I’m trying to find out more about the connection between Gnostic religion and ascetism. Specifically, how extremely (if at all) ascetic one must be to call oneself a Gnost without raising too many eyebrows amongst their peers.
Can I be a gnost and still own the computer I am using to write this message? Can I be a gnost and own a TV?
I’ve been reading Dictionary.com’s definition of Gnosticism, and it doesn’t say anything about asceticisim. Maybe I’m the one who needs to be instructed!
Gnosticism has had many manifestations and many sects, often with very different tenets in the past 1700 years, especially after many of its prominent practitioners were declared to be spreading heresy and it was largely forced underground by the Catholic Church, as a political and theological move, after a Gnostic Pope was almost selected.
“Gnostic” in modern times is an overly broad blanket term to label anything from some beliefs of Egyptian Copts to some US protestants.
That’s what I thought. So basically, someone claiming I can’t be a gnost because I post on the internet is an idiot. Thanks.
A book to check out if you’re interested
Gnosis : The Nature and History of Gnosticism by Kurt Rudolph