2007-02-26 07:56:27 · 10 answers · asked by Seeker Of Truth 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/gnostics.html
ME
2007-02-26 08:00:40 · answer #1 · answered by Dust in the Wind 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Gnostic gospels are writings by early "Christian" Gnostics. After the first century of Christianity, two primary divisions developed - the orthodox and the Gnostics. The orthodox Christians held to books we now have in the Bible and to what is today considered orthodox theology. The Gnostic Christians, if they can truly be described as Christians, held a distinctly different view of the Bible, of Jesus Christ, of salvation - and virtually every other major Christian doctrine. However, they did not have any writings by the apostles to give legitimacy to their beliefs.
That is why and how the Gnostic gospels were created. The Gnostics fraudulently attached the names of famous Christians to their writings, such as the gospel of Thomas, the gospel of Philip, the gospel of Mary, etc. The discovery of the Nag Hammadi library in northern Egypt in 1945 represented a major discovery of Gnostic gospels. These Gnostic gospels are often pointed to as supposed "lost books of the Bible."
So, what are we to make of the Gnostic gospels? Should some or all of them be in the Bible? No, they should not. First, as we pointed out above, the Gnostic gospels are forgeries. The Gnostic gospels were fraudulently written in the names of the apostles in order to give them a legitimacy in the early church. Thankfully, the early church fathers were nearly unanimous in recognizing the Gnostic gospels as promoting false teachings about virtually every key Christian doctrine. There are countless contradictions between the Gnostic gospels and the true Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The Gnostic gospels can be a good source to study early Christian heresies, but they should be rejected outright as not belonging in the Bible and not representing the genuine Christian faith.
2007-02-26 17:21:58 · answer #2 · answered by Freedom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gnostics believe in a secret or hidden knowledge. Only those on the "inside" may contain this knowledge. Also, Gnostics believed that the material world was evil. One could only be free if they let go of material binds and sought after spiritual things.
2007-02-26 08:02:17 · answer #3 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe you meant agnostics. And here is the answer: One who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism. Atheism meaning that they do not believe in a God at all.
If you truly meant gnostics, that is: The doctrines of certain pre-Christian pagan, Jewish, and early Christian sects that valued the revealed knowledge of God and of the origin and end of the human race as a means to attain redemption for the spiritual element in humans and that distinguished the Demiurge from the unknowable Divine Being. Also: a religious orientation advocating gnosis as the way to release a person's spiritual element; considered heresy by Christian churches.
2007-02-26 08:00:51 · answer #4 · answered by MARIA_794 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
what do gnostics believe.
I think, that gnostics believe in the acquisition of knowledge through self-realized means. This means that they use their mind to tap into their own spirit and answer their own questions through logic, reasoning, imagination and sensual experience.
The goal of gnosticism is to return or realize the true principle of life that is formulates as the light in the mind.
2007-02-26 07:59:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Depends on the person.
I'm agnostic. That is to say that I believe heavily in God and I say my prayers and try to live by a higher moral code than most, but I don't at all agree with organized religion. From the dawn of time, organized religions have killed for their cause, they have tortured for their cause, they have maimed for their cause.
I don't think that having any particular belief is necessarily bad. It's organizing into a powerful "cult" and following the commands of a "usually" demented leader that is the problem.
I may believe, but it's not my place to force my belief's on others. Nor is acceptable to me to have other's belief systems forced upon me.
2007-02-26 08:02:20 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
'gnostic" means learning. The "gnostic heresy" is that we are saved by knowledge.
2007-02-26 07:59:42 · answer #7 · answered by hasse_john 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They may believe in like forces... they don't believe in a singular higher power.
2007-02-26 08:00:03 · answer #8 · answered by eekerrs 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That spelling bees will prove to be the ultimate test of faith.
2007-02-26 07:59:46 · answer #9 · answered by Virgo 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
do you mean Agnostics??
They are unsure of whether there is a god or not
2007-02-26 08:00:45 · answer #10 · answered by pinkfudge27 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