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Gnostic church in America? I can't find one, please help, thanks !

To: alt.religion.gnostic,alt.religion.gnostic.orders
From: Nuvoadam@AOL.com (Nuvoadam)
Subject: Re: Gnostic church in America? I can't find one, please help, thanks !
Date: 14 Nov 2003 17:27:22 -0800

planet_dweller@yahoo.com (planet_dweller@yahoo.com) wrote in message news:<4adbec4b.0311140920.4ce0a34@posting.google.com>...
> Hi Everyone,
> 
> I've been looking for a Gnostic church in America that I could join
> and become a part of for years and years and haven't been able to
> locate one.

After reading through your following requirments of this Gnostic Church, 
it seems to be that you are really looking for a Christian Church with
some part of their Ism based on *some* Gnostic tenets.  Good luck.  I'd
start by listing your city and State and then others can help turn you
on to something close to your desires.   

> At this point, I'll take a look at any organization that calls itself
> a Gnostic / Gnosis-based church, but what I'm hoping to ideally find
> is one that:
> 
> 1) Recognizes the divinity of Jesus Christ

What do you mean by recognize "the divinity" of Jesus?  If you have
even somewhat checked into the Gnostic works you will see that Jesus
was _a_ Christ, and was here to teach us how to ourselves become 
_a_ Christ.  For instance, in the Gospel of Phillip: 'You saw Christ,
you became Christ'.  Jesus doesn't need your ego-worship.  Hell, the
guy didn't even want the savior job in the first place.  Didn't he 
even at the last hour pray that the job be given to someone else? 
'..if there is a way, take this cup away from me" and 'Take me now, 
before I change my mind'.  He specifically told us that he was NOT 
good: "Why do you call me good?  No one is good but God Alone" 
(Mark 10.17-18).  

And what does it mean to *recognize divinity* anyway?  Satan was 
divine.  To be divine basically denotes having the nature of or being 
a deity.  Satan was himself divinity, and if we spent all of our time
*recognizing* the divinity of every being that was divine we would be
very very busy.  Jesus point blank reminded us that humanity was once
divine, which means that we still are, despite our current punishment.

"Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?" (John 10:34). 
So if you really want to be a Gnostic, then you may begin by removing
your lip-lock from the arse of Jesus, and start recognizing YOUR OWN
divinity!  Sorry to sound harsh, but do you even realize how special 
you are???

> 2) Believes in reincarnation, either as a necessary part for salvation
> or as a fact of human existence

Reincarnation is a touchy word.  Even the Buddhists prefer 'rebirth'. 
You might check into the Gnostic concept of Transmigration. And if you
have access to any exegesis on the Transmigration as espoused within 
the so-called Tibetan Book of the Dead, all the better.  We are an 
amalgamation of many different things, called ego, soul, spirit, mind
etc., and not all of these things reincarnates together life after 
life.  Also, you might amend the phraseology of (2) to say something 
like: 'Believes that Gnosis of how to AVOID rebirth/reincarnation as
necessary for salvation...', although there are some Gnostic sects 
that believe we cannot fulfill our purpose here until we experience 
every walk of life, which would then indicate reincarnation as a 
"necessary part for salvation".  

> 3) Believes that salvation must come through a true gnosis, a giving
> up of ego to let the Holy Spirit fill one with knowledge at which
> point JC / God can save one's soul

Yikes!  In the Gospel of Thomas, when he was called a Teacher, Jesus
responded by saying to Thomas "I am not your teacher. Because you have 
drunk, you have become intoxicated from the bubbling spring that I have 
tended."  He didn't create the spring, and he wasn't the being whom we
had to kiss up to in order to partake of this secret Gnosis.  He wasn't
even the one who was teaching Thomas.  Jesus was trying to get Thomas
to realize that he-- Thomas, was also God (like Jesus: I and the Father 
are ONE, etc), and because Thomas was also God, HE WAS TEACHING HIMSELF
through his co-God in Jesus, who was just *tending the stream of Gnosis
which had inebriated Thomas.  It is true-- Gnostics know that their
personal salvation comes from KNOWLEDGE-OF-SELF, and not faith-in-other,
but you seem to be mixing up the emancipation avialable to the Gnostic
with that sheeplike faith of the Xians.  Two very different walks/talks.  

> 4) That no earthly-bound human can "save" another human being

No being can save us, even if that being were from the highest of 
the high.  We must find the key to unlock a golden door within us
which was never locked in the first place, and save ourselves.  But 
that doesn't mean that some of us earth-bounds cannot lay out a 
roadmap for others to follow, and even much more cogently than either 
Jesus or Rumi or Siddhartha ever did.  
 
> I have many other threads of personal belief than those four basic
> ones listed above, am just hoping to find any church that is Gnostic
> in scope and belief.

Why do you need a Church?  Open your mind and heart and let the spirit
lead you to the light you seek.  Jesus inferred that, while others can 
help us find The (inner) Way, only the solitary seeker can walk the
path of Gnosis:

Jesus said, "Congratulations to those who are ALONE and chosen, for 
you will find the kingdom. For you have come from it, and you will 
return there again." (Gospel of Thomas)

Jesus said, "There are many standing at the door, but those who are 
ALONE will enter the bridal suite." (Gospel of Thomas)

End your co-dependency on others, and be ready for your guides to
come from anywhere at anytime.  Start preparing your mind and heart
for the self-realization of the Gnostic/Knowing One-- you are God. 
You are All.  You are everything everywhere at everytime.  Look in
the mirror and say the words Jesus himself said:  

"I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came 
forth, and to me all attained." 
 
> Any information you have that you care to share, please either post it
> here in the group or send it to me through email, and TIA, Yours,
> PlanetDweller

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