Have you ever wondered about the GNOSTIC GOSPELS

Originally posted by jmdewey60
reply to post by NOTurTypical

 

Since you have never made claims to having any sort of visions on this forum, shouldn't that be a clue that I was not referring to a literal vision, and that therefore I meant it in a figurative sort of way such as, "how do you envision the afterlife, having read the Bible and subjected yourself to your sect's teachings on it?"

Oh, you meant "envision", gotcha.

I assume it's going to be pretty magnificent. It took Jesus six days to make the known universe, He's been preparing a place for us for almost 2,000 years. I don't really envision much but a city of gold, a throne room surrounded by the 24 elders. Billions of angels. I imagine a place fit for the King of Kings.

What I was getting at is that this heavenly place of heaven and all the nice earth made new and perfect, does not come from the OT so much as from the Greek mystery religions.
If you have yourself toiling away to provide goods for your masters in Israel, then your vision comes from the OT.

Originally posted by Sahabi
reply to post by Mividau

 

Seems like early Christianity was a big hippy-fest of Love, Forgiveness, Compassion, and Understanding. The money changers and pharisees have since put a strangle hold on the hearts of the innocent believers. The corruption has reverberated down into the separation, judgementalism, criticism, and hypocrisy that we see in today's Christianity.

Any Christians offended, just imagine the offense you drive into the hearts of your "non-believing" brethren. Don't be fooled, we are all one humanity. Only God can judge, so focus on love and unity instead of telling others when they do wrong according to your beliefs.

Love and Peace.

Sorry I put it up twice but you made a great point again.
Early chrisanity was a human revolution. If it was left alone, untouched by greedy hands that saw the power in its message. The world could have been a much better place. A true christian is taught never to judge or look down on other's for their beliefs. It is their choice after all. We are just told to preach the gospel. To share the love and glory of GOD and Jesus were ever we go freely. Just as we recieved it freely.

If we were truly the way Jesus taught us, we would leave islam and judism alone in their strife. We would make peace with them. Not shed blood.

Originally posted by jmdewey60
What I was getting at is that this heavenly place of heaven and all the nice earth made new and perfect, does not come from the OT so much as from the Greek mystery religions.
If you have yourself toiling away to provide goods for your masters in Israel, then your vision comes from the OT.

My theology affirms the scriptures are breathed by the Holy Spirit, the authors of the various books merely held the writing utensils. So, with that said, I'm not too keen on labeling the Holy Spirit a liar, sorry.

Originally posted by NOTurTypical

Originally posted by jmdewey60
What I was getting at is that this heavenly place of heaven and all the nice earth made new and perfect, does not come from the OT so much as from the Greek mystery religions.
If you have yourself toiling away to provide goods for your masters in Israel, then your vision comes from the OT.

My theology affirms the scriptures are breathed by the Holy Spirit, the authors of the various books merely held the writing utensils. So, with that said, I'm not too keen on labeling the Holy Spirit a liar, sorry.

I may be overly generalizing and you may or may not fall within that generalization.
What I mean really is that there is scant description about our eternal afterlife in the New Testament. There is some of the Temple in heaven which may be mostly derived from OT type portrayals of such places.
A lot of Christians have "visions" of our eternal lives of bliss that more closely resembles that of the Ancient, pre Christian Greeks, just as it is also concerning Hell.

reply to post by jmdewey60


Well, if we are free from our sinful flesh with glorified bodies and are continually in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ for eternity I'd consider that "bliss". I don't care what lot of Christians believe, the scripture is my final authority, my "Supreme Court" of Christianity.

reply to post by NOTurTypical


I agree with ya to a degree. But I also feel just as GOD allowed that serpent in the garden he may have allowed that darn thing into the bible. Maybe it could be a test for those who truely see. Just a thought.

LOTZA LUV 2 U

Originally posted by Mividau
reply to post by NOTurTypical

 

I agree with ya to a degree. But I also feel just as GOD allowed that serpent in the garden he may have allowed that darn thing into the bible. Maybe it could be a test for those who truely see. Just a thought.

LOTZA LUV 2 U

God is sovereign over the Bible too. He's fully capable of keeping in what He wanted in and keeping out what He wanted out.

reply to post by Mividau


Have you read any of the Gnostic texts yet? I purchased a collection of gnostic texts compiled in a book called "The Gnostic Bible" several months ago. I haven't even read from the book yet... so much other material I'm going through in other domains. In the past I have so far read the gospels of Thomas, Mary, Judas, and Barnabas.

If you have read any of the Gnostics, what would you suggest? What insights have you gained?

So far, I truly enjoyed all of the gospels I have read, including the 4 ordained canonical. The words attributed to Jesus are filled with beauty, wisdom, peace, and love. I stay away from the writings of Paul, but besides that, I love reading of Jesus. I quote Jesus Christ more than any other spiritual teacher I have studied... a close second is Lod Buddha.

reply to post by Sahabi


So far I have only read Mary. Right now I am reading Judas. Kinda hard though because I have been studying what Paul has done to the true message Of Jesus. Pretty disturbing, So I have only read those. I hope those 4 books you talked about are on that site I would love to read them.

