/christ/ - Christian Discussion and Fellowship

>What is Gnosticism?

Gnosticism is a religion/philosophy that predates and coincides with Christianity.

The main objective of the Gnostic is to achieve Gnosis.

>What the heck is Gnosis?

"Gnosis" is a greek word usually translated as "knowledge".

This is one of the core things that separates a Gnostic Christian from your run of the mill Christian.

The Gnostic believes that only through Gnosis (knowledge) of the Divine, salvation may be achieved, compared to the faith of the regular Christian.

>What does the Gnostic believe about the Bible?

The God of the Old Testament is a sadistic entity known as the Demiurge.

His act of creating this plane was an act of enslavement from our true forms: that of spirit.

This is why mankind can exhibit spirituality, we have the Divine Spark planted in us.

This is why there is such a great change of tone between the OT and NT. The Demiurge is a violent, materialistic, malevolent entity that seeks to feed off the energy of humanity.

Jesus Christ is an Aeon (a messenger/ally) of the Monad (the All, the true God the Father), who was sent to show us the way to achieve Gnosis.

Unfortunately, his teachings have been perverted/mistranslated/misunderstood, and thus the Gnostic position was eschewed as "heresy".

>How does one achieve Gnosis?

Only by Divine Communion and Revelation can one achieve Gnosis, for that is what Gnosis is: knowledge of the Divine.

In order to do so, the Gnostic must seek out the Divine by the means provided him.

He must also detach himself as much as possible from the material plane (i.e., abandon possessions, refrain from gluttony, refrain from sexual activity, etc).

>What happens to someone who does not achieve Gnosis in their lifetime?

Logically speaking, since the soul has not achieved Gnosis, it can not be saved.

This does not mean it goes to hell, rather, it returns to the material plane to inhabit another body.

Thus, the Divine Spark is put into a cycle until it detaches itself from the mortal plane by achieving Gnosis.

Keep in mind, this is a summation of Gnosis.

Finer details can be ironed out through questioning.

Although I may or may not be here immediately to answer. I tend to have a chaotic schedule irl. So patience would be much appreciated.

>>2793

>>>>/fringe/ is a board that can further help in the discovery of Gnosticism.

What's roughly the difference between /fringe/ and /x/ ?

>>2795

>Gnosticism is a religion/philosophy that predates and coincides with Christianity.

So where are its roots?

>The Gnostic believes that only through Gnosis (knowledge) of the Divine, salvation may be achieved, compared to the faith of the regular Christian.

I won't ask about crucifixion and salvation since you don't believe that Jesus was God iirc

So do you even consider yourself Christian.

>The Demiurge is a violent, materialistic, malevolent entity that seeks to feed off the energy of humanity.

So?

>Logically speaking, since the soul has not achieved Gnosis, it can not be saved.

>This does not mean it goes to hell, rather, it returns to the material plane to inhabit another body.

So what is about retarded people? We should just kill those then I wager?

Is retardedness an illness of the soul?

What is about devils and demons?

Who created the so-called demiurge and why?

So the Church has not achieved Gnosis at all I guess? Was this just bad luck or why did Gnosticism not succeed?

>>2803

>What's roughly the difference between /fringe/ and /x/ ?

/x/ doesn't believe in the existence of magical forces and the supernatural. Really it's just a club to shitpost and swap creepypasta.

/fringe/ acknowledges the existence of magical forces and seeks to tap into that knowledge.

I will admit, some of them can be quite ridiculous. Especially the New Age crap.

>So where are its roots?

The general scholarly consesus varies from Greek philosophers (Pythagoreanism and Neo-Platonism), Babylonian stuff, and possibly some specks from Buddhism.

Chirst is the penultimate revelation to some, if not most Gnostics.

>So do you even consider yourself Christian.

Depends on what you define as "Christian".

If you mean someone who acknowledges Jesus Christ as the liberator and guide to gnosis, then yes.

>The Demiurge is a violent, materialistic, malevolent entity that seeks to feed off the energy of humanity.

>So?

So we're essentially being farmed by what is essentially an evil being.

>So what is about retarded people? We should just kill those then I wager?

Defects of the flesh are not an impediment to the soul.

The mentally ill must be treated as best as they can, and helped on the path to Gnosis as best as possible.

Killing isn't justified unless in self-defense, primarily because it deprives the individual the chance of achieving Gnosis in their current life.

>Is retardedness an illness of the soul?

See above. The illness of the flesh cannot affect the soul.

>What is about devils and demons?

