What and How I Believe
I have people, mainly those of my biological family, that ask what and how I believe. I am not sure if they really want to know but … they ask from time to time. I am a Gnostic. Gnosticism - (from Ancient Greek : γνωστικός gnostikos , "learned", from γνῶσις gn ō sis , knowledge) describes a collection of ancient religions whose adherents shunned the material world created by the demiurge and embraced the spiritual world . [1] Gnostic ideas influenced many ancient religions [2] that teach that gnosis (variously interpreted as knowledge, enlightenment , salvation , emancipation or 'oneness with God') may be reached by practicing philanthropy to the point of personal poverty , sexual abstinence (as far as possible for hearers , completely for initiates ) and diligently searching for wisdom by helping others. [3] However, practices varied among those who were Gnostic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosticism I am one who seeks knowledge from ...