Gnostic Christianity

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Originally Posted by Breukelen advocaat

Here's my opinion: True "enlightenment", in the context of Buddhism, is knowing that there is no such thing. So you know that you have something that does not actually exist.

Here's the real deal, in a nutshell. The Buddhist monks eat a very limited diet for years. I know, from experience (due to an illness I have that is now in remission) that this makes life very difficult because the body and brain needs nutrition to work well. So, they make-do with their bowls of rice, veggies and other scraps. Notice that the Buddha is always pictured as fat, middle aged, and laughing. How come he's "enlightened"? Because he probably starved himself for 25 fucking years and when his diet improved, so did his brain - and complex thinking processes became a breeze.

I am NOT an expert on Buddhism - but they're usually vegetarians. A certain amount of fish and meat are very beneficial to human beings - and 2 million years of eating this way, and surviving, is proof enough for me that we ARE carnivorous creatures.

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Your theory on enlightenment is both correct and incorrect. enlightenment itself is nothing, in a way, but it is something in the way of being an extinction of the illusion of "self". ah hell but I could go on for hours trying to describe it all.

anywhoo, some buddhist sects believe it's ok to eat meat while others don't. however a lot of people misinterpret what the buddha was saying about eating meat, thinking he forbade it. in reality, he simply said that it is more spiritually fulfilling to eat vegetarian and once you reach a certain amount of progress in your practice, you will gain enough compassion that the desire to consume meat will be gone. In a nutshell, some buddhist eat meat and some don't. I personally do, and considering I'm alergic to lactose, brocolli, and wheat (or anything with gluten), I'd say my diet's limited enough:p .

as for the buddha being fat, he never actually was, he's just represented as such in asian cultures because it's a sign of prosperity or royalty. He never went back to eating meat and ate only one small meal a day for the rest of his life. Sidhartha Guatama, who later became the buddha, spent 6 years of fasting (eating just enough to survive) and total denial of all worldly pleasures, in the pursuit of finding the answer to end suffering. He finally concluded that this was not the path, and continued his travels. Finally he sat beneath a bodi tree in deep meditation vowing not to leave until he found the answer. after (I think) 2 weeks he had formulated his entire philosophy and attained enlightenment.

Buddhists generally referre to his technique as the "middle path", as it is extremes of both negative or possitive, clinging or craving, that leads to suffering. There's much more to it of course, but I won't go into it all right now.

The "illness" that I have (had) is celiac - intolerance to gluten. May I ask how long have you've been gluten-free?

P.S. I never had much of a "desire" to eat meat at all - but it keeps me in better shape. I could go without it, if I had to.

ah, the good 'ol celiac disease. I don't actually know if I technically fall under the title, but I certainly can't eat gluten. I've been gluten-free for about half a year now, and my sister has it too. I can handle small occasional amounts, though my stomach will get unsettled somewhat. basicaly I can't absorb any nutrients when I have it in my system. I realized I had it when I spent the week at my friends place and he ate nothing but pasta. I thought I had come down with a terrible flu, but actually I was just starving. that and it ruins my ability to heal and makes me foggy headed. arne't we a lucky folk!

That sounds like Celiac to me. A biopsy/endoscope exam would probably not be conclusive in your case because you've eliminated the culprit (gluten), but there are other tests now available that can diagnose it even if you're GF. The most important thing, though, is that youâ??ve determined that you feel better by eliminating certain foods - so the â??testingâ?� is not really important.

I am becoming increasingly anti-gluten, even for people that do not have Celiac and it's classic symptoms due to gluten consumption. When I tell people that I have it, and explain what the GF lifestyle entails, they often say, "I'm so sorry!". I usually laugh, because it's actually a "gift" of nature - an early-warning system that's actually a life-saver for people that have major health risks from gluten. Unfortunately, for tens of millions of people with gluten sensitivity, they have no discomfort in their gut, anemia, brain fog, etc., but the stuff leaks into places where it can trigger 200 various illnesses. Finding out that Celiac was the root cause of so many problems that I've had was the best medical news I could ever hope to have - because the intestinal damage, and blood antibody problem, are usually reversible with the proper diet. Naturally, the chances of having other gluten-related problems are also eliminated.

Excellent Book for both Celiacs and non-Celiacs looking for better health:
Dangerous Grains, by James Braly, MD, and Ron Hoggan, M.A. It's about 10 bucks on Amazon.com, but the information is priceless - and has probably saved a number of people's health.
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After the first Adamâ??s descent into matter, Lucifer, who was co-creator of the world with God, offered the fallen Adam and Eve a means of release from their bondage in matter. They needed only to eat of the tree of the â??knowledge of good and evilâ?� which God had forbidden them to do. The forbidden fruit was â??spiritual enlightenmentâ?� with the power to become â??gods,â?� having the ability to transcend matter and to be reabsorbed into the â??divine principleâ?� from which they originated. However, the other creator-God, rudely intervened in Luciferâ??s plan in order to keep man trapped in matter and subject to Himself. To prevent Adam from taking of the tree of life, that he might achieve immortality, â??The Lord God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.â?� (Gen. 3:24)



In Gnostic thought, this God is an â??evil Demiurgeâ?� and â??Satan,â?� whereas Lucifer is the true God who is in a continuing battle with the evil Demiurge for possession of planet Earth. And so, Luciferâ??s offer still stands for those who will receive â??spiritual enlightenmentâ?�â?? the delusion that they can become â??godsâ?� and escape the control of the â??evil Demiurge.â?�


source

correct me if i'm wrong but these appear to be some translated gnostic texts

Gospel Of Thomas
Gospel Of Phillip
Gospel Of Truth

you are the only other person i have ever heard refer to a "Demurge" or "Demiurge".


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