Gnostic Christianity?

I've always considered myself to be a Christian, but not the orthodox type. More along the outer fringes of Christianity. Unorthodox Christianity. The type of Christianity your pastor would tell you does not exist, or is the stuff of movies and works of fiction. The Christianity that stems from the root word "Christos"...(Greek).

As the Arch Angel Gabriel said to Daniel. (O.T., Book of Daniel)....

9:25. Know thou, therefore, and take notice: that from the going forth of the word, to build up Jerusalem again, unto Christ, the prince, there shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks: and the street shall be built again, and the walls, in straitness of times.

9:25. scito ergo et animadverte ab exitu sermonis ut iterum aedificetur Hierusalem usque ad christum ducem ebdomades septem et ebdomades sexaginta duae erunt et rursum aedificabitur platea et muri in angustia temporum ...(Latin)

...and again...

9:26. And after sixty-two weeks Christ shall be slain: and the people that shall deny him shall not be his. And a people, with their leader, that shall come, shall destroy the city, and the sanctuary: and the end thereof shall be waste, and after the end of the war the appointed desolation.

9:26. et post ebdomades sexaginta duas occidetur christus et non erit eius et civitatem et sanctuarium dissipabit populus cum duce venturo et finis eius vastitas et post finem belli statuta desolatio ...(Latin)

...also mentioned in the O.T. Book of Psalms...

2:2. The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes met together, against the Lord, and against his Christ.

2:2. Consurgent reges terrae et principes tractabunt pariter adversum Dominum et adversum christum eius ...(Latin)

I refer to the Old Testament, to show that the term "Christ" was in use long before the Master Jesus walked in this world. Were there Christians also? Were there Christians before the days Master Jesus walked? I believe so...

Christ is to Christianity, as Gnosis is to Gnosticism. Always there, just out of reach. Christ is a state of being that good Christians hope to achieve. Much like the Buddhists work to emulate Buddha, and the Gnostics strive for Gnosis.

Some would have us believe that Gnosis is everywhere. That they achieved Gnosis by merely cracking the spine of a few books. When in fact, it may be that they haven't even begun the initiatic process, and true Gnosis may be several lifetimes away. Such is the nature of treasure. We could have a map, and still not be able to find it.

There are Ministers today who preach the word, but do not teach. They have become very good at using the gospels to get their point out, but miss the mark when it comes to getting the point of the Gospels out. We need more teachers. Spiritual teachers.

Gnosis is elusive. Like the wind, it can be felt but not touched. We may think we know, yet thinking and knowing, are quite different from one another. As Intelligence is to Wisdom. One may be Intelligent enough to know that smoking is bad for them. Yet lack the Wisdom to stop.

As I move along the path to Gnosis, I stumble upon a gem now and then. I have a video on this blog, concerning the secret. What you resist, persists. A good video. As i watched the video over and over, I was reminded of a post on another gnostic blog, about loving your enemy and so on. But as we learn from watching the video, that by loving our enemies, we are in fact giving energy to them. We would be better served by turning our attention away from the negative, and concentrating more intently on the positive.

The Prayerbook abbreviations

Abbreviations:

AGCA: Apostolic Gnostic Church in America
C: Cathari
CH: Corpus Hermetica
EG: Ecclesia Gnostica
M: Manichaiean
NH: Nag Hammadi
O: Other
ME: Myself

Bless America (O)

Gracious Sophia
Come thou among us,
A blessing we ask for our America.

Gracious Sophia
Fill our hearts with joy,
Cleanse our minds of all envy, hatred and greed.
Give us knowledge and the Wisdom to use it.

Gracious Sophia
Guide our footsteps
As we walk the Ancient Pathways,
Lest we fall by the wayside.
When we stumble, lift us up.

Gracious Sophia
Let us never forget
That as we receive of thee,
We must share with our brothers and sisters.

Gracious Sophia
Show us the way to bring peace
And prosperity to our people.
Grant to our America strength in peace!

We are thy children,
Amen.