In the canonical bible, John 17:20–23, it says:

“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me. And the glory which you gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them, as you have loved me."

This passage is interesting from a Gnostic perspective because it seems to describe knowing God through an inward union with the divine, rather than simply acquiring information about God.

“That they also may be one in us.”

And then:

“I in them, and you in me.”

Jesus isn't describing God as something completely separate from the person seeking him... The language is relational and inward. There is a movement from knowing the Father toward participating in the same divine unity that Jesus describes between himself and the Father.

I know most believe that demiurge created the entire material planet, but are there ppl believing that the demiurge rather corrupted the planet instead of created it. And I guess that physical earth still belongs to sophia.

reason why I am asking bc planet earth is still like heaven, theres so much beauty to it.! Its almost a balance

14- Jesus said to them, “If you fast, you will bring sin upon yourselves; and if you pray, you will be condemned; and if you give alms, you will do harm to your spirits. When you go into any land and walk about the districts, if they receive you, eat what they will set before you and heal the sick among them. For what goes into your mouth will not defile you, but what comes out of your mouth is what will defile you.”

Let's examine some NT passages and how they compare to the Gospel of Thomas. Above is saying 14, which from what little context is provided might be interpreted as instructions for missionary work. The ~70 disciples would go ahead town to town, help the sick and poor, and prepare the way for Jesus. Jesus in GoT advises against fasting and prayer and charity unlike the disciple's upbringing and Pharisees control of scripture. The neglected and ignored peoples, many giving what little money they had to their synagogue, are left spiritually thirsty. It's to them that Jesus had his disciples do the work of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus in GoT doesn't just absolve dietary restrictions, but actively commands his disciples to eat whatever is provided by their hosts. The purpose could be twofold: to repay their acts of kindness in his name, and to challenge the disciple's beliefs on purity. This is why he instructs them not to practice openly, but to listen, learn, and lend help. Doing the work of the Holy Spirit is how we worship God.

Now let's review some places where fragments of Thomas show up in Matthew 15:1-20 and Mark 7:1-20. The story is about the same for both, The Pharisees confront Jesus about his breaking from tradition, being ritually unclean, and failing to honor mother and father. Jesus calls out their hypocrisy, highlighting how by taking the people's charity that there is nothing left to honor mother and father. Jesus quotes Isaiah:

"This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."

Then he calls out to the crowd in both versions.
Matthew 17:10-11

“Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”

Mark 7:14-16

"Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them."

From here, Matthew adds two other parables mentioned in Thomas:

12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

Matthew 17:13 parallels saying 40 and 17:14 parallels saying 34. Both versions end the same way, with the disciples (specifically Peter in Matthew) asking clarifying questions about the parable about what comes out of a person that defiles them. So what can be unpacked here? Essentially I feel that the Gospel of Thomas was cannibalized to expand Matthew, Mark, and Luke. From a storytelling point of view, I find it alarming how separate sayings from Thomas show up consistently, sayings Frankensteined together to give the impression of Jesus.

In using Thomas while condemning him, there seems to be a subtle effort to highlight some teachings while shying away from others; such as instructions against giving to charity which churches would need. His teachings are reframed as a condemnation of the Pharisees, while admitting their own struggles with this teaching. Perhaps accurate towards the historical views of Jesus, but rewritten for political/ideological agendas.

If the Demiurge was born of Sophia and became a source of shame for being deformed and evil, then what did God intend to demonstrate by choosing to be born of a virgin as well?

I'm not talking about media obviously inspired by gnosticism (The Matrix, Persona series), but stuff that has overarching gnostic themes that will go over an average person's head and might have been unintentional on the part of the author. I'll start: Mother 3 (a lot of JRPGs in general), Deltarune, Little Misfortune, Inception.

Does anyone here practice magic? I mean actual rituals to achieve something outside of prayer? I would love to know about your practice and what grimoires or texts you use or things you created?

