Following Up With Gemini on The Gospel of Thomas, Part I

 

For some reason, my brain keeps going back to the 1957 that was run in various newspapers in the United States that had the following screeching headline :  

The article was one of the earliest known discussions regarding Professor Henri C. Puech and his preliminary analysis of The Gospel of Thomas.  In that article, written by Manuel Komroff, five "sayings" recorded by the doubting Thomas of Jesus were highlighted in the article.  One of the sayings that caught my eye was this, as displayed in the article :

What exactly does that mean?  So, with curiosity in my head, I went back to Google's Gemini to ask some questions.  Here is what I discovered, per the assistance of AI...

Q : What is the ancient Gnostic symbolic interpretation of the saying "Jesus said : He that is near Me is near the fire.  He is that is far from Me is far from the fire."?  

A: Within early Gnostic circles, "fire" often symbolized divine knowledge, or gnosis. It represented the hidden spark of the divine present within each person, awaiting ignition. To be "near the fire" was to be close to this inner gnosis, to have awakened the potential for spiritual illumination and transcendent knowledge. Conversely, being "far from the fire" signified spiritual ignorance and a disconnection from one's true divine nature.

This excerpt from the Gospel of Thomas reflects core Gnostic principles. Gnostics focused on attaining esoteric wisdom, often through intense introspection and contemplation. They believed that this gnosis was the path to liberation from the constraints of the material world and a return to the divine source. Consequently, by suggesting that proximity to Jesus offers proximity to the fire, the text underscores the vital role of spiritual guidance and the necessity of seeking inner knowledge for spiritual fulfillment.

Q:  How would Jesus be a Gnostic symbol of fire?

A:  For Gnostics, Jesus would be considered a symbol of fire because he embodied the divine spark or gnosis. He represented the potential for spiritual awakening and served as a guide to illuminate the path to enlightenment. Gnostics saw Jesus not just as a historical figure, but as the embodiment of the divine wisdom that could ignite the fire of knowledge within each seeker, leading them out of ignorance and towards liberation

Q: So, by association, to be close to Jesus would ignite our down Divine Spark?  

 A: Yes, that's a core concept in Gnostic thought. Gnostics believed in an innate divine spark within each individual, and contact with Jesus, as the bearer of divine wisdom, would help "ignite" that spark. The idea is that Jesus wasn't just a teacher, but a revealer of hidden truths that could awaken this inner potential for spiritual realization. His role was to help others access their own gnosis, not to be worshiped as an external savior.

Q : According to this saying in the Gospel of Thomas, how would I know that I am close to the fire?

A:

Unfortunately, the Gospel of Thomas doesn't provide a checklist to determine your proximity to the fire. However, we can infer some possible signs from Gnostic philosophy and the symbolism of fire itself:

• Heightened Awareness: As the fire represents gnosis or divine knowledge, you might notice a growing sense of awareness and understanding of your inner self and the world around you. This clarity might manifest as a decrease in existential confusion and a heightened sense of purpose.

• Spiritual Awakening: The fire's warmth might symbolize a sense of internal awakening. You may feel a shift in consciousness, as if a dormant part of yourself is now coming alive, bringing new insights and perspectives.

• Transformation: Fire has transformative power. Being close to the fire suggests change. You might observe an increased desire to let go of negative patterns, habits, or relationships that hold you back spiritually and emotionally.

• Intense Experience: Gnostic texts often describe divine encounters as intense and potentially unsettling. Being close to the fire might involve powerful emotions – joy, wonder, or even a sense of disorientation as your existing worldview is challenged.

Remember, Gnosticism valued personal experience over dogma. Ultimately, recognizing your closeness to the fire would be a deeply personal and subjective experience.

Personally, I've experienced fraction of the first three...heightened awareness, spiritual awakening, and even a transformation since COVID, but I haven't really had an "intense" experience per se.  So I followed up with another curious question for Gemini.

Q: Would an unsettling encounter with UFO or UAP potentially be considered an "intense Gnostic experience?"

A:  Whether an encounter with a UFO or UAP could be considered an "intense Gnostic experience" depends highly on your interpretation of Gnosticism and the nature of the experience itself. Here's why:

Potential Connection:

• Unraveling Reality: Gnosticism often questioned conventional understandings of the world. An unsettling UFO encounter could challenge one's notions of reality and the nature of existence, potentially mirroring the sense of disorientation that can accompany Gnostic awakening.
• Hidden Knowledge: Gnostics believed in the existence of hidden knowledge. A UFO encounter, especially if it involved some form of communication or revelation, could be interpreted as unveiling secret truths about the universe, potentially aligning with Gnostic concepts.
• Otherworldly Encounters: Gnostic texts sometimes describe encounters with divine beings or celestial entities. Depending on the nature of a UFO experience, it could be subjectively framed as an encounter with non-human intelligence, possibly aligning with the Gnostic belief in alternate spiritual realms.

Considerations:

• Lack of Specificity: Gnostic writings focus on inner knowledge and spiritual liberation, not necessarily on extraterrestrial contact. While a UFO encounter can be intense and transformative, it doesn't automatically equate to a Gnostic experience in its traditional sense.
• Personal Interpretation: Ultimately, whether the experience feels like a Gnostic revelation is deeply personal and depends on how the individual interprets it within their spiritual framework.

In conclusion, while a UFO encounter could certainly be a powerful and disorienting experience, whether it qualifies as explicitly Gnostic depends heavily on personal interpretation and the specific circumstances of the encounter

 

So with no UFO encounter in hand, I asked Gemini the following :

Q: How would I know that i might be in a situation of  an"intense experience" in context to being close to the fire?

 

A: In the context of being close to the Gnostic fire, an "intense experience" is likely to be deeply personal and multifaceted. Here are some ways it might manifest:

Emotional Intensity:

• Overwhelming Emotions: You might be flooded with a range of emotions that feel overwhelming; these could be positive (awe, bliss, profound love) or challenging (fear, existential discomfort, grief).
• Heightened Sensitivity: Your senses might feel sharper, and you may experience a more intense response to stimuli. This can apply to physical sensations, art, music, or interactions with others.

Cognitive Shifts:

• Sudden Revelations: You may experience moments of insight or clarity that feel like profound revelations, altering your perspective on yourself, reality, or the nature of existence.
• Questioning Reality: As old beliefs and assumptions crumble, you might experience a period of questioning the very fabric of reality. This can be disorienting, but also lead to a deeper search for truth.

Spiritual Encounters:

• Visions or Mystical Experiences: You might have powerful visions, dreams, or encounters with spiritual imagery or symbolism that feel deeply significant.
• Sense of the Divine: You may feel a sense of connection to the divine or experience a profound sense of the sacred that transcends your previous understanding.

Transformative Impact:

• Breakdown and Breakthrough: An intense experience near the fire may involve a period of feeling unsettled or even broken down. This can be a necessary catalyst for profound inner change and transformation.
• Urgent Need for Change: You might feel driven to make significant life changes, from shifts in relationships and career to a complete overhaul of your worldview and priorities.

Important Considerations:

• Uniquely Personal: Intense experiences are highly subjective and may vary vastly between individuals.
• Not Always Comfortable: These experiences can be beautiful and awe-inspiring, but can also be destabilizing and existentially challenging.
• Potential for Integration: Intense spiritual experiences often require time for processing and integration to fully reap their transformative potential.

 

Well, thank you Gemini.  Much appreciated!  We'll see if anything of note manifests in my reality after I publish this article.