The Gospel of Peace

Ah, I see.

Then it appears this is not a Christian forum per se, it is a fundamentalist forum.

Perhaps they should make that clear.

I was confirmed Anglican and was a choirboy as a youth. However once I started my spiritual quest, I studied comparative religion and I looked at many different religions and spiritual philosophies.

If I was to resonate with any Christian philosophy, it would be the Gnostics and pre-Gnostics, such as the Essene Christians. The Gnostics were the early mystic Christians that claimed a personal contact with the divine. The other orthodox churches at that time had a political-like structure that passed down 'salvation' through a military style hierarchy of a pope/bishop (the general) and priests (the soldiers) and demanded strict obedience to the doctrine of their church.... or else.

The Gospel of Thomas is a wonderful example of what I call original Christianity (before the political agenda's and pagan ideas were implanted in Christian thought) It is 113 sayings of Jesus. Period. (it has 114 but many scholars believe 114, which is quite chauvinistic, was tacked on later)

There are other marvelous early Christian Gnostic writings that are very spiritual and enlightening. And other non-Gnostic (the first century Essene Gospel of Peace preserved by the Nestorian Christians is an example)

Sigh...

However, most 'contemporary' Christian that follow only the writings of the Apostle Paul, and believe only the gospels and bible that was sanctioned by the Romans, are missing a vast reservoir of beautiful Christian teachings equally as valid and uplifting.

You might find this interesting. Book one of four first century books from the Essene Christians:



THE GOSPEL OF PEACE OF JESUS CHRIST
Transl. By E Szekely & P Weaver

This book caused a sensation when it was first published in 1937. Its contents represent a small part of a manuscript dating from the first century AD, which exists in Aramaic in the Vatican Library and in old Slavonic in the Royal Library of the Habsburgs (now the property of the Austrian Government). The text originated in Palestine and found its way to the interior of Asia where it was used by Nestorian priests, who eventually carried it to the West when they were forced to flee by the advancing hordes of Genghis Khan. The part published in this book deals with the healing works of Jesus, throwing light on the natural healing forces of sun, water and living foods. It also gives insight into the values and terminology of early Christianity and those of the Essene Brotherhoods of the first and second centuries BC.





©†ƒ……•™¼‡_Original_Message_¾€š½ž¢«»¬ï°©

Ah, I see.

Then it appears this is not a Christian forum per se, it is a fundamentalist forum.

Perhaps they should make that clear.

I was confirmed Anglican and was a choirboy as a youth. However once I started my spiritual quest, I studied comparative religion and I looked at many different religions and spiritual philosophies.

If I was to resonate with any Christian philosophy, it would be the Gnostics and pre-Gnostics, such as the Essene Christians. The Gnostics were the early mystic Christians that claimed a personal contact with the divine. The other orthodox churches at that time had a political-like structure that passed down 'salvation' through a military style hierarchy of a pope/bishop (the general) and priests (the soldiers) and demanded strict obedience to the doctrine of their church.... or else.

The Gospel of Thomas is a wonderful example of what I call original Christianity (before the political agenda's and pagan ideas were implanted in Christian thought) It is 113 sayings of Jesus. Period. (it has 114 but many scholars believe 114, which is quite chauvinistic, was tacked on later)

There are other marvelous early Christian Gnostic writings that are very spiritual and enlightening. And other non-Gnostic (the first century Essene Gospel of Peace preserved by the Nestorian Christians is an example)

Sigh...

However, most 'contemporary' Christian that follow only the writings of the Apostle Paul, and believe only the gospels and bible that was sanctioned by the Romans, are missing a vast reservoir of beautiful Christian teachings equally as valid and uplifting.

You might find this interesting. Book one of four first century books from the Essene Christians:



THE GOSPEL OF PEACE OF JESUS CHRIST
Transl. By E Szekely & P Weaver

This book caused a sensation when it was first published in 1937. Its contents represent a small part of a manuscript dating from the first century AD, which exists in Aramaic in the Vatican Library and in old Slavonic in the Royal Library of the Habsburgs (now the property of the Austrian Government). The text originated in Palestine and found its way to the interior of Asia where it was used by Nestorian priests, who eventually carried it to the West when they were forced to flee by the advancing hordes of Genghis Khan. The part published in this book deals with the healing works of Jesus, throwing light on the natural healing forces of sun, water and living foods. It also gives insight into the values and terminology of early Christianity and those of the Essene Brotherhoods of the first and second centuries BC.

http://www.essene.com/GospelOfPeace/peace1.html