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 Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 5:54 pm
Since some people have been bringing up this feeling of being "forced" and how it keeps them away from God I though now would be a good time to bring up two concepts in Gnostic thought that are related to this.
The Demiurge is a being in the gnostic cosmology who forms and shapes the universe to his desire. It is as Greek word meaning "craftsman" and you'll hear others or me informally call him the Creator, though this is a bit of a misnomer. The Demiurge is incapable of creating in the proper sense of the word. Like a potter, he can create pots and jars but he can't "create" the materials he uses to make pots and jars. The Demiurge is basically a false image of God. He resembles God but is not God. Whether maliciously or not, in the gnostic mythos he created the world to make man think he's God.
The archons are servants of the Demiurge that reinforce his rulership and help keep his world functioning. Archons are not evil or good, though some of the ancient Christians believed them to be evil, they are indifferent to us because all they are concerned with is keeping "the world" running smoothly. Some are useful like the need to eat and sleep. Some aren't so useful like the those that create feelings of "obligations".
So how does this relate to us?
Whether they are "real" or not is irrelevant but they describe something useful about ourselves. We each start out in our Christian path with a "false image of God" usually because of well meaning individuals trying to tell us who God is either through scripture or anecdotes. We have these "urges" usually due to conditioning or basic psychological make up to keep this "image" as a god to us. So how do we dispel this false image? By seeking out Christ. Through our personal experiences with Christ we can come to know of the nature of our God and overcome this false image of who others tell us who God "has to be". How to seek Christ, I'm not entirely sure on but I do believe that it is personal how this relationship is developed.
For me, it was admitting that despite all the Sunday school I attended, all the Bible verses I knew, all the anecdotes I heard, I had no clue about who God was. It was through throwing myself into the void and letting go of others stories was I able to come to my own understanding. Does this mean I know God? Not by any means. God is too great for any one person to claim to know completely and I encourage you all to be skeptical of anyone that claims such things. What I do know of my God is that my God is not someone that would want us to "kill all non-believers" nor is my God a "jealous god". Continue seeking and have faith because you will find what you are looking for.
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Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 6:21 pm
I think this post has helped me better understand gnosticism than anything else you've given me, Robbie. It totally just clicked xD
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Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 7:49 pm
Well I'm glad I'm finally starting to make sense XD rofl
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Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 8:38 pm
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore - It does make sense. But I can sorta see the Archons of being the people, mainly the more Evangelical Christians as the Archons, and the Demiurge could be the pastors/priests in a way. Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
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Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 9:18 pm
The Demiurge and his archons are interal as well as external. The internal ones are most difficult to see and the most difficult to overcome. Our perceptions craft the world that we see, so in a way we can relate very much to the Demiurge.
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Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 9:21 pm
rmcdra The Demiurge and his archons are interal as well as external. The internal ones are most difficult to see and the most difficult to overcome. Our perceptions craft the world that we see, so in a way we can relate very much to the Demiurge. `Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore - I dunno about relating to the demiurge. As I said in my testimony, I never really had an image of God, so I can't really say my initial perception of him was false really. Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
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Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:36 pm
Ravynne Sidhe rmcdra The Demiurge and his archons are interal as well as external. The internal ones are most difficult to see and the most difficult to overcome. Our perceptions craft the world that we see, so in a way we can relate very much to the Demiurge. `Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore - I dunno about relating to the demiurge. As I said in my testimony, I never really had an image of God, so I can't really say my initial perception of him was false really. Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.' I gotcha. Just elaborating more on the demiurge. What's fun about the gnostic mythos and cosmology is that much of it was written to relate to how these ancient people believed how our mind works. Jung was greatly influenced by the Nag Hammadi Scriptures.
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Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:49 pm
Examples of a Demiurge and his/her archons:
Perfect example, the director from the Truman Show and his various actors and crew. The actively worked together to keep the "Truman Show" running by keeping Truman in the illusion that he was in the real world.
Roughly, Haruhi from the Melancholy of Suzamiya Haruhi. She had the ability to craft worlds at will but was ignorant of it. Her "Brigade" functioned as Archons to keep her world alive by keeping her entertained and satisfied.
Roughly, Father and his humuncoli from Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood. They actively manipulated events and individuals to get the world they wanted and obtain the philosopher stone so Father could become a god.
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 4:16 am
rmcdra Ravynne Sidhe rmcdra The Demiurge and his archons are interal as well as external. The internal ones are most difficult to see and the most difficult to overcome. Our perceptions craft the world that we see, so in a way we can relate very much to the Demiurge. `Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore - I dunno about relating to the demiurge. As I said in my testimony, I never really had an image of God, so I can't really say my initial perception of him was false really. Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.' I gotcha. Just elaborating more on the demiurge. What's fun about the gnostic mythos and cosmology is that much of it was written to relate to how these ancient people believed how our mind works. Jung was greatly influenced by the Nag Hammadi Scriptures. `Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore - Ugh thanks for reminding me that I need to get more acquainted with Jung. Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
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