Hatman wrote:

IIRC, "Gnosticism" means "Knowledge of God," but not just head-knowledge---experiential knowledge. A poor analogy might be to go and read all the books you can on how to ride a bike, get advice from dozens of people on how it's done, it's joys and dangers, watch videos of people riding bikes, etc.---yet until one actually RIDES a bike, their knowledge is fairly useless. It's like the aphorism "Knowledge is power." Not true. Applied Knowledge is Power.

Warmest regards-

Hatman

Hi Hatman, long time no see. You gotta hang out here more often:).

Yes, we gotta take the trip ourselves.

Continuing the bike riding analogy: After all the instructions and all the "how to" pointing, once we ride a bike for ourselves then we too can share what it feels like with others. And those that have also ridden bikes will be able to intimately relate. But no one will ever have the same, identical experience. Even the ride itself is different, each and every time.

It is said,science without religion is speculation and religion without science is just sentiment, therefore knowledge and realization should complement each other. They make "truth" complete.

Hi,
I have no problems with a healthy discourse of differing opinions..... :)
I can only say what I intuitively take in. I do not know if it is the "ultimate" truth. I have not surveyed enlightened people as to find out how did they get where they are....
I further suspect they are less *real* enlightened people as *they* would lead us to believe what we know the "pop new age" movement and their books.
I only say what I was taught and what later was reinforced by my observation. Accept it or not is no concern to me....
with love and affection...
CJ
[QUOTE=Whisperingal;1003525]CJ--Hi.

You say--
"Cosmic knowledge is gained by enlightenment and enlightenment is never gained by book knowledge but by practice"

Not challenging you or trying to start any sort of argument--

--but I know a number of people for whom some form(s) of enlightenment (to use your word) came from knowledge acquired of and in and from the physical world--and the world of ideas.

I don't think we should be so quick to gainsay how others receive enlightenment just because we ourselves may only know one or two ways it has come to us.[/QUOTE]