The Abraxas stone was contains gnostic carvings:
It depends upon what you mean by Gnostics. The word comes from the Greek, gnosis, which means knowledge, but colloquially refers to specific, "secret knowledge."
This "secret knowledge" bent was abound in Greek paganism, in the form of "mystery cults" in the centuries leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem and the formation of Christianity. As religious philosophies, it tends to be highly subjective and personal spiritualism.
The Gnostics were an early Christian heresy. Some claim started by Mary Magdala, but I find that charge unlikely. They believed in secret knowledge, that it was by understanding and knowledge that one achieves salvation. If I remember correctly, they believed that the God of the Old Testament was the Evil God of Matter, and that the God of the New Testament was the Holy God of Spirit. It was Jesus who revealed to creation the reality of the Spirit God. They famously believed that Jesus only "appeared" to be human, and that he was really a non-material messenger and avatar of the Good God. This essentially negates any power Christ could possibly have to offer us ontological salvation. This heresy was the first to dichotomize Body and Spirit, and it wouldn't be the last; a false dichotomy which has been around as long as religion.
The Apostolic Johannine Church claims to be the modern incarnation of the Gnostic Jesus cult started in the first and second centuries. I find it unlikely that their traditions and beliefs mirror the original cult, as most of the original writings and practices have been lost to the ravages of time. They were by definition a mystery cult, and the leaders were very careful with whomever they chose to entrust their secret knowledge; because of this, it is nigh impossible that any modern resurrection of the sect can claim a historical authority. Of course, that isn't a problem for gnostic Christians, because they never cared about the Church's authority anyway. This is their website: http://www.johannite.org/
As to symbols. It seems to me that Ouroboros, the 13th Zodiac, is associated with Gnosticism. Ouroboros is classically portrayed as a snake or a dragon eating it's own tail. In modern depictions, it is sometimes coiled around a globe.
Gnosticism has been variously associated with Christian Heresy, Judaic Kaballah, Sacred Geometry, Pagan Mysticism, Satanism, the Illuminati, Free Masonry, and NWO Conspiracy. Because of these associations, Gnostic symbolism also includes things like:
Eye of Providence and Masonic Imagery
Cross of St. Peter and Pentacles
The Star of David mixed with Pagan Symbolism
Kaballah and Sacred Geometry
Owls
However, just because an institution or image has symbols like these, does not mean it is Gnostic, Pagan, Satanic, etc. This is a logical fallacy and a grave misunderstanding most commonly believed by people who accept grand historical and societal conspiracies regarding religion. Trust me, humanity is not that well organized. These are old symbols that have been used around the world to mean different things to different people. Just because the Gnostic uses serpents on sticks to represent her cult, doesn't mean that the Christian and the Jew cannot use serpents on sticks to represent Jesus' atonement or God's healing power; to the contrary, they can do it, and be authentic about it, even clever.
The real conspiracy is that there is no conspiracy.
I pray that helps.
Pax
This "secret knowledge" bent was abound in Greek paganism, in the form of "mystery cults" in the centuries leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem and the formation of Christianity. As religious philosophies, it tends to be highly subjective and personal spiritualism.
The Gnostics were an early Christian heresy. Some claim started by Mary Magdala, but I find that charge unlikely. They believed in secret knowledge, that it was by understanding and knowledge that one achieves salvation. If I remember correctly, they believed that the God of the Old Testament was the Evil God of Matter, and that the God of the New Testament was the Holy God of Spirit. It was Jesus who revealed to creation the reality of the Spirit God. They famously believed that Jesus only "appeared" to be human, and that he was really a non-material messenger and avatar of the Good God. This essentially negates any power Christ could possibly have to offer us ontological salvation. This heresy was the first to dichotomize Body and Spirit, and it wouldn't be the last; a false dichotomy which has been around as long as religion.
The Apostolic Johannine Church claims to be the modern incarnation of the Gnostic Jesus cult started in the first and second centuries. I find it unlikely that their traditions and beliefs mirror the original cult, as most of the original writings and practices have been lost to the ravages of time. They were by definition a mystery cult, and the leaders were very careful with whomever they chose to entrust their secret knowledge; because of this, it is nigh impossible that any modern resurrection of the sect can claim a historical authority. Of course, that isn't a problem for gnostic Christians, because they never cared about the Church's authority anyway. This is their website: http://www.johannite.org/
As to symbols. It seems to me that Ouroboros, the 13th Zodiac, is associated with Gnosticism. Ouroboros is classically portrayed as a snake or a dragon eating it's own tail. In modern depictions, it is sometimes coiled around a globe.
Gnosticism has been variously associated with Christian Heresy, Judaic Kaballah, Sacred Geometry, Pagan Mysticism, Satanism, the Illuminati, Free Masonry, and NWO Conspiracy. Because of these associations, Gnostic symbolism also includes things like:
Eye of Providence and Masonic Imagery
Cross of St. Peter and Pentacles
The Star of David mixed with Pagan Symbolism
Kaballah and Sacred Geometry
Owls
However, just because an institution or image has symbols like these, does not mean it is Gnostic, Pagan, Satanic, etc. This is a logical fallacy and a grave misunderstanding most commonly believed by people who accept grand historical and societal conspiracies regarding religion. Trust me, humanity is not that well organized. These are old symbols that have been used around the world to mean different things to different people. Just because the Gnostic uses serpents on sticks to represent her cult, doesn't mean that the Christian and the Jew cannot use serpents on sticks to represent Jesus' atonement or God's healing power; to the contrary, they can do it, and be authentic about it, even clever.
The real conspiracy is that there is no conspiracy.
I pray that helps.
Pax
Don't really know them well. My understanding is that Gnostics are the group that claims to have gotten Christ's direct and purest teachings. They believe it is possible to become Christ through their teachings.
They had to go into hiding fearing the persecution of church . So they ended up transferring a lot of their teachings using symbols, which had to be mystically decoded through their teachings and practices. There are a ton of symbols they can be associated with, ranging from the pyramid, the chalice, the eye, the bird and the snake, trees, etc.
They had to go into hiding fearing the persecution of church . So they ended up transferring a lot of their teachings using symbols, which had to be mystically decoded through their teachings and practices. There are a ton of symbols they can be associated with, ranging from the pyramid, the chalice, the eye, the bird and the snake, trees, etc.
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento