How Human Expression & Sexuality Relate to Gnosticism

Considered a heresy by mainstream Christianity, Gnosticism is regaining popularity, thanks in part to many archaeological digs, such as Nag Hammadi in Egypt, and cultural influences, such as the films The Matrix and The Da Vinci Code.

The real problem with Gnosticism is trying to define it and trying to set strict rules to it. However, in Gnosticism, a form of legalistic relativity is in control, where moral issues are largely held in the hands of the person facing the moral dilemma. Legalistic relativity holds that the grace of God and the holy spirit is what is in control of our experience, not rigid religious laws. Now combine that with human sexuality, and the question arises, "Are the Gnostics orgiastic libertines or sex-hating ascetics?" In my research, I will uncover this largely misunderstood group of people, both from antiquity and contemporary Gnostics.

Sexual Expression in Established Gnostic Life

The Gnostic believes that sex is not merely for procreation. The Gnostics believing that sex is a high form of lovemaking it is viewed as a playful, creative and intimate affair and so as long as the couple in question has love, respect and can honor one another in a committed relationship whether married or not, it is considered okay. We should consider those who are beyond a belief in marriage when we say committed relationship. In antiquity the Gnostics of old believed that marriage was necessary so that those with the "spiritual seed" might be born. Despite this advice, some members of Gnosticism practiced celibacy.

To the Gnostic the view on masturbation goes according to personal beliefs. However, the Gnostic viewpoint on a sexual lifestyle is that of moderation, if a sexual desire exists solely from lust than it is not right, such as meaningless promiscuity.

It is part of Gnostic myth of creation that we all came from one great source and were put into these mental and physical bodies as a prison. Nonetheless, because, we all come from one source and that one source exist within us than regardless of your sexual orientation you are still part of that source. Another important part is that the Gnostic reads any religious and creative text allegorically and not literally so in the instance of Sodom and Gomorrah, this had other implications not connected to homosexuality.

Unlike orthodox churches, the Christian Gnostic churches were inclusive to gender. It is well noted even by opponents that women were allowed to take a role in Mass they taught and spoke in Mass. Women of the Gnostic circle had more social liberties than women of the orthodoxy. The reason being is views of Mary Magdalene as an equal with Christ instead of just below him, coupled with the Gnostic Cosmology of Sophia which had a large role in Gnostic Salvation and who was represented as the divine feminine.

Worldview of the Gnostic

Most religions suggest a salvation of following the rules (e.g. The 10 Commandments). However, a Gnostic realizes that the decisions are not made in a vacuum it was believed that in order for right action to occur it needs right thinking to occur as well. To the Gnostic moral worth was valued in righteousness or right-mindedness not a simple and mechanical moral reaction. To the Gnostic literalism and dogmatics are fiercely rejected. Its true the Gnostic has a worldview however, there writings are mythical and are meant to endow truths that cannot be communicated by words alone, there writings can be interpreted in many ways and any interpretation does not cancel out the other but allows the existence of both interpretations and because of that the Gnostic has no "theology" nor "doctrines." Ultimately the values are insight and wisdom not good - bad morals, in fact the Gnostic see's these as polarities as two sides of the same coin, to imagine this picture a standing pole, the higher you go the more virtuous the actions are while the lower you go the less virtuous the actions are however, there is no absolute good and bad just varying degree's.

As stated earlier, Gnostics sought to honor the sacredness of sexuality and the place of true love. The Gnostics had no real attachment to the Mosaic Law's. In fact the Gnostic's had a positive view on sex in comparison to the orthodox view of sex which is equal to the "original sin." In Gnostic cosmology God had made couples each having variable aspects and where coupled together in sexual union to create "Fullness." Again marriage and child-bearing was an individual choice and not a forced choice. Sexual decisions were left largely on the individual not law-makers.

