Jason27 wrote:

Hi Everyone,

I've read a lot of spiritual texts by the ancient Gnostics recently, like the Gospel of Judas and many others from the Nag Hammadi Library; however, there is very little in these texts themselves about the actual history of how Christianity and Gnosticism developed after Jesus' death.

I saw a video on YouTube today that attempts to explain exactly that. It seems there is much more behind the story of Christianity than I would've thought and especially as compared to what you hear in religion and/or even universities today. For the most part, according to this video, it remains pretty unknown and secret.

This clip is one in a series of videos put together by The Gnostic Movement that form part of a free course on Christian Gnosticism. You can check out the clip on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trOG1B5UV9c   
I thought it was very good, and as well, the 'high quality' option made it nice on the eyes.
I think you can sign up for their course too at www.gnosticmovement.com .

What do you think?

Jas

Thanks for posting this -- I've been interested in the non-canonical texts for some time, but have difficulty understanding some of them, and also in discerning which are authentic and which are unreliable.  I've watched the vids and will go to the site you linked -- I hope I will finally be able to come to a better understanding.

rebecca

Actually, it was pretty open and simple, although it was kept hidden from those who could not see, as they were seeking power, wealth, fame and control.   The Gnostics were still very much alive and blew away St Irenaeus, Bishop of Lugdunum, who championed St Paul, the great Gnostic.  Paul was the first true Gnostic.  Paul certainly received gnosis on the road to Damascus.  He described some of the attributes of gnosis (the Gifts of the Spirit) in 1 Corinthians 12:7-13 and some of the resulting behaviors in Galatians 5:22-23. These Gifts of the Spirit or of Shekinah were available to everyone.  So, he experienced the gnosis, he wrote about it to everyone, he taught how to receive it and what our behavior should be once we received it.

The “Church” included these writings in the New Testament and so it was available to everyone who sought the Truth, the Gnosis.  Thus, the “Church” sponsored, preached and disseminated the Truth within the canonical texts – the Gnosis, although they didn’t understand what had happened.  The Holy Virtue of Shekinah, which Jesus bestowed upon others (KJV) was the Gnosis, the Gifts of the Spirit (Shekinah), The Grace of God, the Sanctification, and the Peace beyond All Understanding.

Blessed Shekinah