The One with the thorny issue of religion, and why my blog entries are rubbish.
I said there may be something almost interesting here soon. I lied about the soon bit, and I lied about the interesting side of it too.
It was originally written as part of an email to someone, a Christian of the Roman Catholic sort, incidentally. They haven’t said anything about me not cut ‘n’ pasting a chunk of it, so I assume it is OK to do so. (I could be wrong about that though!) [Oooh! The neuroses!]
This is it:
I have been digging around the murky world of Christianity. I AM going to hell, it seems. Some yankie site told me so. Well, I had broken 9 of the 10 commandments. Not murder, by the way. I presume that only applies to humans, and not say…. ants, otherwise I’m in big trouble.
I’ve printed off a shit-load (I think that’s the correct technical term) of information on Gnosis/Gnosticism (I’ve learnt there is a difference between the two terms, but don’t ask me what it is, not yet anyway). Which is odd. For me.
I think I like the idea of Gnosis/Gnosticism due the mysticism about it, and also it’s a good way of being branded a blasphemer, and why would I want to change the habit of a lifetime? But it is damn hard to my head around. Need some easier-to-read material methinks. Gnosticism For Simpletons would be good.
Bigger trouble is, I find out one bit of info, then discover that it comes from another source, so I have to look into that as well.
For example, this book review:
This book, despite some flaws, is an interesting and illuminating read for those sympathetic to the “real” Christianity (as I call it–if you’re more sympathetic to orthodox Christianity, let’s say Gnosticism is the “inner mystical core”). Perhaps the most glaring fault of this book is Hoeller’s description of Gnosticism as “the esoteric tradition of the west”. There is but a glancing reference to Hermeticism, which Hoeller characterizes as a “non-Christian Gnosticism”. It ought to really be the other way around–Gnosticism is a Christian version of the Hermetic Tradition, itself originating in Hellenised Egypt before the birth of Christ.
The last sentence is the bit that most caught my eye.
I think this digging is gonna take up a lot of my life. May also require some book reading too, which is fine, so long as I don’t have to pay for the blighters.
One thing at a time though. I’ll try and get my head around one matter/idea before running after another.
One thing I won’t be looking any further into is Kabbahlabalaa-baa, or however the fuck it’s spelt. Stupid ‘religion’ for people with more money than sense. £27 for a piece of red string??! To ward off the evil eye?! I might want the evil eye hanging around, just for fun perhaps. See what more shit and chaos my life can stand. Woo and yay! Oh dear. Got slightly too excited about the crapness of my life there.
***********
I got excited about this cos I actually had my brain in gear for once. The thinking bit and writing-whilst-sitting-in-front-of-a-pc thing joined together in a moment that produced something almost worth reading. I even mused quietly on this point within the email.
Why can’t I do the same when tapping away for entries into this here blog? The brain often just shuts down as soon as I sit in front of the monitor, as though the pc has the power to sap all my mental powers. (Which isn’t the most taxing of tasks in the world to achieve at the best of times.)
Anyway, that’s the news. Dull, I know. You wish you’d never even wondered what was gonna be about now, don’t you? All that wasted brain power!
-Bea Whale
Tags: Gnosis, Gnosticism, Christianity, BrainDrain
