tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200723326040051452.post638664559346014267..comments2023-10-22T03:44:54.668-05:00Comments on The Catholic Atheist: Pagan Gnosticism and Christian RevelationUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200723326040051452.post-37572219229562338652007-09-25T17:10:00.000-05:002007-09-25T17:10:00.000-05:00To understand shadow craft, imagine an individual ...To understand shadow craft, imagine an individual casting a shadow with a three dimensional object. The shadow is a silhouette of the original figure. It only resembles the object in outline, not in full.Sophia Sadekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06303748450821405889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200723326040051452.post-77984372412226451282007-09-20T22:42:00.000-05:002007-09-20T22:42:00.000-05:00Sophia,I'm not well-versed in shadow craft. Perhap...Sophia,<BR/><BR/>I'm not well-versed in shadow craft. Perhaps you could enlighten me...Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01262662173303042998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200723326040051452.post-34638226186709968932007-09-19T13:25:00.000-05:002007-09-19T13:25:00.000-05:00Freder1kc, thanks for the papal quote. It's inter...Freder1kc, thanks for the papal quote. It's interesting that he makes an assertion about John being final with respect to the "biblical" concept of the divine. Evidently, the pope doesn't take John to heart when he says that he is only a witness to the light. That's an obvious disclaimer to being any kind of final spokesman.<BR/><BR/>The pope's remark has a quality of shadow craft. It is an attempt to try to circumscribe divinity with an officious interpretation of sacred literature.Sophia Sadekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06303748450821405889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200723326040051452.post-82688441948180724052007-09-19T12:36:00.000-05:002007-09-19T12:36:00.000-05:00I posted a comment, but it broke my hyper link.A c...I posted a comment, but it broke my hyper link.<BR/><BR/>A couple of years ago Luke Johnson of Emory gave a fascinating lecture on The Davinci Code and Neo Gnosticism. I summarize <BR/><A HREF="http://seeingtheform.blogspot.com/2005_04_01_archive.html" REL="nofollow"> here</A>. <BR/><BR/>Gnosticism does seem to be the heresy du jour.Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02322476768181129691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200723326040051452.post-45683458808292858312007-09-19T12:30:00.000-05:002007-09-19T12:30:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02322476768181129691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200723326040051452.post-80908302666899384022007-09-17T14:58:00.000-05:002007-09-17T14:58:00.000-05:00I too have many deep secrets but if I told you I'm...I too have many deep secrets but if I told you I'm afraid it would bore you no end!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200723326040051452.post-58580721536562679142007-09-16T21:54:00.000-05:002007-09-16T21:54:00.000-05:00Even Augustine recognized that the official Church...<I>Even Augustine recognized that the official Church Latin translation of "verbum" for the Greek "logos" was not complete.</I><BR/><BR/>Here's a more complete translation...<BR/>"Logos means both reason and word - a reason which is creative and capable of self-communication, precisely as reason. John thus spoke the final word on the biblical concept of God, and in this word all the often toilsome and tortuous threads of biblical faith find their culmination and synthesis. In the beginning was the logos, and the logos is God, says the Evangelist" (Benedict XVI).Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01262662173303042998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200723326040051452.post-43533230283179943072007-09-16T17:59:00.000-05:002007-09-16T17:59:00.000-05:00Many apologies. I did not mean to be self-authori...Many apologies. I did not mean to be self-authoritarian. I hoped that Augustine's works could speak for themselves. Of course, my tongue was in my cheek because I knew that the orthodox position on Augustine is that his writings from his official career are considered to be more "mature" than those of his earlier years.<BR/><BR/>As for my personal profession, publishing is not a requirement in our field.<BR/><BR/>While we're on the topic of this blog, you write, "it is to rebuke those other teaching that believe in a secret knowledge that extends outside of the Word."<BR/><BR/>Even Augustine recognized that the official Church Latin translation of "verbum" for the Greek "logos" was not complete. He justified the inadequate translation, rather than prescribe a borrowing of the word from the Greek.<BR/><BR/>As far as I know, the ancient Gnostics did not profess to gnosis that was outside of the divine Logos. It may have been outside of the Latin verbum, but not outside of the divine Logos. In fact, I don't think that would be possible. That is, I doubt that anything could be considered to be outside of the divine Logos.<BR/><BR/>Also, a careful reading of the Gospels shows that there were things that the apostles were taught as esoteric knowledge. The example of the seed sower parable demonstrates a definite esoteric discipline in practice.<BR/><BR/>I suspect that there were things that the apostles were instructed to shout from the rooftops other than "Jesus is Lord." I also suspect that anyone who did so today would be branded by the Church as a heretic and a blasphemer.Sophia Sadekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06303748450821405889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200723326040051452.post-11583257848471319842007-09-16T15:43:00.000-05:002007-09-16T15:43:00.000-05:00sophia: a Greek word for wisdom, and the name of a...sophia: a Greek word for wisdom, and the name of a main character in gnostic mythologies...Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01262662173303042998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200723326040051452.post-51230202590355535082007-09-16T02:18:00.000-05:002007-09-16T02:18:00.000-05:00Sophia, After a little research it seems you are a...Sophia, <BR/><BR/>After a little research it seems you are a relentless apologist for Gnoisticism (I would urge you to relfect on this possible contradiction in terms). <BR/><BR/>Your fallacious and self-authoritative argument that claims Augstine's dualism is justified by his dualims only points to why he himself found that that the Christian tension between the two cities and the world and Kingdom as 'already, but not yet' was a better metaphor than the simple and insipid reckonings of lighteness and darkness or ontological evil v. ontological good.<BR/><BR/>Further, your profile claims you a teacher of metaphyics, but where are you teaching? What books have you published? I am just curious as you seem to be one that has knowledge of the "gnosis" - obviously something much more valuable than a Ph.D?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16177726362406397009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200723326040051452.post-1171182439872488972007-09-15T17:45:00.000-05:002007-09-15T17:45:00.000-05:00Thanks for the posting.Your opening remark on Augu...Thanks for the posting.<BR/><BR/>Your opening remark on Augustine piqued my interest. I found Augustine's writings to be at their peak at the time of his conversion. Once he became part of the Church power structure, his work degenerated into corrupt, orthodox despotism.<BR/><BR/>Anyone who doubts the validity of dualism only needs to do a careful study of the dual nature of his craftsmanship. He clearly walked out of the light and into the darkness.Sophia Sadekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06303748450821405889noreply@blogger.com