"Do not let the kingdom of heaven become a desert within you"?
2007-11-27 11:43:47 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Thanks, Herf. A shame some are put off by my quoting the source.
2007-11-27 14:50:50 · update #1
Well, I don't take the Gnostic Bible anywhere near as seriously as the God-inspired Bible, but this appears to be a decent verse. To me it goes back to Christians that, after becoming a Christian, don't DO anything about it -- don't study, don't show their faith, don't tell others, basically just "became" a Christian with no intentions of acting on it OR have slowly slipped into a state of not acting on it. It seems to be an encouragement verse, intended to stimulate a Christian to a closer walk with God.
But that's just my take -- I'm sure there are "Christians" here that would blast me for even thinking about a Gnostic Bible verse.
Have a great night!
2007-11-27 14:35:46 · answer #1 · answered by herfinator 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As unreliable as all the other pseudo-Christian beliefs the Gnostics developed.
"Gnostic" is an umbrella term for many different Christian heresies which originated about 400 A.D. as a rebellion against Christianity. There are no Gnostic scriptures older than 400 A.D., even though a few scholars have tried to push back the date to 200 A.D. (such as the spurious Judas Gospel manuscript which dates circa 400 A.D. )
Since Gnosticism comes later than orthodox Christianity, it therefore cannot be "more genuine." As one scholar noted, the Judas Gospel was an obvious fake, and compared to reading the diary of Queen Victoria and she mentioned her Rock CD collection.
The beliefs of Gnostic groups were extermely diverse. Some believed in total sexual abstinence (and of course they died out). Some groups, like the Cainites and Sethites believed every sexual desire should be fulfilled and held orgies. Most held women in an unfavorable light (despite what you might have read in the DaVinci Code). The spurious "Gospel of Thomas" states that Mary Magdalene would become a man in Heaven, because women were corrupted.
Many of the Gnostic groups had the habit of Theological "charachter inversion". The creator god was usually seen as evil, since he created an imperfect world. Satan (often identified with Ophite of Greek mythology by these sects) was seen as the good guy. Likewise, many of the villians of the Bible were seen as heroes. Simon Magus was a particular favorite.
Gnosticism also dealt with magic and sorcery and every kind of superstion. Consult "Ancient Christian Magic" by Marvin W. Meyer and Richard Smith for a look at the love spells, money spells and even revenge spells(!) of the various Gnostic sects. Once you read that book, you'll realize how silly and superstitious Gnostics were. Another good book is "The Other Bible" by Willis Barnstone which has many texts of Gnostic sects.
2007-11-28 10:20:32 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means that the Gnostics didn't quite grasp what Jesus meant by the "kingdom of heaven."
2007-11-27 19:47:23 · answer #3 · answered by NONAME 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
About the same thing as:
"Fear of a name increases fear of a thing itself."
Albus Dumbledore in "The Sorcerer's Stone"
...or any other work of fiction.
2007-11-27 19:50:57 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It means that they found enlightenment inside of themselves.
2007-11-27 19:49:41 · answer #5 · answered by Pirate AM™ 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe in the so called 'SECRET BOOKS" Just more conspiracy theories.
2007-11-27 19:50:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
nothing''
2007-11-27 20:01:02 · answer #7 · answered by kay kay 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