnostic texts almost make me want to throw my hands up in the air, because according to a lot of them, the other side seems to have almost as many politics as the current side.

I was thinking the other day too, that the only rite, the Catholic Church don't teach is the Bridal Chamber and if a person has experienced this, at some point you start asking yourself "why?" Many references are made to it but not a direct teaching.

It seems all I want to talk about anymore is living water and divine sparks.Lol That's where all truth is. Maybe it's time to teach instead of preach.

VERY deep question you asked there. Gnostics define the trinity differently than Exoteric Christians do. The holy spirit is Sophia. (If you have read the Gnostic texts I won't insult your intelligence by explaining all of that to you) YOu have to be careful (especially on the internet) when reading the Gnostic texts, some are translated horribly wrong.

To answer your question, no I do not think the traditional enlightenment by the Holy Spirit is Gnosis, because one can only achieve Gnosis on his/her own...it cannot be handed to them.

[edit on 1-11-2008 by goldbomb444]

I have read it and I understand what it's saying.

In the NT Jesus says that wisdom is proven right by "her" children. And I do believe in the OT (Proverbs) wisdom is referred to as a she also, and that she is said to be more precious than rubies etc.

I guess I'm not gnostic then, even though I see and understand certain elements of it.

For me, the whole Gospel of Thomas is a testament to the Holy Spirit, wheather it is female or male is immaterial to me. I feel the only reason it is labeled as "gnostic" is because Scholars have this strange notion that the whole text means you become a twin to Christ - and I think that is the biggest misconception. For me, it only means that he is everywhere, inside you, outside you - and that exact same concept is found in Revelations - in the letters to the Churches, when he tells people that "if" they overcome, they will sit on his throne with him, just like he overcame and sat down on the Father's throne.



[edit on 1-11-2008 by Myrtales Instinct]