Is a Gnostic Christian diffrent than a Catholic, Penacostal, etc.?

Is a Gnostic Christian diffrent than a Catholic, Penacostal, etc.? Subscribe
	Thu, 11/09/2006 - 04:15
Anonymous Join Date: Forum Posts: 681	I want this thread deleted. There is a thread called "Privacy Problem" in the Help section if you want a vague explanation.
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#1	Fri, 11/10/2006 - 01:53
MikeL Join Date: 2003-12-29 Forum Posts: 783	Hi XD375, I admit I don't know a lot of detail about the various religions, but my understanding is that the disciples were Gnostics, and I guess they could have been considered Gnostic Christians. But over time, various types of Christianity emerged, and they became religions (a set of beliefs) as opposed to practical guides to experience the truth (which is what real Gnosis is about, and it's the Gnosis taught on this website). I think that nowadays, there might be a form of Christianity known as "Gnostic Christianity"; I recall reading an article about this a while back. But my first impression of it was that it seemed to be a religion (again a belief system), separate from the other Christian religions. I hope this is of some help. All the best! ML
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#2	Sat, 11/11/2006 - 02:27
Mattias I Join Date: 2003-11-03 Forum Posts: 565	Hello Looking at this from an academic viewpoint, Gnosticism is sort of a problem area. It can be traced back to the time before Jesus was born, so in that way, it is different from Catholic and Penacostal Christianity. However, the Gnostics in the ancient time sort of took Jesus and other stuff into there religion. The first Gnostics called themselves Christians and in the early age of Christianity, this was not a problem. However, as Christianity was growing, there was a political need for structure and Christianity lost much of it diversity and become the thing it is today (with changed occurring over time of ocruse). This is not direct answer. But from an academic viewpoint, it is hard to give one. Mattias
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#3	Mon, 11/13/2006 - 07:00
Ebonknowledge Join Date: 2006-11-12 Forum Posts: 2	I would say that Gnostic Christianity being a heresy, but the Lutheran movement was in later years also condemned as heresy. I suppose it can be called a form of Christianity because Gnostic Christians still follow Jesus, just with slightly differing beliefs as like all other denominations but then again I am not sure which "core beliefs" make someone a "Christian" besides the following & worship of Jesus as a messiah or saviour. So the line kinda blurs, but to simplify it I suppose you can call Gnostic Christians a denomination of Christianity, seeing how the see Jesus as the son of God(whichever name he may go by) and puting him in some type of "liberator" or "saviour" role...
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#4	Tue, 11/28/2006 - 20:15
Matthew the Gnostic Join Date: 2006-03-10 Forum Posts: 24	I wouldn't see Christian-Gnosticism as a denomination of Christianity. Sure, Christian-Gnostics follow the teachings of Jesus, but there isn't a hierarchy or dogmatic canon to speak of. The great thing about Gnosticism is its stress on the individual, rather than group worship and functions. I would akin Gnosticism closer to, say, Buddhism for the simple fact that it is an independant avenue. The words "sect" and "denomination" carry with them connotations that I do not believe apply to Gnosticism. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It leaves the Gnostic, as an individual, to still attend church, if s/he so wishes, and still have an active Church life. I've always felt that Gnosticism is not the REJECTION of mainstream Christian faiths, but rather, Gnosticism BUILDS UPON them. I was a deist for many years, until I found faith in Catholicism. From there, I went on to become a Gnostic, regularly reading texts like the Nag Hammadi, astral-projecting, etc. I was building upon what I believed as a Catholic, and embracing new ideas. Gnosticism was, at first, considered heresy, and still by definition, is. It's difficult to explain my views on this, but I cannot see Gnosticism in the same context as, say, Methodism or Lutheranism.
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#5	Thu, 11/30/2006 - 06:22
Jim B. Join Date: 2004-05-28 Forum Posts: 911	at the heart of every "religion" is Truth, it's really up to the individual. plenty of Gnostics are just as mistakenly dogmatic as others. Mother Theresa never cared to judge or condemn anyone, she said a Buddhist should strive to be a better Buddhist, a Catholic a better Catholic, etc. i suppose the difference is that there is still that teaching that most Gnostics adhere to, and that's that Truth is in the experience itself in THIS moment, like Buddhism, like Taoism. i think there is less dogma because of that. as Modern Gnostics, we have lots of ideas from Samael, Rabolu, and Belzebuub, but really Gnosis is found in the practical things we can apply every day to experience Truth for ourselves. Modern Gnosis is a way of saying age-old things in a very direct way, so that we all are focussing on the practicality and applicability of the teachings of all religions that contain Truth instead of getting lost in belief and superstition.
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#6	Thu, 11/30/2006 - 07:31
Matthew the Gnostic Join Date: 2006-03-10 Forum Posts: 24	That's very true and well-spoken, Jim.
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#7	Thu, 11/30/2006 - 14:18
Denny S Join Date: 2003-10-15 Forum Posts: 96	In all of these religious orders -- gnostic, buddhist, catholic, hindu, etc. -- obedience is considered a virtue. The everyday man who studies and practices buddhism in his free time may not see this as much as a Tibetan Lama, just as a civilian won't see it as much as a soldier, but that doesn't mean it's not true. When Jesus was in the garden, why did he say, "Not mine, but thy will be done"? Did Jesus want to drink from the cup? It seems he did not, as he explicitly asked for it to pass if at all possible. He drank from the cup in the spirit of obedience. Does this say that obedience is better than knowledge? What do you think?
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#8	Thu, 11/30/2006 - 14:35
Ahona Join Date: 2003-08-23 Forum Posts: 332	Well said Jim :) Denny, balance within that I think. Obedience has its place, but without knowledge and understanding will have no meaning. And reckless disobedience just implies a lack of knowledge and understanding as well.
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#9	Thu, 11/30/2006 - 14:35
Ahona Join Date: 2003-08-23 Forum Posts: 332	(Personal opinion)
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#10

Sat, 07/28/2007 - 13:38

james

Join Date: 2007-07-24
Forum Posts: 415

James N. Chambers, Jr.

COULD BE

It is a possibility. How many times in the scriptures do you find that Jesus went off and taught his deciples but what he taught them is not told.

We don't know really what the original Christian church was like. But we do know that when the church came into political power that a lot of truth was suppressed.

The concept of Mary Magdelene is one example. The referral to her as a prostitute came after the church became established.

Then was Mary Magdelene married to Jesus? It's a possibility, well unless Jesus was an Essene.