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Origins of Gnosticism
- Gnosticism, meaning "knowledge," pre-dates Christianity, with roots in Platonism, Zoroastrianism, and Eastern religions.
- It emphasizes a divine spark within humans trapped in a flawed material world, seeking liberation through self-knowledge.
Gnostic Lodges
- Some scholars suggest Gnosticism originated from Hellenized Jews in Alexandria mingling with Egyptian priests.
- These Jews, potentially disenfranchised, interacted with the Egyptian mysteries and formed their own lodges.
Manichean and Babylonian Myths
- The Manichean creation myth, with its dualistic realms of light and darkness, draws from the ancient Babylonian creation myth.
- The primal man's destruction and fall into creation mirror Marduk's struggle and eventual triumph over Tiamat.