I was wondering why the dead sea scrolls and the gnostic books include mary as a disciple?

The real question is why DIDN'T the mainstream books include Mary as a disciple.

The dead sea scrolls and Gnostic gospels are ancient texts that haven't been edited dialectically by a sexist society. The mainstream versions of the bible are. You figure it out.

Gnostic texts, really, the only real gnostic books would be The Gnostic Handbook, or the 40 some odd books by Samael Aun Weor. Search for the Nag Hammadi libraries and do some reading on your own, fucking fascinating stuff, I love gnosticism.

If you want some good e-books, just ask.

oh, you're asking why?

because it was true, damnit

actually the post above mine covered it well enough

[This message has been edited by Rizzo in a box (edited 02-05-2007).]

quote:Originally posted by Rizzo in a box:

Gnostic texts, really, the only real gnostic books would be The Gnostic Handbook, or the 40 some odd books by Samael Aun Weor. Search for the Nag Hammadi libraries and do some reading on your own, fucking fascinating stuff, I love gnosticism.

If you want some good e-books, just ask.

oh, you're asking why?

because it was true, damnit

actually the post above mine covered it well enough



So I am not the only one to appreciate SAW, eh?

quote:Originally posted by coolwestman:

So I am not the only one to appreciate SAW, eh?

Heh, of course not! This is &Totse. Home of the fringe. http://www.totse.com/bbs/biggrin.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/biggrin.gif)

Don't forget, there were many gnostic sects, which held conflicting views. One scholar has even seriously proposed doing away with the term "gnostic" altogether.

I try to keep things simple--to me, "gnostic" simply means someone who "knows" God by direct experience, with no need of holy books or priests.

quote:Originally posted by ArmsMerchant:

Don't forget, there were many gnostic sects, which held conflicting views. One scholar has even seriously proposed doing away with the term "gnostic" altogether.

I try to keep things simple--to me, "gnostic" simply means someone who "knows" God by direct experience, with no need of holy books or priests.

That's like saying, "Why bother calling people Christians when there are so many sects?"

quote:Originally posted by Rizzo in a box:

That's like saying, "Why bother calling people Christians when there are so many sects?"



I tend to agree, but it is useful to bear in mind there are many flavors of Gnosticism.

Ironically, much of what we do know about the early sects is from an eight-volume work by some early church father who denounced them as heretics, but quoted from some of the gnostic gospels at length.

quote:Originally posted by ArmsMerchant:



I tend to agree, but it is useful to bear in mind there are many flavors of Gnosticism.

Ironically, much of what we do know about the early sects is from an eight-volume work by some early church father who denounced them as heretics, but quoted from some of the gnostic gospels at length.

Well yeah, but we also have the Nag Hammadi library they found in the 60s or whatever.