Gnosticisim and the Gnostic Gospels

[Loge]

The sage is often envied

because others do not know

that although he is nourished by the Tao,

like them, he too is mortal.

He who seeks wisdom is well advised

to give up academic ways,

and put an end to striving.

Then he will learn that yes and no

are distinguished only by distinction.

It is to the advantage of the sage

that he does not fear what others fear,

but it is to the advantage of others

that they can enjoy the feast,

or go walking, free of hindrance,

through the terraced park in spring.

The sage drifts like a cloud,

having no specific place.

Like a newborn babe before it smiles,

he does not seek to communicate.

In the eyes of those

who have more than they need,

the sage has nothing, and is a fool,

prizing only that which of the Tao is born.

The sage may seem to be perplexed,

being neither bright nor clear,

and to himself, sometimes he seems

both dull and weak, confused and shy.

Like the ocean at night,

he is serene and quiet,

but as penetrating as the winter wind.

[Kit Walker]

I see no answer for Lamont Cranston's question on Mark. It seems to be a good question and throws a big question on whether the New Testament was changed and changed again and again, before Christianity became the main religion of the old days. No answer must mean that he won?

[Something Like Laughter]

No answer must mean that he won?

nah, just means school has a nasty habit of cutting into the time i care to spend here.

Would like an explanation of why the KJV Mark is longer than that of the 4th century Codex.

some scribe in byzantium/constantinople decided on making mark end like matt and luke.

that totally skips the ascension and the proclaimation to go forth and convert the world

so? these two can be found in other places that arent subject to any controversy concerning the correct reading.

Besides, you are only speculating that your God even exists, you have less proof of that than I do of an altered NT!

you're pretty good at burning strawmen, you must get a lot of practice.

Without older versions to check we can only speculate, but the smoking gun is there, isn't it

only if new, older manuscripts start being dug up.

Not worried about the docrinal difference between the two 4th century codex and the textus

then perhaps let me rephrase my request. find an example of a malicious corruption of the text that survived to make it into modern Bibles.

[seanph]

That is why the real bible, the King James version, disagrees with the corrupted modern bibles in about 5% of the places.-- the corrupted Alexandrian text is mixed in the modern bibles.

This is a joke, right? Please say yes!

Please read "The Gnostic Gospels" by Elaine Pagels (Harrington Spear Paine Professor of Religion at Princeton University) if you want to learn something about Gnosticism. Considered one of the best books on the subject.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=books

Edited September 12, 2005 by seanph