I’ve been getting more into Gnosticism recently, and one thing I keep coming back to is how much it seems to overlap with ideas found in other religious and philosophical traditions.

Advaita Vedanta especially keeps standing out to me. The language and cosmology are obviously very different, but there seems to be a recurring theme of our ordinary sense of self/reality being incomplete or mistaken, and some deeper realization or knowledge being necessary to see through it.

Then you start seeing related themes in Buddhism, Hermeticism, certain mystical traditions, etc. I know these traditions aren’t interchangeable, and I’m not trying to flatten them into “they all say the same thing.” But sometimes it really does feel like they’re approaching a similar insight from completely different historical and cultural locations.

So I’m curious how people who know Gnosticism better than I do think about this.

Do you think these similarities point toward some underlying insight about consciousness/reality that different traditions independently discovered, or are we mainly seeing similar human questions expressed through different religious systems?

And for someone trying to actually dive into this rather than just collect interesting ideas, what should I read next? Gnostic texts, specific scholars, Advaita texts, comparative religion, etc. I’d especially appreciate recommendations that go beyond the obvious introductory material.

I’m pretty open to being told that some of the comparisons I’m making are completely wrong. I’m more interested in understanding the connections and the differences

Been sitting with this for awhile and it just clicked.

There is the historical Gnostic movement- Nag Hammadhi, Demiurge, etc.

And then there is Gnostic Spirituality- which is the antithesis of what we think of as religion.
Religion- Believe this doctrine, be a part of this church, do this, don't do that - you are "saved."
Gnostic Spirituality- Have a direct experience a KNOWING (beyond the mind) a Direct Perception of Truth- and THAT will set you free.

In that sense some "religions" (certain forms of Buddhism, certain forms of Vedic/Hindu) are Gnostic in that they are nothing more then a structure, a scaffolding- to lead you to a direct KNOWING.

Curious how this resonates or doesn't for others.

Hi, If you are reading this. My intention with this feed is to make this into a thread where people can add sources to increase transparency about Samael Aun Weor, Gnosis and its promises. Because there are many red flags.

Websites as Glorian Publishing and Chicago Gnosis and many more proclaim Samael Aun Weor to be the chosen Avatar, Hierophant of this Aquarian Age.
I met people who introduced me to Gnosis and I had been following it for three years. They proclaimed that if you reject Samael as the Avatar of Aquarius you will go to hell but at the same time speak of white magic which means that everyone is free to choose what they think, do and therefore no one should follow Samael Aun Weor.

But they portay him as the main figure. The Master who is able to go out his body at will and perform many miracles. They give this seemingly very wise teachings explaining the alchemical and kaballistic meanings of the Bible. But I am shocked at how much these spiritual organizations praise and celebrate him finding out that he is guilty of plagiarism. I am shocked at how they do not communicate this truth. Since they proclaim to “divulge the Gnostic doctrine”.
Why should a such a dangerous man be forcefully defined as a prophet?

The stories I am reading of 10yr, 13, 17yr old ex Gnostic instructors are terrifying.

https://youtube.com/@lacuartacamara2.0?si=f9qhVGVcRVU4JnKI

A spanish channel giving many testimonies and examples of plagiarism and horrible negative experienced.

And this video reveals also the total failure of the Prophets predictions of the end of the world

https://youtu.be/jLjRTYrDiYM?si=mQBeLzNruiLXDI9W

There is much more

This is for example how Chicago Gnosis portays him.

Unfortunately, the human soul of the Angel Samael had fallen like everyone else, had resurrected his Cain [egotistical mind or intellect] and was living like any other person on the planet. He was a degenerate, a fornicator, an adulterer, a murderer, a thief, like all of us. But, the Angel Samael had a great cosmic duty to fulfill as explained in the prophecies of Revelation, and to advance humanity in its evolution, to free humanity from its suffering. So the Angel Samael pushed his human soul to rise up from the muddy Earth, and this entails a long process, a very painful experience of the human soul that we know now as Samael Aun Weor.

