User:Gnostrat/Opinions1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Contents |
[edit] Stuff that I have opinions about
[edit] Judeo-Christianity and Pagan Christianity contrasted
These rival traditions - each a broad current composed of numerous sects - descended in parallel from at least the 1st to the 5th centuries of our era and influenced many later 'heresies'. (Catholics are a 2nd-century offshoot of Judeo-Christianity, watered down to accomodate Paul. Protestants are 'purist' Catholics.) The following table is not an exhaustive list of the differences by any means, but if you look down the right-hand column you should get a pretty good idea of where my sympathies lie over a whole range of beliefs.
| Judeo-Christianity (=Ebionism sensu lato) | Pagan Christianity (=Gnosticism sensu stricto) |
|---|---|
| One singular God (=Yahweh) | One godhead encompasses many gods (Yahweh inferior to the Supreme God) |
| Old Testament favourable to Yahweh but extensively interpolated with error and falsehood | Old Testament generally inspired and inerrant but not wholly favourable to Yahweh |
| One gospel (=Matthew, in several Aramaic versions) | Many gospels (4+) |
| Christ is the highest angel (Jesus a perfect man, 'possessed' by the Spirit of Christ - but not divine) | Christ is divine (Jesus an imperfect man, made divine by union with the indwelling Christ) |
| Jesus' mission prophetic only | Jesus' mission revelatory and redemptive |
| Jewish Law (purified by Jesus) remains effectual | Jewish Law superseded by law of the heart |
| Simon Magus and Paul the apostle are heretics and apostates from the Law | Simon Magus and Paul are divine teachers of the higher law |
| Work ethic | Anti-work ethic |
| Idolatry = worship of material images | Idolatry = submission to false mental images and values |
| Paganism a deception by demons | Paganism a preparation for Christ |
| Hierarchic priesthood | Mature Christians transcend hierarchic relationships |
| Tradition supersedes revelation: visions and prophecy no longer necessary | Tradition evolves through revelation: visions and prophecy continue |
| Extreme patriarchy (segregation of sexes; women excluded from ecclesiastical office) | Moderate patriarchy (free association of sexes; women priests, prophets and teachers under male headship) |
| Chastity (legal marriage licenses sex) | Free love (legal marriage a mere convention) |
| Physical resurrection awaited | Spiritual resurrection begins here and now |
[edit] Political implications of the Gnostic vision
The Gnostics practised a radical egalitarianism amongst themselves (with the caveat that women participate on equal terms by aligning themselves with the male vision: Gospel of Thomas 51.19-26). However, they were also realistic enough to know that the majority of people who remained outside the Gnostic circles were not ready to give up their hierarchy-ridden ways. That was one of the reasons why they remained outside. I call it egalitarian elitism. In general, as societies become more spiritually developed, under the guidance of Gnostic elites and wise philosopher-kings, the closer they should come to general egalitarianism. Whereas, led by materialist egalitarians, they inescapably become more class-stratified. Ironic, isn't it?
[edit] Hitler and the Nazis
The early Catholic church ripped off its ideas from the diverse sects of early Christianity ('Gnostics') and reused them in a twisted form to justify building up a centralised hierarchical organisation run by control-freaking bishops. Once they had the power, they sidelined and then suppressed the looser and more creative movements that were the original source of their ideas. Hitler and the Nazis did exactly the same thing to the diverse groups of völkisch populists and nationalists that had been around in central Europe since the 19th century.
If you look past the cynical channeling of all things völkisch into organisations under Nazi control, the NSDAP really had a parasitic relationship with the völkisch movement. Hitler held much of it in contempt. There is almost no evidence to support the more specific and often-repeated claims that the guy with the moustache or other leading Nazis were involved in secret circles of völkisch occultists, and my policy on Wikipedia will be to chase down such unhistorical claims and to break or de-emphasise those links wherever the evidence (or lack of evidence) warrants it.
[edit] Race
Since I've been asked, and might get asked again, I am:
- a racialist since I'm convinced there is sufficient scientific evidence to justify a belief in the real, objective existence of biological human races - which also means racial differences, otherwise they cannot be defined at all. Such differences would necessarily involve inequalities in specific traits - though not overall inequality, which simply cannot be measured (there are too many variables).
- an anti-racist because I do not accept that racial (or any other biologically-based) differences can justify hating any human group on account of their differences from your own group, nor condoning social or legal disadvantages to any group within a mixed community, still less acts of genocide or the colonising of people whom you consider inferior.
Self-evidently, these are not contradictory positions. Real anti-racism would not poison minds with the message that "we're all the same under the skin", minimising biological differences and urging the whole planet into the melting pot, as though we could not accept or value people unless they were as similar as they can possibly get. The purveyors of sameness seem to have missed the point that anti-racism is about how we deal with people who are different, and it's a poor sort of anti-racism that can't handle that. (Some outright Nazis, whom I abhor on other grounds, seem to understand this better than the "hear no race, see no race, speak no race" brigade.) Racial, ethnic and cultural diversity constitute a wonderful human asset and long may those differences continue to bloom. NO to the racist melting pot!
Humans are, I concede, emotionally predisposed to prefer the company of their own biological, cultural and linguistic kith and kin. But there are circumstances (such as impending global ecological crisis) where we need to transcend those limited attachments and all pull together for everybody's well-being. This can best be achieved not by denial of difference but by learning to love it. If the world turned to desert and all humans were Eskimos, where would we be? If the world iced over and all humans were Bushmen, where would we be?
A final point. Opposing racial hatred is not the same thing as suppressing it, either by legislation or by Orwellian thought control. Political correctness is the mortal enemy of anti-racism because it leads to the inevitable racist backlash. One of the prices of a free society is that people are free to hate and free to express their hate. If somebody offends you, you can offend them back. Or you can choose to ignore them. Or you might try to enlighten them with measured and rational argument. Words can always be answered with words. As Nicolas Walter used to point out, the time to take action is when words lead to action - and not one minute sooner!
