[ExI] Basis of Belief

[aiguy at comcast.net]

Emlyn said:
> >An Agnostic is someone who says that the only way to know god is via 
 gnosis (internal insight?), and since that's bunk, there is no way to 
 know god. The existence of god is unknowable, and thus has no 
 relevance to anything. >>
Emylyn you a confiusing an "Agnostic" with an "Gnostic".
They sound alike but that where the similarity ends.
>From the Free Dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/agnostic
ag¡¤nos¡¤tic (g-nstk) 
n. 
1. 
a. One who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God.
b. One who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism.
2. One who is doubtful or noncommittal about something.
adj.
As opposed to 
Gnostic (plural Gnostics)
A believer in Gnosticism 
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Gnosticism
Gnosticism (from Greek gnosis, knowledge) is a term created by modern scholars to describe a diverse, syncretistic religious movement, especially in the first centuries C.E. Gnostics believed in gnosis, the knowledge of God enabled by secret teachings. Some Gnostics considered themselves Christian, identifying Jesus as the divine spirit incarnated to bring gnosis to humanity. However, Gnostic dualism placed it in stark contrast to Orthodox Christian non-dualistic teaching, and Gnostics were labelled heretics. Other Gnostics were not even nominally Christian, and several Gnostic texts appear to have no Christian element at all. Still others were certainly devout mystic ascetics who worshipped Jesus and lived in their own unique ways according to His teachings. Simon Magus is believed by some Christians as being the founder of Gnosticism.
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