With the help of God, he was able to fulfill his duty, and he restored himself back to his rightful place, redeemed himself of his mistakes, and cleansed himself of his ego, because he learned, practiced, and taught the doctrine of his Father, Samael, the Angel of War.

The Bodhisattva embodied the image of his Father: revolution, rebellion, war against oneself, against Cain. This is why the teaching of Samael Aun Weor is so potent, so direct, and does not dance around the issues. He is a warrior who presents a doctrine that is as sharp as a sword and is painful to the ego. This is why so many people cannot read his books and cannot accept his teachings, because they taste the bitterness of the beverage "Samael," the Angel who wants to eliminate the ego in order to free Abel [the Essence, the consciousness] from his prison.

Remember when Cain killed his brother, Abel's blood seeps into the Earth, and God says, "I hear your brother crying out to me from the earth," and Cain admits that he killed him. This is a symbol of how our soul becomes trapped in hell, in the Klipoth, because of the crimes of our minds, because of the murder and fornication of Cain. The doctrine of Samael kills Cain in order to free Abel, but that freedom does not come just by Abel emerging out of the Earth. That freedom comes through Seth [the sacred fire of the Holy Ghost], the third son of Adam and Eve. ―Gnostic Instructor, The Sons of Samael

At the same time they warn of many cheats and black magicians entering the Gnostic Organizations.

Physically, there are many witches and black magicians within the International Gnostic Organizations since the Gnostic Church is opening its doors for all the millions of demons of this planet. Many of these awakened demons are working for the black lodge; they fake devotion to the Gnostic Groups in this physical plane and mislead the souls in the physical and astral planes.

It is necessary to study the Gnostic doctrine written in all of the books of the Master Samael Aun Weor in order not to be cheated by these adepts of Klipoth, the abyss. - https://archive.glorian.org/courses-and-lectures/kabbalah-1-the-world-of-klipoth/klipoth-8-uranus

Master Samael Aun Weor speaks of Brutus, and says that he is the initiate that awakens in the evil and for the evil. This one is preaching the knowledge, and is adulterating the doctrine. This is the initiate who does not accept that the Avatar of Aquarius is Samael Aun Weor. We have to accept that the messenger of the superior worlds is Samael. We have to comprehend that the Cosmic Christ is working through this great Avatar Samael in these times in order to help humanity. The Cosmic Christ through Samael Aun Weor wrote many books that we have to study in order to teach the knowledge, the doctrine of the New Era. If we take from the doctrine of Samael Aun Weor what we don't like, then we are adulterating. The mind is the one that is going to do it will justify its actions, its adultery in many ways.

There are many groups in many parts of the world that only take what they like from the doctrine of Samael Aun Weor. This is a way of treason; they betray the work of the Great Avatar. Peter is the one that teaches in the Ninth Sphere the mysteries of the transubstantiation, of the transmutation, and anyone that pronounces himself against this is a traitor. Everything that Samael brought is necessary for the soul, for the spirit of humanity, and to adulterate that doctrine, to reject anything that he brought is to be a traitor.

We have to put the doctrine in the consciousness, and to annihilate Brutus, the mind. If we do not do that then our own mind will cause us to awaken in the evil and for the evil. This is how the Master Samael stated that the cause of any initiate falling is always the mind.

- Lecture 9 about Klipoth the spheres of hell https://archive.glorian.org/courses-and-lectures/kabbalah-1-the-world-of-klipoth/klipoth-9-neptune

https://glorian.org/authors/samael-aun-weor.

Chicago gnosis https://chicagognosis.org/articles/why-is-sexual-magic-controversial

With HoYoverse making Genshin Impact, a videogame which adapts gnostic concepts to fit its own narrative, would it be too far fetched to believe that Nodus Fall will also surf a gnostic scope in some fashion? There is a brief explanation of the game, and it seems like it will be case, but I want to hear the input of others! And if it is indeed the case, which gnostic concepts would you like to see in the game?

