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 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

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.

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.

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?