Question about Gnosis

[EverChanging]

What do you consider gnosis -- knowledge -- to entail?

 

[sun rise]

The internet is full of contradictory views of gnosis. But to me the basic meaning is spiritual knowledge. This is not intellectual formulations which are debated endlessly but Truth experienced that truth which is beyond words but can be pointed to by words. For example, Rumi: (Colman Barks version):

There are two kinds of intelligence: one acquired,
as a child in school memorizes facts and concepts
from books and from what the teacher says,
collecting information from the traditional sciences
as well as from the new sciences.

With such intelligence you rise in the world.
You get ranked ahead or behind others
in regard to your competence in retaining
information. You stroll with this intelligence
in and out of fields of knowledge, getting always more
marks on your preserving tablets.

There is another kind of tablet,
one already completed and preserved inside you.
A spring overflowing its springbox. A freshness
in the center of the chest. This other intelligence
does not turn yellow or stagnate. It's fluid,
and it doesn't move from outside to inside
through the conduits of plumbing-learning.

This second knowing is a fountainhead
from within you, moving out.

 

[The_Fisher_King]

What do you consider gnosis -- knowledge -- to entail?

Knowledge of the One Supreme Goddess, as against Yahweh, the evil Demiurge.

 

[Jumi]

Insight into god acquired by experience. Often the opposite of faith.

 

[Redlucifer]

The knowledge to liberate your divine spirit from the imprisonment of the human body/darkness of the flesh!

 

[Phantasman]

What do you consider gnosis -- knowledge -- to entail?

The word "gnosis" is just another word for knowledge. The term Gnostic can come in many different flavors,just as Christianity does. The powers of confusion work in the mind (ignorance and error) to use the flesh (what we see and hear physically) to define spirit (which isn't seen with eyes or heard physically).

When we commune in spirit (enter our closet and shut out the world) we seek spiritual revelation. Christian gnosis is not a religion. It is a path led by the Holy Spirit (the true Mother of Jesus). In ignorance, the early (catholic- small c) church fathers saw power in flesh over spirit (truth) Christ spoke, Christ was meek and among wolves. These same wolves (without spiritual knowledge) tried to destroy gnosis of the spirit by destroying the flesh who spoke it and the books written by those who experienced it.

Once Rome was able to control (physically) what people read, gnosis took a back seat, not of it's own volition.

In short, gnosis of spirit that empowers the Gospel (and Paul) to a greater spiritual understanding is Christian gnosis. Christ is taken from the word chrism (or christened) which is what happens when the Holy Spirit (of true God, the Father) reveals all truth.

Gnosis is a path to understanding through spiritual knowledge. Christian gnosis is revealing knowledge of the spirit. Men of flesh neither understand it nor seek it.It is because of this the church has become tainted with fleshly orders and rituals that the early Hebrews subscribed to that blinded them to truth from heaven (Christ).

Gospel of Thomas says:
Jesus said, "The pharisees and the scribes have taken the keys of knowledge (gnosis) and hidden them. They themselves have not entered, nor have they allowed to enter those who wish to. You, however, be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves."

The veil was repaired and the priests once again gained celestial authority over man at Nicaea when the doctrine of men forbid the gnosis of spirit.

 

[Phantasman]

Insight into god acquired by experience. Often the opposite of faith.

Actually, it's where faith (and hope) is placed. Everyone has experience of God by just being conscience. Eternal conscientiousness is what one seeks.

 

[Jumi]

Actually, it's where faith (and hope) is placed.

I see faith and hope like wishes, it's not the same as the real thing.

Everyone has experience of God by just being conscience.

Since this isn't a debate area, I will just have to disagree here.

 

[Phantasman]

I see faith and hope like wishes, it's not the same as the real thing.


Since this isn't a debate area, I will just have to disagree here.

I think what I meant to say is that the Spirit gives us something other life doesn't have. A dog today thinks like a dog 5000 years ago. Man's spirit makes him unique to seeking and finding on a higher level through understanding. Humans are the only minds capable of the celestial divine.

 

[Jumi]

I'm not completely certain that there aren't others that can experience God, but at least compared to life on our planet we seem to be at an advantage in this.

 

[Phantasman]

I'm not completely certain that there aren't others that can experience God, but at least compared to life on our planet we seem to be at an advantage in this.

I agree. It's like asking if the people of NOD (Genesis) where Cain went to live had spirit or not. Was it their offspring that was evil and destroyed by the flood? Who knows.

If you seek gnosis as I do, some things are just best left alone since they profit nothing in mans spiritual needs.

Gnostics seek knowledge from all things (spiritual). Not where men say knowledge lies. If they don't understand the adversary as well as the Father, ignorance will overtake them.

Just my view. I played the orthodox game for 26 years, even in ministry. Never had what I have now.

 

[Tomas Kindahl]

What do you consider gnosis -- knowledge -- to entail?

To me it is the experiential knowledge of our personal divine heritage. We are sparks of spirit (intellect) that was split off from God. By that knowledge, we can return to God.