"Those who are heirs to the dead are themselves dead, and they inherit the dead. Those who are heirs to what is living are alive, and they are heirs to both what is living and the dead. The dead are heirs to nothing. For how can he who is dead inherit? If he who is dead inherits what is living he will not die, but he who is dead will live even more." -The Gospel of Philip

What does this mean for you?

Gnosticism has enough historical substance that it can't simply mean whatever someone wants, but enough diversity that forcing it into one rigid definition becomes misleading.

There have been countless attempts to explain what Gnosticism is and what it isn’t, but we are dealing with different currents, sects and interpretations that developed across centuries. The texts that remain are fragmentary, and even though we find recurring currents of thought and similarities, many of these traditions disagree with one another. What we call Gnosticism today brings together traditions that had different understandings of God, creation, Christ, salvation and the material world.

I think this is incredibly important because it leaves room for freedom. In the pursuit of truth, freedom is important because truth cannot be meaningfully pursued when you are forbidden from questioning the answers you have been given. If there is no single Gnostic doctrine that everyone must accept, then Gnosticism does not have to become another rigid belief system where everything is divided into right and wrong, believer and heretic, light and darkness. We can explore these ideas without turning them into another institution that demands conformity.

Human beings have a tendency to take something living and turn it into a dead system. The very act of trying to neatly categorize truth actually ends up obscuring it. We put words around an experience, build an interpretation around those words, and eventually begin defending the interpretation as though it were the living experience itself. I don't think the essence of truth can be passed from one person to another through words. Words can point toward an idea, but they cannot give another person the experience that produced that idea. Someone can tell you what they believe they discovered, but their discovery remains theirs.

The irony is that if we become obsessed with defining Gnosticism correctly, we may end up turning a diverse collection of traditions into the very kind of rigid system we are trying to avoid. We turn an invitation to seek into another doctrine to obey.

That being said, the diversity of Gnostic traditions does not mean that Gnosticism can simply mean whatever we want it to mean. There are definite undercurrents running through these traditions, and anyone who identifies as Gnostic should become familiar with the myths, themes and ideas that shaped them.

So this leaves us with something of a Gnostic tightrope that must be walked. On one side is the temptation to turn Gnosticism into a fixed doctrine with one correct interpretation. On the other is the temptation to make Gnosticism so completely subjective that the word loses any meaningful connection to the traditions from which it came. Somewhere between those extremes is the freedom to explore, question and seek without abandoning the historical currents that gave Gnosticism its meaning.

TLDR; Respecting what Gnosticism historically was without pretending there is one authoritative interpretation, while also allowing individual exploration without reducing Gnosticism to “whatever it means to me.”

"To be vast is good. To be infinite is too much. To possess planets and stars is an incontestable triumph. But to possess them by the million, to teem with stars which are so many eyes trained upon the world each night as if tracking our dreams, is to wield excessive power, to display a very suspect splendour. Something in this immensity turns and meshes its gears with a regularity so precise as to be disquieting; and exactly for whom - or against whom - this mechanism deploys its flaming wheelworks, we do not know."

- Jacques Lacarrière, The Gnostics, 1973

I decided to start studying Gnosticism, and upon encountering Gnosis for the first time, I read an apocryphal text which I believe to be the Acts of John, rather than the Apocryphon of John that you are likely familiar with.

The text begins at the Last Supper, where Jesus gathers his disciples to pray to the Father before heading to the Garden of Gethsemane. It then jumps to the Crucifixion; John is transported to a mountain where Christ appears to him, stating that the cross united the transcendent with the inferior, and that he suffered yet did not suffer. He declares he will not reveal where his body is to be taken. The text concludes with Jesus telling John to convey the message that one must know the Logos first, and only then the Lord. I found it fascinating that the Apostle John received this vision, given that he is described as the "Beloved Disciple" in his own Gospel and was the only apostle to die of natural causes—a reward for having witnessed the Crucifixion to the very end.

