Biology and Spirituality

[ELoWolfe]

A discussion of science, specifically biology, in relation to spirituality couldn't happen to any system of faith that prescribes the creator as omniscient, omnipotent and ultimately good. Thank goodness, in the Gnostic community, you can. So thank you.

I am reading the book Evil Genes, and am constantly thinking about psychopathology since frangpini first brought it up. It made me wonder: If some people are genetically predisposed to this, then their bodies literally kill their souls. Sometimes, it seems, certain stress factors could "wake up" these genes, so someone can behave radically different than before the stress factors. They may be born fine, but their bodies kill them after.

The Craftsman created our bodies, but if this is the case, then some people literally are created to be damned. In such cases, there is no hope for them. Their bodies can not connect to the divine, as we understand, because they biologically are held back.

Jesus did say that many will be called but few will be chosen. It has always been a hard pill to digest, but in this context it makes more sense. Especially in relation to Gnosticism. Some will not be called, the hylics, because their bodies destroy the soul (the weeds which kill the seeds?); others are called, but not chosen, the psychics; finally the chosen, the pneumatic.

Do you think there is hope for these people? Does God the Father, who does not seem able in of himself to be able to affect the hylic universe (instead sending agents), mourn for these lost lights? Does universalism hold no weight in light of this?

It seems this is something that I initially disagreed with the mainstream Christians about, but they may be right. Only for the wrong reasons.

 

[frangipani]

Evil Genes. Looks interesting I will have to buy a copy. Another book to do with the mind of a psychopath is called Working with Monsters I found this a very interesting read.

 

[ELoWolfe]

Thanks! When I return this one, I will look for that!

 

[frangipani]

A discussion of science, specifically biology, in relation to spirituality couldn't happen to any system of faith that prescribes the creator as omniscient, omnipotent and ultimately good. Thank goodness, in the Gnostic community, you can. So thank you.

I am reading the book Evil Genes, and am constantly thinking about psychopathology since frangpini first brought it up. It made me wonder: If some people are genetically predisposed to this, then their bodies literally kill their souls. Sometimes, it seems, certain stress factors could "wake up" these genes, so someone can behave radically different than before the stress factors. They may be born fine, but their bodies kill them after.

The Craftsman created our bodies, but if this is the case, then some people literally are created to be damned. In such cases, there is no hope for them. Their bodies can not connect to the divine, as we understand, because they biologically are held back.

Jesus did say that many will be called but few will be chosen. It has always been a hard pill to digest, but in this context it makes more sense. Especially in relation to Gnosticism. Some will not be called, the hylics, because their bodies destroy the soul (the weeds which kill the seeds?); others are called, but not chosen, the psychics; finally the chosen, the pneumatic.

Do you think there is hope for these people? Does God the Father, who does not seem able in of himself to be able to affect the hylic universe (instead sending agents), mourn for these lost lights? Does universalism hold no weight in light of this?

It seems this is something that I initially disagreed with the mainstream Christians about, but they may be right. Only for the wrong reasons.

Yes, what you said is true those we call hylics are without hope of salvation. This world is as good as it gets for them. They are, for want of better words, throw backs to the time of Adam and Eve. They are the human animal no different in spirit to any beast of the earth. They are the same as the people who lived at the time of Adam and Eve. You will recall the craftsman breathed life into the man he had created and he became a living soul. To cut a long story short it is this spark that was breathed into Adam that by the nature of inheritance was and is passed on to future generations. Like in the physical world by the same nature of inheritance some traits and attributes are passed on to the offspring. Not all offspring necessarily inherit the same traits and attributes as one another. Christ in Jesus has known his own from the beginning, He did not come to save the world He came to redeem His own. These are those who have inherited the spark from the Divine which was lost to the craftsman when he breathed it into Adam. This is why Christ has known his own from the beginning, He came to awaken and rekindle that spark in those who had inherited it so He might redeem it to the Father. Even so because we are given the freedom of choice it is up to us to choose.

 

[nazz]

A discussion of science, specifically biology, in relation to spirituality couldn't happen to any system of faith that prescribes the creator as omniscient, omnipotent and ultimately good. Thank goodness, in the Gnostic community, you can. So thank you.

I am reading the book Evil Genes, and am constantly thinking about psychopathology since frangpini first brought it up. It made me wonder: If some people are genetically predisposed to this, then their bodies literally kill their souls. Sometimes, it seems, certain stress factors could "wake up" these genes, so someone can behave radically different than before the stress factors. They may be born fine, but their bodies kill them after.

The Craftsman created our bodies, but if this is the case, then some people literally are created to be damned. In such cases, there is no hope for them. Their bodies can not connect to the divine, as we understand, because they biologically are held back.

Jesus did say that many will be called but few will be chosen. It has always been a hard pill to digest, but in this context it makes more sense. Especially in relation to Gnosticism. Some will not be called, the hylics, because their bodies destroy the soul (the weeds which kill the seeds?); others are called, but not chosen, the psychics; finally the chosen, the pneumatic.

Do you think there is hope for these people? Does God the Father, who does not seem able in of himself to be able to affect the hylic universe (instead sending agents), mourn for these lost lights? Does universalism hold no weight in light of this?

It seems this is something that I initially disagreed with the mainstream Christians about, but they may be right. Only for the wrong reasons.

Well I think I've addressed my view in other threads. But I have come to think that the Calvinist position has some truth in it (but as you say for the wrong reasons). The Father calls and chooses, true, but not in a willy-nilly way, or because he chooses to display his power in damning most of humanity (as Paul asserts in Romans), but rather because he knows who will respond positively to his calling.

 

[nazz]

However I wanted to add that according to science our genes may predispose us to certain behavior but we do have the power to resist such influence.