2007-03-08 10:31:44 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No one ordered Gnostic texts to be destroyed.
If Gnosticism "took over" as it were, we probably wouldn't be around any longer because Gnostics seek to end life. They believe the earth to be a cruel joke played on us by the Universal Daddy. So to speak.
They didn't marry. They only had sex to mock women. They didn't believe women went to heaven.
Yeah. Sounds fun to me. NOT.
Sorry Chris. The Gnostic texts were written after 350. You're a little too early.
2007-03-08 11:17:50 · answer #1 · answered by Max Marie, OFS 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
A strange question on one hand, but I think that Fundamentalists would still have their own take on the Gospels. You assume that the Gnostic Gospels would some how be included in the Canon of the Bible. I don't see a logical basis for that.
2007-03-08 18:36:34 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
I don't know if it would have helped. Orthodox Christianity had the natural advantage of groupthink. Throughout the New Testament you hear calls for unity, "That they all be one." Gnostics tended to be loners, climbing their individual ladders to enlightenment, each interpreting in their own way. Pretty complicated for working folks. Bibles with pictures sell better than ones with allegorical, symbolic "mysteries".
It would have evoked an image of elitism and a spirit of resentment among the "less enlightened" masses. Even if their scriptures had survived the purge, they wouldn't be able to organize well enough to hold off the hordes of angry, literalistic, true-believers.
2007-03-08 18:51:27 · answer #3 · answered by skepsis 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Probably not. Gnosticism most likely would have been the main form of Christianity.
2007-03-08 18:36:47 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Those gospels were written around 150-200 AD.
Well after the Apostles had gone.
Revelation was written through John around 95 AD, it was the last book of the New Testament.
2007-03-08 18:38:55 · answer #5 · answered by chris p 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Fundamentalism tends to find a way... but if it weren't for the power grab by the Catholic Church, Gnosticism might have had the West more like the Buddhist societies. Hard to say really.
_()_
2007-03-08 18:35:49 · answer #6 · answered by vinslave 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Um, we have plenty access to the gnostic texts. Elaine Pagels has made a career out of popularizing them.
2007-03-08 18:36:39 · answer #7 · answered by Aspurtaime Dog Sneeze 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think it was more the exclusion of the gospels from the canon than the destruction of the gospels.
Still, the stupidest fundie beliefs concern the old testament and the truly stupid ones are all part of the torah so we'd still have all the evolution and flood fights.
2007-03-08 18:35:41 · answer #8 · answered by Dave P 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Who knows what we'd be subjected to now?
The Romans were big on dominating and assuming gods into their pantheons.. perhaps we'd all be worshipping Apollo instead right now.. or perhaps another fundamentalist faction of a different religion would be prevalent. Regardless, it's here and we have to deal with it.
2007-03-08 18:36:36 · answer #9 · answered by Kallan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fundamentalism can exist not matter what texts are in place. So, to answer your question, probably not.
2007-03-08 18:38:03 · answer #10 · answered by tchem75 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