Agents of the Demiurge, typically called Archons.

Can manifest in various ways to tempt people carnally as a distraction from Gnosis.

>Who created the so-called demiurge and why?

That's where Gnostics start to differ.

Some claim he was created by the Logos/Monad to create a plane for human souls to dwell, but became corrupted and trapped us here to feed on our energy.

Some claim he's a separate god entirely and should be actively worked against.

Depends on who you ask, really.

>So the Church has not achieved Gnosis at all I guess?

By definition, no. You walk by faith, not by knowledge.

All have the potential to achieve Gnosis, but some will not tap that potential.

>Was this just bad luck or why did Gnosticism not succeed?

Gnosticism will succeed once all those possessing the Divine Spark achieve Gnosis.

Since those who do not achieve Gnosis in one life reincarnate into another body, the cycle will continue inevitably until Gnosis is achieved.

So, I suppose some degree of bad luck with heavy interference from the Demiurge.

Hope this clears up some stuff, I'm a bit bad at explaining things.

>predates christianity

Last I checked this isn't true. All gnostic writings were created after the advent of Christianity.

>>2813

That's why I included "coincides with".

Some very gnostic ideas were around before Christianity (the Monad, the Demiurge, Dualism, etc).

>>2813

Christian Gnosticism, yes, but Gnosticism (if we take it as practice of getting "secret knowledge" from within oneself and from higher sources) itself has been found in every tradition and continent all around the world. See: shamanism.

>>2807

>Depends on what you define as "Christian".

Being part of the Church that Jesus founded on earth.

>If you mean someone who acknowledges Jesus Christ as the liberator and guide to gnosis, then yes.

That's the next thing. Jesus was no gnostic. He did not think that the God of the OT was not his God or that he was evil. He also never talked about a Gnosis.

>The mentally ill must be treated as best as they can, and helped on the path to Gnosis as best as possible.

I am in contact with mentally ill people. Essentially they only care for eating, smoking and occasionally copulating. The will never achieve any Gnosis of any kind, promised.

>>2839

>secret knowledge

Literally freemason tier. I wonder who could be behind this movements that keep plopping up as the same and only change their name.

hint: It's the devil

>>2843

>Being part of the Church that Jesus founded on earth.

Oh, well in that case, yes. I am Christian.

There's the Gnostic Church http://www.gnosis.org/eghome.htm

>That's the next thing. Jesus was no gnostic. He did not think that the God of the OT was not his God or that he was evil. He also never talked about a Gnosis.

Have you read the Gnostic Gospels?

>I am in contact with mentally ill people. Essentially they only care for eating, smoking and occasionally copulating. The will never achieve any Gnosis of any kind, promised.

Their flesh may be diminished, but their spirit can be exalted.

I'd give them a chance.

>Literally freemason tier.

Freemasons are silly old men who sleep with each other behind closed doors.

Materialists with funny robes and rituals. Gnosis is for everyone who will seek it.

>it's the devil

But discipulus, the devil is an Archon and our enemy.

He tempts us with the material to distract us from the spiritual.

You know, on further reflection, I may have made a mistake about gnosticism.

Some of the scriptures don't add up to a gnostic worldview, and I can't believe I fell into the same trap Augustine did.

Mods/volunteers, if you wouldn't mind deleting this thread whenever is convenient for you.

And I need to get myself to a confessional asap.

I'm sorry if I gave any lurkers wrong direction.

>>2900

Why won't you remove it yourself if you're the OP?

>>2902

I've forgotten the password for deletion.

>>2903

I'd recommend leaving it up for the use of others. I'd still be interested in reading these texts and the things that have been discussed here.

>>2900

Board Owner here, I will leave the thread up just because it is an interesting topic anyway.

>>2910

No need.

>>2912

I engaged in esoteric heresy and potentially blasphemed the Holy Spirit.

I think that's something to get worked up over.

>>2915

I did not realise.

>>2907

>>2917

>>2915

Oh man, I don't mean to sound like that most off-putting of all creatures, the fedora, but God won't despise you for questioning and trying to understand Him better.

You experimented with something to try and get closer to God, but now you believe it to be incorrect, and that's fine. To blaspheme against the Holy Spirit is something else entirely, and its not easy to do; its to look into the brilliance of the sun, feel the warmth and the light as they envelope you, and deny that it is there.

Pray for forgiveness, but don't flagellate yourself or feel like you've just sold Christ to the romans. You're not a monster for this, you're a good man.

