Christ in the Garden of Eden
William Sheraton (gors@eircom.net)

If one was to accuse the great monotheistic religions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam of worshiping the devil, one would probably be ridiculed and scorned by mainstream public opinion. But this is exactly what many adherents of the Gnostic faith believe to this day. In fact some Gnostics maintain that Christians worship the devil by their own definition.

The idea of the fallen angel is central to the myths of mainstream Christianity and one only has to ask a Christian who the devil is to learn that he is believed to be a fallen angel who rebelled against God.

Many Gnostics believe that the material world was created by a Demiurge (Greek for public craftsman) a lesser being or angel who rebelled against his creator and created the earth as we know it. Therefore in Gnostic belief Ialdoboath or Jehovah is an evil deity bent on the domination of humankind in order to satisfy his own pride.

It is no surprise according to the Gnostics that they have always been persecuted for their beliefs. They accuse the three great religions of knowingly worshipping a usurper God and practicing the cult of materialism which they have themselves defined as Satanic. Gnostics believe that the faithful have been conned into the worship of an evil deity disguised by his followers as a God of love. Many Gnostics believe this to be the reason that no Christian, Muslim or Jew can put forward any sound argument as to the reason for the existence of suffering, disease and cruelty in the world.

When it comes to Christianity the Gnostics are particularly incensed. To most Gnostics Christ is the son of the true God sent by his father to save humanity from the cruel domination of an evil oppressor. They believe that Christ is the spirit of pure love and that by following his principals of brotherly love, charity and relief a new age can be brought about on earth where the evil materialistic society of the demiurge will be overthrown.

Gnostics say that mainstream Christianity has misled the people by telling them that Jehovah is the father in the trinity. They maintain that it was Christ who instigated the first rebellion against the evil Jehovah by freeing humanity from ignorance in the garden of Eden.

Gnostics argue that one only has to look at a religions attitude to science and knowledge to see to whom it pays allegiance. Religions that try to stop the spread of knowledge, interfere with freedom of religious expression and speech and openly attack men of science are generally on the side of darkness according to the Gnostics.

Science and knowledge were gifts brought by Christ to man in order that he may know his true father in heaven and escape from the bondage of a cruel and evil creator according to the Gnostics.

Gnosis comes from a Greek word meaning 'to know' in the sense of 'to
be acquainted'. Gnostics believe that it is possible to know God during ones lifetime by practicing spiritual exercises.

For more information on Gnostic beliefs drop me a line. gors@eircom.net