The feminine side of the deity.

[PistisSophia]

The Gnostic Bible mentions Pistis Sophia. Her name means compassion/wisdom. She is the Christian side of the feminine part of G-d. In Judiasm, the Kabbalah says that her name is called the Shekinah, the female part of the who of the one universal and transcendent G-d. Reading the Gnostic Bible isn't difficult but to interpret it correctly, does take some advanced religious training, which I do not proclaim to have.

My grandmother's name on my maternal side was Sophie (RIP). She passed away when I was about 12 years old. In this way, just the handle with Sophia in it, makes me remember her in some sort of subconscious way.

But, getting back to the Gnostic Bible, I would like to see all the holy literature bound up together, not just the pieces of work that were picked by the Council of Nicea, which was done for their own agendas, respectively. There are so many pieces of scripture that are missing from the King James version of the New Testament. If one isn't curious, one may never get to read the missing parts of testament, including those of Thomas and many more. For historical purposes, alone, this is what I would call "rewriting history" as such.

One can only hope that the "news" was more honest and open a few thousand years ago, then it appears to be today, under the current situation.

There cannot be democracy without total uncensored freedom of the press.

How nicely this ancient writing fits in with the topical issues of today.....as in, that's why it is "classic".

[Jean-Baptiste]

Thank you for starting this thread, PistisSophia!

I have not been acquainted with the Gnostic Bible. Does this refer to an all-inclusive compendium of early ad religious texts? I have read a few selections of apocrypha.

As I've told you, I've read a bit of the Pistis Sophia, but I became quite disoriented. That seems like an interesting key that I was missing, that she is a representation of the feminine side of God. That was one of the major questions that I had while reading it: Who is this Pistis Sophia? It makes wonderful sense, now that I think back on the reading.

I wonder if you, or anyone else around here, might point me in the direction of some sort of explicative work on this book. I know, it seems like a travesty of comprehension to ask for an explication of one of the great works of Gnosticism, of all things. :goof: I don't ask for Cliff's Notes or anything like that, but I'm sure there have been fascinating essays written about this particular piece of literature.

[Eagleheart]

But, getting back to the Gnostic Bible, I would like to see all the holy literature bound up together, not just the pieces of work that were picked by the Council of Nicea, which was done for their own agendas, respectively. There are so many pieces of scripture that are missing from the King James version of the New Testament. If one isn't curious, one may never get to read the missing parts of testament, including those of Thomas and many more. For historical purposes, alone, this is what I would call "rewriting history" as such.
I have only recently had discussion on the topic of the apocryphal gospels...and have read some scandalous accounts of how informal disputes between "the holy figures of the day" were taking place to decide which gospels should be included in the Bible. Hence we would have to be very pious not to question how the Old Testament was constructed...perhaps in the same way...
I wonder what happens when "God's words" are selected and nominated for best qualities to be included in the holy book? - A catholic church, an orthodox church.../ such things happen/
/I could share that, personally for me, my most intelligent and reasonable dicussions have been with religious people who never mentioned the Bible/
And yes-there are such people...

[Rosalind]

A little bit off topic, there are also lots of feminine references in the 'mainstream' Gospels, though many of them were expunged of deephasized in the process of different translations. Though I'm afraid I don't remember the exact citations, there's a verse in Isaiah referencing the God that "gave you birth," and there's another one comparing God to a mother duck, or something to that effect.

[PistisSophia]

it seems to be that there was a definite and deliberate subversion of the role of women in organized religions, all of them. That the woman is simply a vessel to bring forth life, as we well know, most of us anyway, is a unfair and unrealistic goings on. The contributions of women to society are myriad.

Women recently have become much more vocal of course, in demanding their rights to the "rites" of their respective religions. It will go on relentlessly in many, being that the power is all tied up in the male hierarchy and perhaps may not ever change, until there is a schism of sorts......

[blazeofglory]

Jesus was married and had children. The whole school of Christianity totally domineered by male popes hid this fact.

[OswaldTheOsprey]

Intelligent mainstream Christianity ordains women as ministers and officers. I belong to one such denomination-Presbyterian (PCUSA).

OswaldTheOsprey

[blazeofglory]

it seems to be that there was a definite and deliberate subversion of the role of women in organized religions, all of them. That the woman is simply a vessel to bring forth life, as we well know, most of us anyway, is a unfair and unrealistic goings on. The contributions of women to society are myriad.

Women recently have become much more vocal of course, in demanding their rights to the "rites" of their respective religions. It will go on relentlessly in many, being that the power is all tied up in the male hierarchy and perhaps may not ever change, until there is a schism of sorts......

Even books of religions were all set against the existence of women thinking that they have little role in making decision and they are tools or vessels and nothing else.

Indeed there was and is male chauvinism in religious schools in most of the countries.