You wrote: “For Blake, and seemingly for the Jesus of the Gospel of Thomas, conventional religion suppresses such insights. In this context, the serpent in Eden can be seen as bringing vital, passionate, creative energy into an otherwise passive Eden, sparking knowledge and awakening. The serpent becomes the catalyst, and the forbidden fruit is the ‘blasphemous’ knowledge about the Kingdom of Heaven being within each of us.“
I never imagined the Garden of Eden fable in such a light, but it does make excellent sense.
You have opened up new Worlds of Blake and Jung. You learn. We share in what you learn. You are a natural teacher. Perhaps you can consider doing a book discussion on The Problem of Job? Bernardo Kastrup, if I am not mistaken, considered that Jung’s finest book and a must-read. Now I am very curious.
Interesting to me also, is your removal of the cross pendant from around your neck two weeks ago. Was there something particularly revelatory in the timing of this event, beyond the symbolic? I like the analogy of it hanging on the door handle as an opening, a portal to new ways of thinking.
My question is, if Christ is within us, why do we need a physical symbol to show others and ourselves that we are trying to be Christlike? Perhaps it was your way and that of others to witness, or silently proclaim the gospel and your faith in the words of Jesus?
Hi, John, always enjoy reading your points. The observation about removing the pendant is about moving beyond the symbol and towards something more real
The cross may be seen symbolically too... the death of the ego on the cross of matter. But your article has pushed a deeper thought. We can look at God and Demiurge as external forces... the good and evil... the either/or... I am good/they are bad when both reside within. The Demiurge is blinded to God, believes himself God, cannot perceive the greatness of God... but as you make the point, can be viewed as the unformed psyche within. Is that not familiar in our world? We constantly fall into the trap that there is nothing higher than ourselves. We worship science and false idols. We make gurus and geneticists. We trip over our own hubris to meet our nemesis. The path to Hell etc.. We are not wise enough, nor innocent enough. Dare we admit it is we, like the Demiurge, who are blinkered and arrogant and so we suffer interminably? Maybe that it is the individual and collective shadow that we must see first to make the crucifix-guarded threshold worth crossing.
Hamlet's reply is true for me: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." And you Patrick are showing me that. I don't know Carl Jung's thought; what a remarkable perspective he has on Job! I suspect there's a great deal of wisdom in your essay here. Once more, thank you!
I've been enjoying your essays on the Gospel of Thomas. Growing up, I attended the catholic church and classes, completed my confirmation because it was what my parents wanted. I remember being 5 and not believing the way Jesus or God was portrayed, when I questioned why must I attend church and these classes it was because I had to and there was no further discussion. It was only after leaving that I felt connected to myself and found energy to believe in what I felt, no longer weighed down by how or whom to pray to. Your analysis has been very enlightening!
Thank you for sharing this, Karina. Yes, I find that undertaking the journey oneself allows us to move beyond the symbols, and ends up bringing Jesus’ essence far closer
Patrick i download the app, I have been reading your letters a while now but in my email , thank you so much for reaching to us and talk about what you think, sometimes it resonates with what I think, I sent you a hug 🫂. ✨️🙏
To me, this is the key passage in your essay:
You wrote: “For Blake, and seemingly for the Jesus of the Gospel of Thomas, conventional religion suppresses such insights. In this context, the serpent in Eden can be seen as bringing vital, passionate, creative energy into an otherwise passive Eden, sparking knowledge and awakening. The serpent becomes the catalyst, and the forbidden fruit is the ‘blasphemous’ knowledge about the Kingdom of Heaven being within each of us.“
I never imagined the Garden of Eden fable in such a light, but it does make excellent sense.
You have opened up new Worlds of Blake and Jung. You learn. We share in what you learn. You are a natural teacher. Perhaps you can consider doing a book discussion on The Problem of Job? Bernardo Kastrup, if I am not mistaken, considered that Jung’s finest book and a must-read. Now I am very curious.
Interesting to me also, is your removal of the cross pendant from around your neck two weeks ago. Was there something particularly revelatory in the timing of this event, beyond the symbolic? I like the analogy of it hanging on the door handle as an opening, a portal to new ways of thinking.
My question is, if Christ is within us, why do we need a physical symbol to show others and ourselves that we are trying to be Christlike? Perhaps it was your way and that of others to witness, or silently proclaim the gospel and your faith in the words of Jesus?
Hi, John, always enjoy reading your points. The observation about removing the pendant is about moving beyond the symbol and towards something more real
The cross may be seen symbolically too... the death of the ego on the cross of matter. But your article has pushed a deeper thought. We can look at God and Demiurge as external forces... the good and evil... the either/or... I am good/they are bad when both reside within. The Demiurge is blinded to God, believes himself God, cannot perceive the greatness of God... but as you make the point, can be viewed as the unformed psyche within. Is that not familiar in our world? We constantly fall into the trap that there is nothing higher than ourselves. We worship science and false idols. We make gurus and geneticists. We trip over our own hubris to meet our nemesis. The path to Hell etc.. We are not wise enough, nor innocent enough. Dare we admit it is we, like the Demiurge, who are blinkered and arrogant and so we suffer interminably? Maybe that it is the individual and collective shadow that we must see first to make the crucifix-guarded threshold worth crossing.
Hamlet's reply is true for me: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." And you Patrick are showing me that. I don't know Carl Jung's thought; what a remarkable perspective he has on Job! I suspect there's a great deal of wisdom in your essay here. Once more, thank you!
Glad you took something from it, cheers Chuck!
I've been enjoying your essays on the Gospel of Thomas. Growing up, I attended the catholic church and classes, completed my confirmation because it was what my parents wanted. I remember being 5 and not believing the way Jesus or God was portrayed, when I questioned why must I attend church and these classes it was because I had to and there was no further discussion. It was only after leaving that I felt connected to myself and found energy to believe in what I felt, no longer weighed down by how or whom to pray to. Your analysis has been very enlightening!
Thank you for sharing this, Karina. Yes, I find that undertaking the journey oneself allows us to move beyond the symbols, and ends up bringing Jesus’ essence far closer
Patrick i download the app, I have been reading your letters a while now but in my email , thank you so much for reaching to us and talk about what you think, sometimes it resonates with what I think, I sent you a hug 🫂. ✨️🙏
Thank you, Patricinni, it means a lot - all the best
🙏