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The Last Word


Bazza

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Re: The Last Word

 

No argument. It's just that monologues don't have to be truthful, coherent, or even particularly explanatory. I mean, just look at Gollum, dancing on the edge of the Crack, having got the Ring back.

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Re: The Last Word

 

If any still live' date=' then to do otherwise means they've become nihilists, or something else no longer recognizable as Gnostics.[/quote']

 

I'm not sure I understand this post of yours, sorry. Are you saying that because of the persecution any survivors have become nihilists thus no longer gnostic?

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Re: The Last Word

 

Well' date=' monologues are supposed to be directed at others listening. Arguing out loud with one's self seems like it belongs in a separate category.[/quote']

 

....talking to yourself is the first sign of madness....

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Re: The Last Word

 

That was intentionally implied' date=' yes.[/quote']

 

ok, cause I disagree. I can't see how a gnostic could eventually become a nihilist. For one, the abandonment of morality.

 

now gotta go to work. reply after i get back, 4.5 hours.

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Re: The Last Word

 

Well, I was just folding your question back on itself, flippantly. Perhaps, most accurately, suggesting that both your and my use of the word "pretend" was less than completely appropriate in this context.

 

We are still talking about the Gnostics right? why would they need to pretend their cause was still viable?
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Re: The Last Word

 

Well' date=' I was just folding your question back on itself, flippantly. Perhaps, most accurately, suggesting that both your and my use of the word "pretend" was less than completely appropriate in this context.[/quote']

 

My understanding of Gnosis is the knowledge through direct empirical immersive experience of the divine, historically achieved by esoteric initiatory practices. What we would be more familiar with today as mysticism. So why would a Gnostic or a mystic need to pretend (assuming the experience is fair dinkum)?

 

ps: reading the Catholic Encyclopaedia article on Gnosticism is a laugh.

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Re: The Last Word

 

Hmm, OK. I took a rather different definition of gnosticism.

 

BTW, I finished with that Sagan book I mentioned upthread, though I admit I read it quickly and sketchily (it was my on-the-bus book). The meat (in terms of religion) is in the last three chapters.

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Re: The Last Word

 

Hmm' date=' OK. I took a rather different definition of gnosticism.[/quote'] What would be your definition of gnosticism?

 

BTW, I finished with that Sagan book I mentioned upthread, though I admit I read it quickly and sketchily (it was my on-the-bus book). The meat (in terms of religion) is in the last three chapters.

So I take it you liked it? Do we get a review at all? :D

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Re: The Last Word

 

Naw' date=' that's pretty normal, everyone does it. The sign is in [i']answering[/i] yourself.

 

Which makes me think of my sister's email signature...

 

I talk to myself, then disagree about

the subject, get into a nasty row over it, lose, and

refuse to speak to myself for the rest of the night.

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Re: The Last Word

 

It's satisfying in a certain sense' date=' though necessarily incomplete. Review posted.

The only question I can really think of is how Sagan discusses the non-sense reality*, ie reailty above and not detectable by our 5 senses.

 

* got this term from Rudolf Steiner, I'm reading his book Christianity as Mystical Fact as an ebook on my iPad. He is looking to investigate the divine using the scientific methodology (well that is his aim anyway). He has spent a lot of time discussing the philosophy of Heraclitus.

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