>>2900

It would be best to explain how you have seen the light and accepted that this heresy is wrong. Then this thread would have an actual educational use ;^)

Christian baptism when?

Conversions:

/christ/ : 1

>>2940

Also did /christ/ actually play a role in it?

>>2926

>I need that fear of God.

I'm actually somewhat similar to be honest, in my personal affairs. I've a tough time leating it come through on the internet, though.

You know what, if this will work for you (and I know it can) then good luck my friend.

As long as you harness that grief, that pain and that sense of all-consuming shame that comes with feeling like you have slighted God and turn it into something positive, it will all work out for the better.

God bless you anon.

>>2926

>I need that fear of God

Without disrespect, I'd like to know more about why people feel this way. I was raised as a Catholic and easily one of the most reprehensible parts of the the faith, at least in my view of course, is the general life denial and guilt.

It's very bizarre to me that "God-fearing" is supposed to be an honorable quality in a person.

>>2970

I see, that's actually quite beautiful. Thank you.

Is the OP here the one who shills for gnostic shit on /fringe/?

>>2977

Are you the one I emailed or no?

>>3005

No, I'm not.

I didn't give out an email.

>>3006

Forgot mobile still had the flag.

>>3006

Ah, well may I ask what exactly changed your mind on gnosticism?

>>2902

Are you and the Gnostic OP still around?

>>4382

He dropped gnosticism afaik

>>4418

Ah. OK.

>>2803

>>/fringe/ vs. /x/

/fringe/ are a bunch of hermetic wizards who firmly believe in hermetic magic and practice it to various ends. their board is mostly posting about their recent magical works and asking the community how to do better next time.

/x/, although sometimes having a tinkering demonolater or diviner here and there, isn't necessarily consisted of nothing but hermetic wizards. there you have everything from atheist skeptics to conspiracy theorists and even people who just generally discuss weird stuff (like missing persons, odd buildings, etc).

basically, /fringe/ is literal wizards. /x/ is the coast to coast am fan club.

>>2900

Glad you came to your senses. gnosticism is a very dangerous and completely antichristian religion in its own right that seems appealing because it has Christian themed trappings.

>>6571

>/fringe/ are a bunch of hermetic wizards who firmly believe in hermetic magic and practice it to various ends. their board is mostly posting about their recent magical works and asking the community how to do better next time.

Do you think they are real wizards or just edgy teens?

>>6571

>>6587

Become part of the Quorum :^)

>>6571

Is that /x/ halfchan s or fullchans?

>>6601

Lol, I'm good, We have our own Quorum.

I'm very interested in Gnosticism, mostly because from what I do know it seems our relationship would be that of opposites. That is to say, our theology is similar (in some specific aspects) and we've common theological ground but reversed.

They worship the immaterial and loathe the physical, we worship and see it all as Matter. They want to flee the grasp of our current God to make it back to the Creator God. We say "don't even worry about him, if he exists, worship the one we have near". And if you see the process by which Mormons learn and acquire religious beliefs, its similar to gnostic divination, granted phrased very differently.

>>6603

>We have our own Quorum.

That was the joke m8

>>6582

define "real wizard". I don't think they're as flighty or dabblerish as most teen faggots who read Solomons key and think their hot shit. I think their regulars actually take what they do seriously; as for whether they're "real" or not would need me to sort out what I believe about the nature of magic (and I'd need to lurk more there).

tl;Dr I think they're serious about what their doing. that's as far as I can say.

>>6601

fullchans /x/ is so dead that it's culture isn't really active enough to have diverged from halfchans. they're the same.

>>6832

>still a thing

>2000 years

I would hardly acknowledge modern gnosticism to be anywhere near the same religion as its historical predecessor.

really think about it. modern gnosticism is to historical gnosticism as asatru is to historical germanic paganism. it's a thin reconstruction of something that had been dead for centuries and is only known from a few heresiologies and the Hodge podge that is nag hammadi.

worse still is that gnosticism is a mystery religion. understanding a mystery religion is literally impossible without an initiated body of followers to pass on the unwritten aspects of the faith.

to chew on the idea a bit, imagine what "reconstructed Christianity" would look like if all we had were the didache, a single gospel, and half of Paul's letters. you'd probably end up with something close to jehovas witnesses rather than what was practiced in say, 100AD.

with all this in mind, there's no way that modern gnostics are "doing it right", especially since the whole religion involved attaining secret knowledge. with only a smattering of books and no living priesthood knowing the historical doctrine, how can it be possible to even acheive gnosis?