This is tricky territory and I'm still sorting out my own thoughts here so I actually do give two, maybe even three, shits what random internet people think on this topic (especially a thoughtful reader as yourself).
While I do accept this expanded conception of gnosis, I do see the dualistic pessimistic strain of gnosticism as being part…
This is tricky territory and I'm still sorting out my own thoughts here so I actually do give two, maybe even three, shits what random internet people think on this topic (especially a thoughtful reader as yourself).
While I do accept this expanded conception of gnosis, I do see the dualistic pessimistic strain of gnosticism as being particularly important and under-appreciated today. Fire and brimstone God vs. Satan dualism has scarred the Western psyche (and with good reason) and I think made us hesitant to accept any form of dualist thinking. In my Gnosticism, the dualism between the divine spark within and the "forces" (metaphysical, psychosocial) that wish to corrupt and ensnare that divinity.
Much more could be said here (and will be said in future posts), but I think the gnostics (paradoxically) had their cake and ate it too - they found a non-dualism in their dualism and vice/versa without either being primary or greater than the other.
This is tricky territory and I'm still sorting out my own thoughts here so I actually do give two, maybe even three, shits what random internet people think on this topic (especially a thoughtful reader as yourself).
While I do accept this expanded conception of gnosis, I do see the dualistic pessimistic strain of gnosticism as being particularly important and under-appreciated today. Fire and brimstone God vs. Satan dualism has scarred the Western psyche (and with good reason) and I think made us hesitant to accept any form of dualist thinking. In my Gnosticism, the dualism between the divine spark within and the "forces" (metaphysical, psychosocial) that wish to corrupt and ensnare that divinity.
Much more could be said here (and will be said in future posts), but I think the gnostics (paradoxically) had their cake and ate it too - they found a non-dualism in their dualism and vice/versa without either being primary or greater than the other.