XVIII. From the Acts of Mary [An excerpt from The Acts of Mary as translated byC.T. Edwards, A. Healey, L. Moresco, and S. Weiss] Chapter V. On one day a man in the crowd called out to me, “What about divorce? Did your Mashiach allow divorce?” I replied, “Why do you ask about divorce? Why do you not ask about marriage? Great is the mystery of marriage. Without marriage, the world would not exist. Do you not know that the first commandment our God gave to us was to be … [Read more...]
Goddess Murder, 14: The Beginning of The Acts of Mary
August 25, 2013 By 6 Comments
XVI. Return to Jerusalem [From The Acts of Mary as translated by C.T. Edwards, A. Healy, L. Moresco, and S. Wise. The committee did not have this manuscript at the time of the events recounted herein, but we believe it and some others later made available should be included here to make the history clearer.] I. After Joshua had ascended to his Father, we returned from Galilee to Jerusalem. As we entered the city, we remembered how he had ridden a donkey into the city when he came for … [Read more...]
Goddess Murder, 13: The Other Two Gospels
August 21, 2013 By Leave a Comment
XV. The Work Continues, 4 As the caterpillar chooses the fairest leaves to lay her eggs on, so the priest lays his curse on the fairest joys. William Blake “Seamus, what can you tell us about this Gaelic gospel?” I asked. “It is a translation of a gospel originally composed in Greek,” Seamus replied. “I’m not as familiar with all the Gnostic writings as some of you, but the story told here goes back to the era of Jesus, more or less.” “Is it about Simon Magus?” … [Read more...]
Goddess Murder, 12: Awakening
August 20, 2013 By 3 Comments
XIV. Awakening [From The Gospel According to Mary, as translated by C.T. Edwards, A. Healy, L. Moresco, and S. Wise] As I stood praying, I heard a voice say, “Mary.” I looked up and saw an angel, blazing with light. But then I recognized him. I cried out “Rabbouni!” and fainted at his feet. He reached down with his right hand and raised me up, saying, “Do not be afraid, my beloved. I have awakened from among those who sleep. I know who I am, and I am everyone.” “But how . … [Read more...]
Goddess Murder, 11: Aphrodiphobia
August 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment
XIII. The Work Continues, 3 Andy spoke up. “What you’re saying, Alan, is that even the most fundamental Christian beliefs have been corrupted by Aphrodiphobia.” Everyone looked at her in surprise. I hesitated, then said, “I’m sorry, Andrea. The what?” “Aphrodiphobia. It’s a term I coined. Of course you haven’t heard it.” “Fear of Aphrodite?” Les asked cautiously. “No, fear of sex,” Andy replied. “Are you all familiar with the work of Wilhelm … [Read more...]
Goddess Murder, 10: Dinner
August 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment
XII. Dinner [From The Gospel According to Mary, as translated by C.T. Edwards, A. Healy, L. Moresco, and S. Wise] One evening we were invited to dinner by Salome, who had known Joshua for many years, but had not seen him since his baptism by John. During the dinner, she turned to him and said, “Sir, who are you now? You have climbed into my bed and eaten from my table, but now you act as if you are someone important.” Joshua replied, “I am still the one who loves you. Now I am … [Read more...]
Goddess Murder, 9: More Discussion of the Gospels
August 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment
XI. The Work Continues, 2 “Could we try looking at each of these in turn, to see what’s the new information in them?” I asked. “Les, Alan, Sherm, you’ve been working on the Gospel of Mary also. Would that approach be feasible?” “I think so,” replied Sherman. “This Gospel According to Mary has more in common with Jewish tradition than any of the four canonicals, which would also indicate that it’s early. But its theology is so radically different from theirs that it’s … [Read more...]
Goddess Murder, 8: Wedding
August 11, 2013 By 4 Comments
X. Wedding [From The Gospel According to Mary, as translated by C.T. Edwards, A. Healy, L. Moresco, and S. Wise] Our Rabbi loved my family in Bethany, my brother Lazarus, my sister Martha, and myself. It happened that Lazarus became extremely ill, and Martha and I sent word to Joshua about our brother’s illness. When Joshua came to Bethany, one of his students came to me secretly and said, “The Rabbi has come and calls for you." I arose quickly and went to meet him: but Martha … [Read more...]
On Not Buying into Ancient Propaganda
August 4, 2013 By 8 Comments
When I was working on Gnostic and New Testament Studies and stuff like that at the GTU in the 1970s, there was one especially important book I could not get hold of: the Panarion (“Medicine Chest for Heresies”) by Epiphanius (d. A.D. 403). More precisely, I could not find a translation of it. The Greek text I could find, in Professor Migne’s collection of all the writings by the Church Fathers, in Greek and in Latin, from many centuries. Not a vast number of libraries own the complete … [Read more...]
Goddess Murder, 7: Talking About Gnostic Gospels
August 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment
IX. The Work Continues "Okay," I said. "Has everyone here had a chance to read everybody’s rough drafts?” Some but not all hands went up “Not most of my people,” Megan said. “As courtesy we should at least summarize what we’re looking at,” I said. “Two of these are probably, at least in general, what we classify as Gnostic or apocryphal gospels, but a gospel for witches is almost unprecedented. Before we go riding in among the trees, can anyone give us a map of the … [Read more...]
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