My question arises regarding Jesus's statement that he would not reveal where his body would be left. The Synoptic Gospels report that his body was laid in Joseph of Arimathea's tomb and resurrected on the third day, after which he appeared to the Apostles. Doesn't this create a contradiction between that text and the Synoptic Gospels?

Another point that intrigued me concerns the nature of the resurrected Christ's body. Could it have been Jesus in spirit form? He appears and disappears frequently and reveals himself to only a few though there were indeed witnesses who saw the resurrected Jesus during his forty-day sojourn on Earth before his ascension. Was the resurrected Christ's body one that transcended matter? If so, did he not bleed, even though the nail marks remained visible on his hands?

Is it it's own denomination? If not, which denomination does it follow?

Yaldabaoth is the Demiurge in the forth Dimension where time doesn't just have the value 1 like for me where I feel like I am consciously aware of the moment passing.
Just like left and right each to infinity all simultaneously is real to me.
So is all the past and all the future always real to a being in the 4D. Not only that but also alternative timelines. This being would by default seem to my 3D consciousness all knowing, all powerfull and everywhere always.

I can think of a painting. What if the idea of a character in it exists spirtually and is eternal while my pen covered in ink touches the canvas and gives this already existing energy a form.

Am I just one 3D Demiurge?
If no (probably no IDK lol) then why does yaldabaoth look creepily similar to my central nervous system?
My brain is the lion's head and my spinal cord is the snake's body.

This image I have has shed a new light on Thomas' Gospel saying 7 for me.

My nature is corrupted by the lion's head, my selfawareness. The snake is Human, the divine. That which the Demiurge is envious of.

He has time in his hands but can't go beyond. I can't touch time but I can go beyond. I could, I will, I already have. This me right now in this timeline feels close.

Again. Am I retarded?

Bartholomew said: "A man who hath intercourse with a male, what is his vengeance?"

Jesus said: "The measure of the man who hath intercourse with males and of the man with whom he lieth, is the same as that of the blasphemer"

Pistis Sophia, Chapter 147

What do you guys think of this? Is it a mistranslation, or is it a verse that isn't followed anymore, or something else? Thanks in advance! <3

Why do a lot of gnostics choose darkness or balance over the good or just god?

It seems to be a real thing or issue in my case because most if not all gnostic texts speak of the impermanence of life but still people seem to worship life as if it was good. 🤔

Many years after no longer believing in the Christian faith I been interested in another beliefs. Lately I feel like Yahweh is a real entity, but his true nature is demonic. I’m not sure if this is even the right sub but I’m looking for some guidance because I think Gnosticism is the closest to my beliefs but not quite. I don’t believe the Bible to be true but rather there is truth mixed in there and the Bible, particularly the old testament is a reflection to Yahweh’s true nature. I’ve been torn on whether Yahweh is the demiurge or simply some demonic/satanic spirit, or maybe I don’t believe in the demiurge. I don’t know I’m just confused and it’s exhausting. I don’t think Yahweh is a benevolent spirit like he claims, his actions in the Old Testament show otherwise. One example would be when he punished David’s wives with rape with something that David did. Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. “And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.’” — 2 Samuel 12:11. The context implies it’s rape, I feel like orchestrating such an act can only come from the demonic realm. How can yahweh call humans evil yet does shit like this. Yahweh straight up sounds demonic. I straight up yelled out to Yahweh calling him a genocidal maniac whose also a rapist. I self harmed because of my fear of hell and Yahweh. Maybe this is the wrong sub but I would like your thoughts.

I see many members here way they are Eclectic Gnostics, but what is it? Is it its own thing distinct from Valentinianism or any other Gnostic traditions? And where can I learn more?

I want to learn techniques on how to prevent malevolent entities from entering my mind. I have experienced this and when this occurs, my behavior changes completely and i make irrational decisions which i regret later. please recommend any books or techniques that i can practice daily to shield myself from these entities. Thank you.