Gnosticism And Voodoo

[joggerjayne]

In Our Time on Radio 4 this week was about the Gnostic scriptures, and Gnosticism.

A lot of the Christian faith was based on Gnostic traditions.

The Gnostics believe that the "God" who looks after the day to day chores of the world is not the supreme creator, but a sort of underling. The supreme creator is SO supreme and unknowable that we can't imagine what "he" is like. Also, he would be too busy to deal with mundane things like helping American holders win competitions (they always seem to thank The Lord when they win!).

So in that regard, it's just like my own religion, Voodoo.

I'm starting to see a common thread between these more sensible religions (Gnosticism, Voodoo).

I think the people who invented Christianity missed the important bits.

[Sharingan]

Do you practice Voodoo Jayne or is that a joke?

[joggerjayne]

Shari ...

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Society-and-Culture/Religion-and-Spirituality/Question1216215.html

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Society-and-Culture/Religion-and-Spirituality/Question1217682.html

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Society-and-Culture/Religion-and-Spirituality/Question1218006.html

[Sharingan]

Fairey Nuffey Jayne xx

[mikey4444]

There are 100's of millions of people around the world who think that ancient man chased dinosaurs for their lunch, so who is surprised by anything that mass religions have to say on anything at all !

[joggerjayne]

miley ... and then ... there's Sarah Palin !!

Aaaaggghhhh!!!!!

[joggerjayne]

"mikey"

[Sharingan]

I'm a HUGE Sarah Palin fan- no matter how crappily my day is going, thinking of her always cheers me up and makes me feel superior. I'm only sad this wasn't true, this would have made my life complete.
http://dailycurrant.com/2013/04/22/sarah-palin-calls-invasion-czech-republic/

[naomi24]

//I think the people who invented Christianity missed the important bits.//

And that applies to most other religions too. ;o

[joggerjayne]

//And that applies to most other religions too//

Except Voodoo, obviously.

:0)

[joggerjayne]

LOL Shari ...

Q. Sarah Palin is best known as:

(a) Governor of Alaska

(b) One time prospective Presidential candidate

(c) Dangerous and delusional redneck

(d) All of the above

[mrs_overall]

I like Sarah Palin, but then again I like most eccentrics

[joggerjayne]

Even by Whitby standards, Sarah Palin is nuts.

And "Whitby standards" is obviously setting the bar quite high.

:0)

[jno]

I think the people who invented Christianity missed the important bits

Well... no... as you say, gnosticism was around first, so historically speaking we probably have to think of Christianity as a stripped down version.

Do they still believe in celibacy?

[joggerjayne]

If they believed in Celibacy it would limit the existence of the religion to one generation.

[joggerjayne]

Also, I'm not sure if the naked rites are consistent with total celibacy.

They do have naked rites, don't they?

[jim360]

I started off by reading your post in horror, Shar -- and then quickly realised what your point was. Thanks for the bright start to my day!

[jno]

not exactly, JJ, the religion could have spread by conversion. The point was to get yourself into heaven, not your non-existent grandchildren. Albigensians and Shakers sugggsted celibacy as well. And the Shakers have more or less died out, as thou hast prophesied, but the Albigensians were wiped out by the church. (They had upset the apple cart by, among other things, believing women could be reincarnated as men and vice versa, which did not fit the Catholic model of eternal female subservience.)

[joggerjayne]

But if the religion could only spread by conversion, you could only convert people whose ancestors had ignored the doctrine of Celibacy.

and then they would die, and you'd have to convert more people whose ancestors had not been celibate.

And so on.

The survival of the religion would depend upon perpetual non-observance by others.

[jno]

I never heard of a religion refusing to accept a convert because of something his/her parents did.

[naomi24]

//I never heard of a religion refusing to accept a convert because of something his/her parents did.//

… … but I’ve heard of one or two that charge the faithful with the perceived misdemeanours of their ancestors.