LOTZA LUV

reply to post by Mividau


Two verses I enjoyed from the Gospel of Thomas;

"...the Kingdom of God 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."


"I am the light that shines over all things. I am everything. From me all came forth, and to me all return. Split a piece of wood, and I am there. Lift a stone, and you will find me there."

A common theme I see so far in gnostic script is less emphasis on trying to convert others or even Jesus' divinity, and more emphasis on ideas such as;

"Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?" [John 10:34]

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." [1 Corinthians 6:19-20]

"Canonical" means books contained within the Bible. So the 4 canonical gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. I wasn't sure if you were talking about the 4 ordained canonical books, or Thomas, Mary, Judas, and Barnabas when you said you hoped the 4 books are on the site.

Through my own personal discernment and comparison, I believe Paul's writings completely contradict Jesus's words in the 4 Canonical gospels, as well as contradicting much of the Old Testament. I give very low regard to Paul's books even though they are in the Bible.

reply to post by Sahabi


First that first Quote to me is one of the most beautiful. I heard it somewhere else to. But anytime I here it, it takes my breath away. I believe that is the 1st gnostic one I heard. Thats the one that made me relize all is not kosher in the NT. LOL.

My favorite books in the NT are, The books of Jesus. MATT, MARK, LUKE and JOHN. And of course Revelations. And I agree with you about Paul. He constantly contradicts Jesus. So I stay clear of any books he had a hand with. I believe 17 for sure. I feel just as GOD allowed a serpent in the garden to test adam and eve. He allowed a serpent in the book to test us all. So I relearned everything from Geisis to Revelations. But I am still learning.

Yes I believe Jesus was a devine being and the SON of GOD. But not GOD himself. I believe Jesus is the first born son of all creation, the living word of GOD, MICHEAL. I know to some it sounds off but scripture does back it more then the HOLY TRINITY. I also love the pure spirituality of the gnostic books. They touch on the deeper meanings of JESUS's words which got washed away by pauline doctorine. They give more harmony to what he said in the first 4 books. Which are the ones that truley matter in the NT.

LOTZA LUV

BTW still learning all the techie terms for the bible. So thanks for the definition.

Originally posted by NOTurTypical

God is sovereign over the Bible too. He's fully capable of keeping in what He wanted in and keeping out what He wanted out.

Hmmm, if that's the case, I wonder why there are so many versions of the bible now-a-days? You have some now that exclude verses, and some that include verses that weren't in earlier manuscripts, such as Mark 16: 9-20. There's also the JW translation of the Bible, which has differences to other bibles. The book of Enoch used to be a part of the bible, then it was removed. I wish this god would make up his mind. Seems like he'd get it correct from the start....

reply to post by Hydroman


I love when you pop you're head in.
Always great to see you still searching.

LOTZA LUV HYDRO (I hope you find what you seek, The single truth is hard to find among a million lies)

reply to post by Hydroman

There's also the JW translation of the Bible, which has differences to other bibles.

It was different when it first came out because it was based on the Westcott and Hort version of the Greek NT.
Most modern translations now use that same version.
God should have stopped those guys. (being sarcastic)

Originally posted by jmdewey60

(being sarcastic)

Thank goodness.

reply to post by Mividau

I strongly believe that the Bible is written in an allegoric code, and my interpretations of this allegory indicate that Christianity actually began as an interpretive sect much closer to Gnosticism. The interpretations of this sect went too far and caused an “Apocalypse” (uncovering). In order to reverse the damage that was done, Philo led a campaign of disinformation providing false interpretations of the Books of Moses. Censorship (or “tax collecting”) took care of the rest.

The Gnostic writings that have survived hold many useful metaphoric relationships that help immensely in understanding this allegoric code, provided they are understood in the proper context. For example, in The Gospel of Truth it states that “…the name of the Father is the Son.” This appears to be a paradox, however, it actually provides the metaphoric definition of a “son”. The “father” is the original idea which when given a “name” becomes a “son”. To complete this puzzle, the “mother” has to be an idea related to the “name”. In other words, the original meaning is “masculine” and the “cover” is “feminine“ and when the two ideas are expressed as a single idea, you have a “son”. (This has obvious implications in how we should understand the concept of “The Trinity”.)

reply to post by swordwords

I strongly believe that the Bible is written in an allegoric code, and my interpretations of this allegory indicate that Christianity actually began as an interpretive sect much closer to Gnosticism.

How so? Justin Martyr was the first to mix Gnosticism with Christianity and he was born 4 years after the apostle John died. The apostles never battled Gnosticism, when they were alive it was called Greek Philosophy and Egyptian Mysticism.

"In the teachings of Justin Martyr, we begin to see how muddy the stream of pure Christian doctrine was running among the heretical seats fifty years after the death of the apostle John." ~ Dr. Benjamin G. Wilkinson, Historian

reply to post by Hydroman

Hmmm, if that's the case, I wonder why there are so many versions of the bible now-a-days?

Easy. Money. You cannot get a copyright unless more than 10% is changed.