When you take away the accusation of sexual immorality, then the Gnostic is no longer considered immoral. It was noted by even the adversaries of Gnosticism that there morals were the purest. It has been made known that Gnosticism when understood without the bias is a religion that has no root in fanaticism nor fundamentalism. Gnostics didn't seek to nourish popular ideas, projections and attachments as they saw those as lifeless images. Again however it should be noted that the decision to lead an ascetic life is not required unless the individual desires so without the need to feel obligated to do so. Most Gnostics can agree that they "are in the world but not a part of it" or they live in society (suburbia or urban environment) but do not take part of the same things that most people might take part in; in said environment, this does not mean being a hermit all your life either because, we are part of society but our actions should reflect a life of moderation and freedom.

Misunderstanding Concerning the Relationship between Human Sexuality and Gnostic Christianity...

Gnostics are painted up to appear as either as Sexually Overactive Libertines or Ascetic Sex Haters, however neither could be both at the same time. The attacks against the Gnostics are no different than the gossiping and accusations against the Christians before it was legalized in Rome. As was mentioned that the Gnostics were moderate in there view on sexuality believing that if one can exhibit control over ones sexual urges than one can take part in them as well.

Again accused of moral nihilism or that the word of law is not as important as the experience with reality. The Gnostic would believe that when one has actually understood the root of all laws that the specifics will come naturally, just keep in mind a few rules and the rest will follow. To the Gnostics both of antiquity and today it's important to abandon strict rule of law in favor of simple honesty, humility and compassion. The old saying "rules are meant to be broken" would be a phrase all Gnostics are meant to do.

The Gnostics do see the world as inherently flawed, and to some Gnostics even evil. The Gnostics have been accused of "hating the world." However, all the Gnostic works invoke favorable images of the natural world (children, plants, pregnancy... etc). Gnostics do not hate the earth and physical world but the system set up by powerful people that create so much evil in the world and allows people to often fall slave to said system. The Gnostics being accused of as "ascetic sex haters" is founder in this biased argument as well. That the flesh is "evil" and therefore anything the flesh does is evil this of course includes sex. In reality just as a Christian would agree the Gnostics believed that the flesh is weak and transient in comparison to the power of the spirit. These accusations are only among many but these relate most to Gnosticism and its stance on Human Sexuality.

Conclusion

I wrote this essay in hopes of understanding my own beliefs. I have been trying to find out how one should "live" by this religious lifestyle. Unfortunately there are not many Gnostic Clergy on Long Island, the closest Church is in New York City and I have no "face to face" contact with any clergymen. However, there is a web forum and a large one at that dedicated to uniting the Gnostic Laity and Clergy together in one website. There are also a slue of books and the text themselves worth contemplating over. However in my research I had concluded that the Gnostic point of view is similar to the existentialist philosophy of the modern age, with the exception that Gnostics still do believe in a God and this God is outside of the universe but within everything at the same time. This universe was built by a flawed creator and its inherent purposes is flawed some how.

So morals are out the window to a certain degree, as most morals are just societal norms and since societal norms can be subject change than these morals are not of a Divine order but rather of a lower order, one that seeks is over controlling and has a perverted sense of discipline. Most Gnostics do not believe in The Ten Commandments but rather Jesus commandment to simply "Love one another, including our enemies." If most moral structures are of society and not of good there maybe room for more freedom but this freedom however, freedom should never be abused so we need to watch over and be mindful of our actions, hence it is my interpretation to have a life of moderation and nothing taken to extreme, unless we would want our passions to blind us.

Sources:

- "The Gnosis Archive." The Gnostic Society. 2005. The Gnostic Society. 7 Apr 2008 .

- Hoeller, Stephan. "Gnosticism: A New Light on the Ancient Tradition of Inner Knowing." 1st ed. Wheaton, Illinois: Quest Books, 2002.

- Smith, Andrew Phillip. "Gnostic Writings on the Soul: Annotated and Explained." 1st ed. Woodstock, VT: SkyLight Paths Publishing, 2007.