Gnostic gospels study group
October 7, 2012 at 4:49 pm
(This post was last modified: October 7, 2012 at 5:08 pm by Doubting_Thomas.)
Only slightly mischievously, I've been reading the Gnostic gospels. They are early Christian texts/gospels which people familiar with the modern bible may not be so familiar with. I'm no expert but I find it very curious stuff, and think it's a topic that can be interesting to modern Christians and atheists alike. Gnostic has come up a few times and I'm at danger of labouring my points on the word usage, but this is separate from all that - just rekindled my curiosity to read me some proper bible.
As an Atheist, I'm not a natural bible study leader, but I will attempt to satisfy convention by adding "amen" every now and again between paraphrases. I'll naturally concentrate on the controversial and thought provoking bits.
The text was found among the Nag Hammadi Library, and is I think in Coptic, but generally accepted as a transcription from the original Greek. The Coptic copy dates from about AD 300, with the Greek original said to be from around AD 150. So much older than the translations of the bible people read today.
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Those who sow in winter reap in summer. The winter is the world, the summer the other Aeon (eternal realm). Let us sow in the world that we may reap in the summer. Because of this, it is fitting for us not to pray in the winter.
***** Amen!!! Don't ye pray in the winter, Amen!!!****
Before Christ came, there was no bread in the world, just as Paradise, the place were Adam was, had many trees to nourish the animals but no wheat to sustain man. Man used to feed like the animals, but when Christ came, the perfect man, he brought bread from heaven in order that man might be nourished with the food of man.
*****Amen!!! Best thing before sliced bread, enabling of the sliced bread!!! No bread before AD 0!!! *****
Some said, "Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit." They are in error. They do not know what they are saying. When did a woman ever conceive by a woman? Mary is the virgin whom no power defiled. She is a great anathema to the Hebrews, who are the apostles and the apostolic men.
*****Amen!!! The holy Spirit is a chick, and although omnipotent also impotent in the bedroom*****
Those who say that the Lord died first and (then) rose up are in error, for he rose up first and (then) died. If one does not first attain the resurrection, he will not die.
*****Amen!! The key to immortality is not to be resurrected - bad news Buddha!!!******
In this world, those who put on garments are better than the garments. In the Kingdom of Heaven, the garments are better than those that put them on.
*****Praise the LORD for Prada!!!******
Do not despise the lamb, for without it, it is not possible to see the king. No one will be able to go in to the king if he is naked.
**** Amen to not 'going into the LORD'. Who's naked in this scenario? Maybe it's in reference to the Welsh tradition of going into the sheep naked?******
There were three who always walked with the Lord: Mary, his mother, and her sister, and Magdalene, the one who was called his companion. His sister and his mother and his companion were each a Mary.
*****Amen!!!****
Much more to follow!
As an Atheist, I'm not a natural bible study leader, but I will attempt to satisfy convention by adding "amen" every now and again between paraphrases. I'll naturally concentrate on the controversial and thought provoking bits.
The Gospel of Philip
Studied in its translated form (Wesley W. Isenberg, available here http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/gop.html).Also general info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_PhilipThe text was found among the Nag Hammadi Library, and is I think in Coptic, but generally accepted as a transcription from the original Greek. The Coptic copy dates from about AD 300, with the Greek original said to be from around AD 150. So much older than the translations of the bible people read today.
______________________________________________
Those who sow in winter reap in summer. The winter is the world, the summer the other Aeon (eternal realm). Let us sow in the world that we may reap in the summer. Because of this, it is fitting for us not to pray in the winter.
***** Amen!!! Don't ye pray in the winter, Amen!!!****
Before Christ came, there was no bread in the world, just as Paradise, the place were Adam was, had many trees to nourish the animals but no wheat to sustain man. Man used to feed like the animals, but when Christ came, the perfect man, he brought bread from heaven in order that man might be nourished with the food of man.
*****Amen!!! Best thing before sliced bread, enabling of the sliced bread!!! No bread before AD 0!!! *****
Some said, "Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit." They are in error. They do not know what they are saying. When did a woman ever conceive by a woman? Mary is the virgin whom no power defiled. She is a great anathema to the Hebrews, who are the apostles and the apostolic men.
*****Amen!!! The holy Spirit is a chick, and although omnipotent also impotent in the bedroom*****
Those who say that the Lord died first and (then) rose up are in error, for he rose up first and (then) died. If one does not first attain the resurrection, he will not die.
*****Amen!! The key to immortality is not to be resurrected - bad news Buddha!!!******
In this world, those who put on garments are better than the garments. In the Kingdom of Heaven, the garments are better than those that put them on.
*****Praise the LORD for Prada!!!******
Do not despise the lamb, for without it, it is not possible to see the king. No one will be able to go in to the king if he is naked.
**** Amen to not 'going into the LORD'. Who's naked in this scenario? Maybe it's in reference to the Welsh tradition of going into the sheep naked?******
There were three who always walked with the Lord: Mary, his mother, and her sister, and Magdalene, the one who was called his companion. His sister and his mother and his companion were each a Mary.
*****Amen!!!****
Much more to follow!
blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” – John 20:26-29
